Best UK phone network

[Guigsy]

Mobile networks are very variable, there are of course locations where one provider works and others don't.

The latest reports suggest generally it looks like EE continue to offer the best coverage. Three offer the highest speeds, but this tends to be in urban areas. Vodafone are third place. O2 are struggling, but there's some evidence they're recovering. This has been the pattern for a while. Which may change if Three and Vodafone merge.

Broken Link Removed

Note that with EE, sub-providers that use the EE network don't always get the same coverage. EE use several frequencies, but band 20 is the one that provides their best rural coverage. But many of the sub-providers that ride on the EE network aren't allowed to connect with band 20.

 

[Googlebot]

RWG use EE network.

In Scotland this year we found it amazing! Was much faster than Three and Vodafone.

As you said, in urban Birmingham, Three seem better.

 

[LesW]

I've been with EE for quite a while, coverage/reception is pretty good, though some parts of Norfolk are poor.

I also benefit from free roaming due to being a long serving customer.

 

[steve69]

These days, it's best to have more than one provider if you want to travel anywhere and still get adequate service. I have Smarty (3) and Giffgaff (o2). I find i have to switch from one to the other depending where I am.
Cheap enough at £8 per month each.

 

[Guigsy]

These days, it's best to have more than one provider if you want to travel anywhere and still get adequate service. I have Smarty (3) and Giffgaff (o2). I find i have to switch from one to the other depending where I am.
Cheap enough at £8 per month each.

I regularly work from the van. Having a choice of SIMs is definitely a good strategy. I'm using EE and Smarty (Three) and have had fairly good luck so far. My phone is on Vodafone for a backup, backup.

My worst experience was at a campervan festival in Northampton, just off the A14. I had lots of signal strength with Three and Vodafone, but intermittent data. The poor network masts that usually served just the local village couldn't cope with 1000 vanlifers trying to stream their YouTubes. It was just congested to death. But I could see a weak EE connection from a distant mast (their coverage map said the field was poor). I'm guessing most other people couldn't see it at all because I got a slow but perfectly useable connection from it with my Poynting roof antenna... Although I was jealous of the setup a few vans down with Starlink.

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[ORPP2]

For anyone with Popit, you can forget coverage in rural parts of Norfolk. Then again, I don't suppose many other providers are any better. We switched from Three to Popit hoping for better coverage but have been disappointed. It wouldn't be too bad if Popit offered wifi calling but it isn't available yet.

 

[Landy Andy]

EE very good but the company is not as good as it was. Now part of the BT group

 

[Teedubyaa]

I’ve been with EE for about 10 years and my wife Vodafone about 20 years which has been good to get decent coverage between us in the past but this year’s renewal Vodafone did not have the retention offers to compete (they’d separated the deals to 2 years for call/data and 3 years for the phone?? Which would have made a comparable 2 year contract near double the price) so we’re now both on EE. Of the two networks EE has generally been better - we live in North Wales but travel around (well we did do but sold our van last September as new van had been due March ……..).

I’ve not noticed any difference since EE became part of BT but as I get BT Broadband both our 125gb data are doubled to 250gb each which should be plenty for when we get touring again

 

[EuroTrotters]

We have been on lebara for a few years now. We were paying £30 a month each with O2. Now get more for around £7 a month

 

[Minxy]

We can only get 02 and Vodafone here, I'm with Talkmobile (Voda) and hubby Voda. We got Lyca Sims for hubby's roaming as he can't use his data abroad ... never again! Abroad they were crap, fortunately they were only pennies per month so no great expense but very frustrating.

Our contracts are up in Oct/Nov so as there are few providers that allow roaming foc we'll likely be taking out UK contracts only and then just buying contract free sims for roaming.

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[Silver-Fox]

Just a little divert.

I’ve had a few conversations with an Indian chap regarding 3 and them charging to phone the Isle of Man.

I was using the 01624 number, now as far as I’m aware 01, 02 and 03 are landline numbers and included in my contract allowance.

He informed me that 01624 wasn’t included and is a service provider and outside the UK.
As far as I’m aware the IoM is still embraced by the UK.
Given that it’s down in black and white that 01, 02 and 03 are included I’m standing my ground and said it’s 3’s problem.

If they wish to state 01624 is chargeable they need to inform all 3 customers and change their wording in the contracts and all their info on the net.

Any thoughts from you good people

 

[Verteuil Man]

When i worked on the highways the only network that would give a constant overall coverage throughout the UK was Os. Vodafone used to be a good second but Orange/EE pinched their older and wiser engineers and service levels dropped. Orange/EE were very hit and miss especially in rural areas. Now owned by BT. Three are relative newcomers and are in the process or merging with Vodafone.

 

[Gellyneck]

Just a little divert.

I’ve had a few conversations with an Indian chap regarding 3 and them charging to phone the Isle of Man.

I was using the 01624 number, now as far as I’m aware 01, 02 and 03 are landline numbers and included in my contract allowance.

He informed me that 01624 wasn’t included and is a service provider and outside the UK.
As far as I’m aware the IoM is still embraced by the UK.
Given that it’s down in black and white that 01, 02 and 03 are included I’m standing my ground and said it’s 3’s problem.

If they wish to state 01624 is chargeable they need to inform all 3 customers and change their wording in the contracts and all their info on the net.

Any thoughts from you good people

IoM is not part of UK but a Crown Dependency not that that has much to do with your debate with 3.

As you say, it's an 01 number so if they want to exclude that code they should clearly stipulate this on their t&c's!

 

[Verteuil Man]

IoM is not part of UK but a Crown Dependency not that that has much to do with your debate with 3.

As you say, it's an 01 number so if they want to exclude that code they should clearly stipulate this on their t&c's!

My experience with Three is that they do tend to tell porkies. When i asked them in 2019 what they were going to do about roam8ng charges in the EU, the response was that as Three parent Company is owned by Chinese Companies all the deals with EU network providers were done via China. So no roam8ng charges would be levied. That did not last long.

 

[mondo]

I have my mobile with GiffGaff..been with them around 6 years..not had any issues with them..however not been over the water post B word and post Covid..so I don't know of any issues on roaming etc

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[Gellyneck]

My experience with Three is that they do tend to tell porkies. When i asked them in 2019 what they were going to do about roam8ng charges in the EU, the response was that as Three parent Company is owned by Chinese Companies all the deals with EU network providers were done via China. So no roam8ng charges would be levied. That did not last long.

Today's standard corporate policy statement -

PROFIT
Profit
profit
.
.
.
.
.
customer

 

[Minxy]

Just a little divert.

I’ve had a few conversations with an Indian chap regarding 3 and them charging to phone the Isle of Man.

I was using the 01624 number, now as far as I’m aware 01, 02 and 03 are landline numbers and included in my contract allowance.

He informed me that 01624 wasn’t included and is a service provider and outside the UK.
As far as I’m aware the IoM is still embraced by the UK.
Given that it’s down in black and white that 01, 02 and 03 are included I’m standing my ground and said it’s 3’s problem.

If they wish to state 01624 is chargeable they need to inform all 3 customers and change their wording in the contracts and all their info on the net.

Any thoughts from you good people

It gives Isle of Man as a 'roaming' destination which suggests it isn't a UK number.

IoM is not part of UK but a Crown Dependency not that that has much to do with your debate with 3.

As you say, it's an 01 number so if they want to exclude that code they should clearly stipulate this on their t&c's!

But it says UK 01 numbers, IoM isn't part of the UK so not included.

Silver Fox ... good luck with your argy-bargy with Three!

 

[Silver-Fox]

It gives Isle of Man as a 'roaming' destination which suggests it isn't a UK number.


But it says UK 01 numbers, IoM isn't part of the UK so not included.

Silver Fox ... good luck with your argy-bargy with Three!

I’ll do my best fighting the fight.

David and Goliath

When you Google IoM it always comes back as UK.
I appreciate it’s a dependency but any insurances you have for vehicles are ok over there.

Three need to make it clear on their T and C’s I don’t think they have done that.

When I took out the contract I was told all 01, 02 and 03 numbers were included no exceptions

 

[NR]

Not EE, Today, Lincoln to Southampton to Bournemouth to Coventry then home, poor to no service throughout the journey.

 

[chesterfield hooligan]

If you listen to their adverts all the providers have the best coverage I was with Vodafone for 9 years and changed to ID mobile who use three network at home with Vodafone 2 maybe 3mb download if watching a film on the TV and someone phoned the TV stopped now on ID mobile I get a low 5g signal but 20mb download speed Vodafone cost £23 for 100gb ID mobile 200gb £12 in the middle of a large housing estate I have no problems streaming films abroad just saying and not advising horses for course's

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[Stealaway]

Mobile networks are very variable, there are of course locations where one provider works and others don't.

The latest reports suggest generally it looks like EE continue to offer the best coverage. Three offer the highest speeds, but this tends to be in urban areas. Vodafone are third place. O2 are struggling, but there's some evidence they're recovering. This has been the pattern for a while. Which may change if Three and Vodafone merge.

Broken Link Removed

Note that with EE, sub-providers that use the EE network don't always get the same coverage. EE use several frequencies, but band 20 is the one that provides their best rural coverage. But many of the sub-providers that ride on the EE network aren't allowed to connect with band 20.

Three is useless in North Derbyshire so moved to O2 --- who also are one of the few that don't charge for roaming

 

[Alsatian]

Just come back from a few days at Bridlington campsite (second visit), First time had all tv channels and fair WiFi (Three). This time, a few yards from where I stayed previously, NO tv channels found and WiFi signal abysmal!

 

[Gellyneck]

and for those Funsters who advocate the removal of a satellite dish from the motorhome, is our UK mobile network reliable enough for replacing it with mobile data streaming?

 

[Tombola]

When I took out the contract I was told all 01, 02 and 03 numbers were included no exceptions

But does the contract say at the start of in it that all terms refer to telecoms in the UK mainland maybe ?
And they will probably fall back on the text they send when you arrive.
Edit

Roaming abroad | Support | Three

All you need to know about Roaming Abroad with Three.

www.three.co.uk

 

[Gellyneck]

I appreciate it’s a dependency but any insurances you have for vehicles are ok over there.

Can the same not be said for, eg EU?

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[Gellyneck]

But does the contract say at the start of in it that all terms refer to telecoms in the UK mainland maybe ?

Better not 'cause those in the Scottish Isles, IoW, Anglesey, etc, etc, .................... will be well pi**ed off!

 

[Tombola]

Better not 'cause those in the Scottish Isles, IoW, Anglesey, etc, etc, .................... will be well pi**ed off!

Ha..yes of course it did cross my mind but you get my drift..UK excluding IOM ...maybe?

They will have it boxed off one way or tother.

Reminds me of royal mail !

 

[Gellyneck]

They will have it boxed off one way or tother.

Yip, the easy way for them to cover their ar**s would be just to insert a clause at the beginning stating "Unless we say otherwise the following t&c's will apply"!
Second thoughts. Better make it "Unless we say otherwise the preceding t&c's will apply" 'cause we never make it to the end of the drivel!

 

[Folkranger]

EE is reported as the best coverage but I'm with Talkmobile (a part of Vodaphone) becuase I get 70gb/m for £9.95.

 

[Dutch 68]

O2,is crap around Cheltenham ( giff gaff) most of the time 3G only, vodaphone so much better but also way pricier

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