UKC

Hi all
Can anyone offer some advice on whether the mobile network Three is any good, I'm assuming there probably ok in most towns but thinking more of places such as N Wales and Peak
Thanks

In reply to riff156:

Try the Ofcom mobile coverage map: https://checker.ofcom.org.uk/mobile-coverage

(The UI is a bit pants: you have to enter a postcode and click "Set postcode", then click on "View map of available services" at the lower right before being presented with a map that you can then zoom and pan to anywhere in the UK.

Having had a quick look at the areas you mention, Three seems to be the worst for coverage out of the four mobile network operators in the UK (everyone else is a 'virtual' operator ie they partner with one of the four real ones to actually provide mobile service).

In reply to riff156:

I signed up with TPO when they used EE network. It wasn't until about six months ago that I discovered they'd switched to the Three network. I work all over the hilly parts of the country and don't find it any worse than others on different networks.

In reply to riff156:

You get what you pay for. Shower of terminal strokers. No idea about remote coverage.

D

In reply to riff156:

It was OK in Sheffield/Peak, but utterly useless in the Lakes and I had to change network, paying considerably more.

In reply to riff156:

EE have the contract for the Emergency Services Network (ESN), which is due to replace the Airwave radios used by fire/police/ambulance with a 4G based system.

It'll probably be a complete disaster, but EE will probably end up with the better mobile coverage in the UK.

In reply to riff156:
Rule of thumb* is that

EE = Best for 4G coverage and performance (i.e. capacity)

O2 = Typically best for voice coverage, worst for data

* in reality coverage and capacity vary massively, get a PAYG SIM if your thinking of signing up for a contract and try before you buy/commit

Other point is if you have no mobile coverage at home consider a network which offers native Voice over WiFi services (EE, Vodafone) on the basis you are getting an iphone/phone from the MNO. O2 and H3G offer this but you need a application which is clunky.

In reply to Jon Stewart:

Strange, I am on Three and find the coverage better that O2 ever was in the lakes.

In reply to riff156:

Get a dual sim phone (moto G) and switch between networks

In reply to jonfun21:


Interesting: I had previously believed that Vodafone was worst for data. It was rubbish in Plockton last year: four bars of signal but no data. I think someone said at the time that Vodafone's mobile data infrastructure is severely lacking in rural areas.

For a get-you-out-of-the-sh1t phone in the hills, though, data probably isn't the most important requirement.

In reply to riff156:

Based on personal experience I found Three better than Vodafone but EE is miles better than either of them. EE are stupidly expensive but you can get a deal with one of the carriers who use their networks and it'll be loads cheaper.

In reply to riff156:

Well looks like a tricky decision then , thanks for all the replys