15 replies to this topic

[Confucious]

I was chatting to a guy at work yesterday and telling him that Google Maps worked without a GPS receiver to find your location but he said he couldn't download it as he had reached his limit and couldn't download any more data until the 11th - he is with Three and his limit is 1Gb.

He is a Muslim and so doesn't even download Porn! He does, however watch a lot of YouTube and often reaches his 1Gb limit.

When he does, he receives a text telling him that if he downloads any more he might be cut off which seems a bit harsh, especially as he cannot tell how much he is using. Logging on to his account shows 'no data plan on this phone' under data usage - is this normal?

It's better than Voda who just charge exorbitant amounts if you exeed your limit but nowhere near as good as T who warn you if you go over 1 month and reserve the right to throttle back your transfer speed if you go over 2 months on the trot - a far more sensible policy IMHO.

[awarner]

I am tempted to go to £ just for the £5 for 1GB PAYG.
The X tarriffs also include free MSN for the same price which looks interesting.
I just not sure on the reception as I know they used to be bad a few years back.

For £10 you get 80 hours of slingbox as well which seems pretty good.
And unlimited MSN is coolas well.

[awarner]

This is 3 fair usage policy for the X-Series.

Unlimited Data
Fair Use Limit: 1 GB each month

X-Series - 1 GB should be more than enough to allow you to surf websites, use ISP email and download podcasts

X-Series Silver & Gold - 1 GB should be more than enough to allow you to surf websites, use Mobile Mail and download podcasts

We will let you know by text message once you have reached the fair use limit and ask you to cease using the included data services for the remainder of the month. If you continue to use the services we may suspend your data usage until the next month. This will not impact your access to other X-Series services.

Unlimited Windows Live Messenger
Fair Use Limit: 10,000 messages each month

This is more than 300 messages each and every day! If you exceed 10,000 messages we may suspend your access to Windows Live Messenger until the next month.

Unlimited Skype to Skype calls
Fair Use Limit: 5,000 minutes each month

5,000 minutes is more than 2.5 hours a day of Skype calls – every day of the month. We will send you a text message to let you know when you have reached 4,500 minutes. If you exceed 5,000 minutes we will suspend your usage and it will not resume until the next month, however you will still be able to receive Skype calls.

Unlimited Slingbox and Orb (on X-Series Gold)
Fair Use Limit: 80 hours each month

On X-Series Gold you get access to Orb and Slingbox (if you have one). These services have a total combined fair use limit of 80 hours each month. We will let you know by text message once you have reached the fair use limit and ask you to cease using it for the remainder of the month. If you continue to use the services we may suspend your Orb and Slingbox usage until the next month.

[Confucious]

Quote

We will let you know by text message once you have reached the fair use limit and ask you to cease using the included data services for the remainder of the month. If you continue to use the services we may suspend your data usage until the next month.

That's the bit that got me - sounds more like a cap than a FUP.

I don't think I ever get anywhere near 1Gb but at least with T (my limit is 3Gb) I don't have to worry.

Apart from that, it seems a very good deal - coverage and speed being my only other concerns. If you have coverage and aren't to worried about getting the fastest speeds then it sounds a bargain!

Go for it - especially if there is a cooling off period - check first, in case you don't have coverage.

[Mark]

Confucious, on Jul 21 2008, 14:40, said:

coverage and speed being my only other concerns.

3 Has by far the most 3g masts in the uk, far more than T-Mobile. I can't comment on the speed but is coverage really a serious issue with them? Where I live there is no 3g coverage on any network but looking at coverage maps on the internet, 3 is the best, followed by Orange (although orange has the most annoying coverage checker), T-Mobile is patchy and Voda and o2 not great...

[Confucious]

Not sure about the number of masts but T's network is superior - check out Humph1234's posts here]- he does seem to know what he's talking about!

Are you sure Three has far more 3G masts than T? Do you have numbers? I've never had a problem with T's coverage and Three's was appalling - but that was a long time ago! I'm sure it's all changed now.

Edited by Confucious, 21 July 2008 - 02:07 PM.

[Mark]

I couldn't swear to it.... 3 claim 90% 3g coverage: http://www.three.co....rage_/index.omp

I can't find out what tmobiles claim is but I wouldn't have thought it that high...

I'm not doubting for a second that T's netowrk is far superior, that is the network I would be on if I got 2g coverage where I live but sadly only o2 works here  

Mind you, Devon/Somerset seems to be very poor coverage in general when you are out of towns. I'm guessing it's because fewer people live in the tiny villages!

[Mark]

Just to add to that, I wouldn't trust the coverage checker on 3's site. It states good 3g (Not HSDPA) coverage for where I am, and the rest of the map is covered with 2g, which it isn't!

As far as I am aware, anyone who has pruchased a 3 phone within the last couple of years uses Orange for 2g, not o2 as when three launched and orange doesn't work anywhere around here!

[Confucious]

None of the coverage checkers are very good but zooming out on T-s shows much more of the country covered than 3 and the only errors I've found have been where it has coverage when the map says it hasn't!

It's defiantly best to check coverage where you live/work/go before committing to anything.

[awarner]

Well I'm down your way in August Mark so tempted to get the PAYG SIM and £5 data for the month to see what happens (and to keep me in touch with the site).

[Mark]

I've got a 3 payg sim here, the only reception I can get is out in the car park (2g). Putting the sim into a voip phone it says Orange.

I'm off out tonight so i'll put it in my N95 and see if I get 3g. On o2 the only place i've had good 3g coverage is in Taunton.

[Confucious]

I know when friends have moved down to Devon (a lovely part of the country) in the past they have all gone on to Orange as they seem to be the only ones with coverage in the West Country. Do you know what O's 3G coverage is like down there Mark?

[Mark]

Sadly not. I have a feeling it will be better than o2's!

The exact area where I live just has o2 2g coverage, however generally when we go out, Orange 2g tends to be better. I think Orange 3g covers all the towns around here (Tiverton, Taunton, Exeter.) It's a shame they altered their coverage checker so you have to use specific postcodes!

[huwwatkins]

I'd be with t-mobile too, except all the other providers cover my local town with 3g and tmobile doesn't! Even 02 have masts there!!

[Mark]

Didn't find 3g on any network last night, but to give them credit I wasn't that near to major towns... Best 2g probably was Orange (I don't have a voda sim but it's known to be poor down here) followed by o2 and t working in different places...I got to the pub we were going to in the heart of Exmoor and nothing at all worked! I'm not normally this sad to sit with 3 different handsets... lol

[Confucious]

I guess it depends where you ar - I used to go down to Chudleigh quite a bit and don't remember T's coverage being bad - just checked on there coverage checker and Chudleigh has good 2G reception - no 3G at all!
No use coming down there and trying to persuade the office I'm just working from home then....