"3" Network query

[JayCee]

A friend has a Nokia E61 on a £15 per month tarrif with 3.
I was asking him if he found good coverage in our area and he said that when "3" reception is poor the phone automatically changes over to o2...true or false?
If true can anyone supply a link giving details?

 

[Throttle]

Ive had a few 3 contracts and found network to be good tbh its rare i dont find a signal where as when ive had orange and T-mobile ive had bad signal at some places where 3 seemed ok still.

Ive also heard about the 02 being a backup network i cant remember where i read it but ive heard about it though also go through Quidco if do decide to buy a three phone as you'll get some cashback too.

 

[mt50]

orange is now the switchover partner for 3.

it used to be o2 but a few months ago they went to orange.

 

[williemaykit]

I would rate 3's coverage as pretty good and with the switchover to Orange, means I get voice reception everywhere (you wont be able to access data other than planet 3 when you are roaming on Orange). Data coverage is fairly decent with no real blackspots down here in London.

The other great thing is that 3 are in the process of rolling out HSDPA (mobile broadband). I was driving around London today and all the basestations seemed to be HSDPA active.

With the X-Series add (£5 for 1Gb data per month) + free roaming in countries that have a 3 network, you really can't be 3 for value for money.

 

[DrPhil]

Help, what do you mean by switchover network? Does this mean that £ can use Orange's network at no extra cost to me?

In response to the first question, It is true that the phone will automatically switch. Not a major problem for mainland UK users, but for those in Northern Ireland, (me), it is a huge problem. When you are anyway close to the border with the republic, there is a danger that your phone will automatically switch over to one of the Irish networks, and you will be charged a fortune for roaming. Roaming is only free on 3 Ireland. 3 have automatically disabled the manually select operator option in ALL their phones. You can change network with this, but the setting stays at automatic, so it will just change again when ever it takes the notion.

Does anyone know if it is at all possible to change this so that you can select 3 mobile and the network will not change? Otherwise I will have to take it back and cancel my contract. I assume it something in the firmware that 3 have done to con Irish customers.

 

[Sy1441]

Help, what do you mean by switchover network? Does this mean that £ can use Orange's network at no extra cost to me?

In response to the first question, It is true that the phone will automatically switch. Not a major problem for mainland UK users, but for those in Northern Ireland, (me), it is a huge problem. When you are anyway close to the border with the republic, there is a danger that your phone will automatically switch over to one of the Irish networks, and you will be charged a fortune for roaming. Roaming is only free on 3 Ireland. 3 have automatically disabled the manually select operator option in ALL their phones. You can change network with this, but the setting stays at automatic, so it will just change again when ever it takes the notion.

Does anyone know if it is at all possible to change this so that you can select 3 mobile and the network will not change? Otherwise I will have to take it back and cancel my contract. I assume it something in the firmware that 3 have done to con Irish customers.

Yes it would fall back onto orange at no extra cost (when not roaming!)

3 phones have manual network selection disabled. Did you buy your phone from P4U by any chance ? Id put money on that you did.

 

[DrPhil]

Sure did. Why do you assume it was them?
I was fuming with them too, they knew that 3 do that to their phones, but didn't tell me until after I bought the damn phone!

 

[Kalef]

I have a "3" PAYG sim & have only ever seen Orange as the network I'm connected to. Will it actually say "3" when I'm on their network?

It's also sucking the life out of my phone too, I'm charging the phone after just 12Hrs use now. Is there a preferred phone, with good battery life, that makes the most of what 3 offers.