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Admittedly, i'm only comparing it to Sweden, but when I used 3G over there it wasn't far off the speed I get on the wireless network at home.
In the UK it's average at best, most times it's like using dial-up...
Is there some technical reason why the UK's 3G isn't as good as it could be?
I'm on Vodafone, if that matters.
I'm on Vodafone, if that matters.
Well that's one reason their data network is shocking, I've been with them for about 15 years but when my contract comes up for renewal I'll be switching as it's making owning a smartphone almost pointless.
The other reason is probably population is greater here so more users.
I think Vodafone might be part of the problem. I'm with them also and find the data service awful. 3G is slow and quite often in town centres etc I find I'm on GPRS.
I've been on Vodafone for years (work phone) so have no direct comparison, but friends and family on other networks seem to fayre better.
my guesses are contention due to a much higher population, and some quite strict rules about antenna density. No idea what Sweden's rules are like.
Hmm, might be switching from Vodafone then.
In the UK it's average at best, most times it's like using dial-up...I'm on Vodafone, if that matters.
3G in the UK is generally good, its one of the reasons why 4G uptake has been so slow.
The US had terrible 3G data so they cant get enough of 4G/LTE now its available.
Your problem is the Vodafone network, switch to 3, they have he largest 3G coverage. Even in the house i often forget to switch on wi-fi as the 3G speed is good enough not to notice that wi-fi isnt switched on.
On the population front, I was using the phone in the centre of a major city during an event when there were a lot of visitors, so I'd imagine that the (local, at least) network 'load' must have been similar to a city in the UK
Virgin which uses EE is very quick. 2.5 Mbps in my house and 7+ in the town centre.
It's not just local population but also back haul contention and speeds as well with mobile data.
O2 for example has rubbish back haul which is why their 3G and now to be their 4G is struggling to keep up with the likes of EE who have an overall faster network.
Even on 3G sitting in a city center the difference in speed between my O2 phone and EE phone is significant, 3 Mbps on O2 and 7 Mbps on EE for identical phones.
Glad it's not just me with Vodafone then.
In urban centres they're fine. I do a lot of work in and around Bristol & Bath (both quite hilly cities...does that make a difference)? In the centre of town, it's fine (if a little slow at times) but outside town, it's just beyond useless.
Anyone else find they never have 3G when they most need Google Maps to navigate out of where you've got lost? 🙂
Sat here on my trusty i4 with a 3G signal pick up the i5 work phone again on ee and nothing. It truly is shit unless you're sat under a mast!
I think the Swedish government invested quite heavily in their comms infrastructure. They see it as giving the country a competitive advantage, rather than just an opportunity to charge licensing and leave it to the vagaries of the markets.
Also are you sure you weren't getting LTE(4g) over in Sweden? They were one of the first countries to roll it out, and the charges are lower to the consumer than most countries pay for 3g.
Yeah believe VF have had a lot of problems with the O2 RAN share and it's really buggered up their coverage an data quality. At least that's one way to make your customers think they need 4G 🙂
vodafone 3g is awful ime, actually it just convinces me that paying extra for 4g would be a further waste
Must admit I've been impressed with Three. Was streaming iPlayer content on the iPad for blobby jr the other day while driving from Nottingham to Liverpool without any problems. Made me wonder why I'd want 4g. Whenever I checked my phone on Vodafone though I was on GPRS and had woeful data for most of the journey. The only thing that really keeps me on Vodafone is the roaming costs.
3G on 3 is pretty damn good (apart from in quite a bit of London). I often watch streaming video and it works fine almost all the time. Unlimited data too.
another vodafone 3G sufferer here.
Ive been with them for about 8 yrs now. We usually stick with them because their roaming costs are by far and away the cheapest if you spend long trips in Europe (especially data for working).
But Im fed up of their awful 3G service. Its even crap at Paddington in rushhour. They just havent invested in the infrastructure like others have. I dont even need 4G. Just please give me reliable coverage on 3G.
Im thinking of going to 3 (I wont use giffgaff as O2 are not much better than VF). At elast we dont have a contract with VF for our two work phones.
4G on EE
wooooosh 🙂
the trouble is vf offered me the same deal as giffgaff, id go to them but ive heard that their service isnt much better!
theres no way id pay 4g prices, thats just silly, who else is there?
Spoiler: I work behind the scenes for Vodafone, and 3G coverage outside of the major conurbations is nothing special. The fix for VF is 4G, and the "mast-sharing" and own-build for this will deliver something with far more oomph than 3G, which is pretty lacklustre. I'm quite excited about 4G tbh.
For my money, in a non-scientific, just roaming about with various SIMs sort of way, O2/GiffGaff has given me the best data availability in general.
Yeah interesting that 4g is seen as a fix that the consumer is expected to pay a premium for! Though it's understandable that operators are trying to recoup the massive investment required for LTE. And I suspect VF will say they are charging extra for the larger data allowances. I have had a play with VF 4G though and it is pretty impressive where there is coverage (but then so was their 3G at launch!)
Interesting to hear Three say their customers will automatically become 4g customers when they launch their 4g network, not that I think they really need it given the speed and consistency of their 3G network.
Cost of 3G licence fees in UK - $7.7Beeeellion (each)
in Sweden - $10K (plus 0.15% turnover)
Might explain why they have more money to invest in the network rather than funding governments...
And of course its now been mooted that a 'top up' fee will be expected to be a paid by providers because the expected revenue failed to materialise.
Yes, UK massively competitive market as well in terms of what people are prepared to pay. Was in a presentation recently by Verizon and was amazed at how much more their US customers pay for services compared to UK customers. Not sure what it's like in Sweden.
Not sure what it's like in Sweden.
Cheaper than the UK.
A 1 month 4g 20gb simcard costs about 20gbp
Very rarely bother switching my phone over to wi-fi at home as I get just as fast a connection using the 3G network on Three.
Been very impressed with Three so far, since moving to them earlier this year from T-Mobile.
tbh wifi at work and at home
commute everywhere by bike, so dont need to browse on the way to work
dont really enjoy watching tv on my phone anyway (ive got a nice big tv and sound system at home thats waaay better)
only really use the phone to browse when wifey is watching bakeoff or im having a pooh and they are all within wifi range!
or im having a pooh and they are all within wifi range!
I've often wondered what I did when having one at work before the days of smartphones 🙂
You could always move to Sweden...
Centre of Southampton... two iphone 4s's on EE and Vodafone, 4.14 Mbps for EE and 1.24Mbps with Vodafone. I can see both cell masts (they're on our buildings!)
Vodafone is bobbins.
3G in the UK is generally good, its one of the reasons why 4G uptake has been so slow.
The other reason uptake has been so slow compared to other major EU countries is that EE limited 4G service didn't even start until at least a year or even 2 years after other countries, and other providers' 4G service is only just starting.
We've had 4G LTE around here since 2010.
Very possible Sweden is similar. edit: yup since 2009 in fact.
On Orange my 3G was always great, much faster download than my home broadband. Never had any trouble at all.
I'm now on 4G because they offered it to me for -£2 per month.
Does Sweden ban the locking of phones to networks? Finland does (or did), and that meant that they can't subsidise the cost of the handset with the monthly payment. So the monthly payment was cheap but you had to pay full whack for the handset.
takisawa2 - Member
You could always move to Sweden...
just to have a pooh
not likely
IME 3 was really good in a dongle and EE is crap on 3G phone. The dongle probably has as much to do with it though as my parents have a 3 dongle too and its upto 2x as quick again in the aame place.
theres a 4g EE mast outside my window here and I barely get 3g so thats peeing me off.
EE on a 3G phone, that'll just be the Orange/T-Mobile 3G network then.
theres no way id pay 4g prices, thats just silly...
well I don't know what anyone else pays for what service level but I got galaxy s4 mini upgrade on EE 4G with 1Gb data 300 minutes and unlimited txts for 26ppm
oh plus a 6ppm insurance which I can cancel no hassles after 3 months so 32ppm for 3 months then 26ppm.
Have no idea if that's considered cheap, but a quid per day for pretty decent phone and fast service is certainly affordable (for me)
My 3 mobile used to get 3G signal, then 4 months after I took out contract it just says 'H'. What does this mean? Am I being a tad cynical?
When I had 3G on T-Mobile/EE, I used to be able to stream internet radio for near enough the full length of the A1. Since I switched to O2 I can't really do it at all, it rarely gets a stronger than 2G signal for the journey...
It's fine once in most towns/citys though.
For me.... I get coverage from all the big phone companies around my area, however indoors at home only vodafone works, I have tried many sims in different phones (. Plus friends have tried) and only vodafone works in the house...
Do any of the mobile companies do the sure signal boxes which vodafone do you know ?? (I don't need one of them either for vodafone)
hilldodger tahts not a bad deal...
well on giffgaff (not 4g) unlimited web is £12pm
obviously you have to suply your own phone, but my nexus 4 was 170 so if i keep it for a couple of years thats 7ppm and i can probably sell it on after
vodafone 4g something like 35pm
so thats an extra 200quid a year on what i was paying, id rather spend on bike bits than get slightly quicker access to stw
I think on the back of this thread, Immagonna give a 3 rolling monthly sim only plan a go. I'd get similar to Vodafone except with unlimited data - which I might bloody use if I had 3G signal. As I said to the last Voda customer services rep on the phone when she said "You never really get near your 750mb per month limit Mr. Darcy", "Yeah, because my phone never flipping has 3G!"
Voda customer services rep on the phone when she said "You never really get near your 750mb per month limit Mr. Darcy", "Yeah, because my phone never flipping has 3G!"
I think Vodafone customer services are use to it. Called them the other day to get a PAC code and got asked why I was leaving. Told him the data was rubbish and he didn't put up much of a fight.
theres no way id pay 4g prices, thats just silly
I renewed my contract with Orange, £26/m and the guy said 4G was expensive so not to bother. Then EE phoned me and said that I could upgrade my contract to 4G (as I'd incidentally chosen a 4G phone) and it would only cost me £24/m.
I've no idea how the Orange/EE handover thing is working but it's creating some odd effects for customers.
Biggest advantage to 4G I've found isn't the speed (although it is faster and lower latency), it's better consistency. If I'm in Cardiff or London, both strong coverage areas, it's pretty much always good and fast. 3G and even HSDPA would cut out in certain buildings or come and go depending on where I was .
[url= http://news.techworld.com/mobile-wireless/3446864/uk-government-selects-arqiva-for-150m-mobile-infrastructure-project/ ]THIS[/url] will help.
As will the Smart metering push, once it gathers steam.
TBH, though I don't really have any problem with Vodafone 3G, and the 4G was fast enough to not have to measure it.
Would everyone on three recommend it then?
Just noticed that they are going to roll out 4G at no extra cost to customers and for £15/m sim only you get unlimited data and more calls and texts than I would ever use.
Well the Plans are good value*, the coverage is a bit sketchy to say the least, f'rinstance I was in Harrogate all w/e and coverage up near Beckwithshaw was non existant yet over Skipton up near Bolton Abbey was full bars (no 3G, but at least I could make a call) and Bolton Abbey is in the Moors.. I get reasonable coverage in that Lonjon, but tall buildings splat most things out here..
I'd recommend them only for thier Plans, customer service is rubbish and coverage, well see above.
*if you think it's good value, it probably is
My phone is on O2, they seem about on-par with Vodafone as far as data goes i.e. crap. If I used 3G a lot I would definitely change networks.
I have a PAYG 3 sim in my iPad and in contrast that is excellent, good signal and really fast. Obviously not had the joys of their customer service though!
Do any phone company have a good service? On t-mobile and have to say the coverage is good but the service hasn't been great when I've had to deal with them. Tempted by Orange just for the film offer but their deals are awful.
EE just seems pointless at the moment - here's a much faster connection but you we'll charge you more to use less of it.
I'm on 3, and i get around 4 Mbps, which is fine by me :-). Unlimited data too, I get through around 5 gb a month
I am with Voda and they suck.
Luckily on Wifi at home and work.
Out and about its crap.
I'll be switching when my contract is up.
[url= http://www.rootmetrics.com/uk/compare-operators/ ]Root Metrics UK[/url] is always worth a look - they've done very detailed coverage assessments on all the operators in quite a few cities now - based on calling, texting and data performance inside and outside buildings.
There's a pretty consistent pattern now though which is EE and Three trading places for best network overall - the former now has the UK's biggest network measured by population and geographic coverage - when Three start to rollout 4G voice next July on 800 Mhz their indoor coverage will be way better than vodafone and o2's existing 2G coverage. EE have announced the planned rollout of 300Mb broadband on 4G which should make things even more interesting in 2014.
There's a mobile phone network? Not at my house - the wilds - about 5 miles from Cambridge.
My 3G (with three) was faster than our home broadband, but we've just gone to fibre optic so the broadband wins (by about 85mb!) now. But I'm still very happy with Three.
I've been on Three for almost a year and have no complaints, I've use the speed checker app from time to time and quite often see 5+Meg. It was upto around 7-8meg in my old house. I can't really see the need for faster than that on a mobile device. I do quite a bit of travelling with my job and haven't had a real problem with coverage - it seems better than my mate's T-mobile phone.
Get a mixture of 3.5 G (H+) and 4G in Darwen on EE and full 4G at work in Preston. Nearly as quick as my virgin media broadband.
As above, more prop's to 3
phone is on 3G EE, mobile wifi device on 3 - the 3 service just kills EE for speed. When it's time I'll switch phone to 3 and skip the 4G rip-off charges.
happened sooner than I thought - EE are [url= http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/10425756/EE-switches-on-worlds-fastest-4G-network.html ]turning on[/url] their 300Mbps 4G service today