Moved from TMobile to Giffgaff several days ago, O2 website shows good coverage for my area, i seem to keep dropping the signal, have painfully slow internet speed and it is now struggling to send texts & i can’t make calls. Pants. Anyone else had this? or any ideas for improving it? or should i just ditch the contract and go elsewhere?

As a customer for 4 years, I have never experienced the issues you are referring to.

Make sure that you are using Giffgaff’s carrier settings on your phone. They have a guide on’t net.
Setting for iPhone in the link. Assume they are the same for other phones.
Linky

Its a HTC DesireS phone, has worked a bit, but not consistently.

Those coverage maps all the companies do seem to be rather optimistic. I went from vodafone to EE a couple of weeks ago for 2 contracts. EE map said I should get good 3G coverage indoors and out. Reality was very droppy 2G. Back to Vodafone now with tail between legs.

Moral of story – always get a payg sim with your potential new carrier to test out before you go to the hassle of porting numbers etc on a new contract.

Giffgaff is far better than T Mobile where we are.

Convert, giffgaff is a monthly rolling contract (aka pay as you go), so he it’s trying it out as you suggest….

I’ve had issues when O2 say the local area coverage is fine, but my nearest tower mast is actually down, but we live in a bit of a dip…

Giff gaff service checker, which is less rose tinted than 02’s