So, who's taking advantage of Orange & Tmobile Merger?

[Guest clivec]

Well, i've followed the procedure to sign up, not sure if i've seen tmobile connected yet tho, i have a tmob mast right at the bottom of my close so i would have thought i'd have seen it when it happens. According to orange, i am now set up to roam, will wait and see!

Apparently, it's only 2G roaming at the moment, and it's not perfect, i.e. if you're on a call, and get moved from one to the other, you're call will drop, but they're working on it.

I am using "cell viewer" to check signal source at the mo, not sure if it would show up on there tho, if anyone has any better idea, lemme know :)

[Guest rjm2k]

Well, i've followed the procedure to sign up, not sure if i've seen tmobile connected yet tho, i have a tmob mast right at the bottom of my close so i would have thought i'd have seen it when it happens. According to orange, i am now set up to roam, will wait and see!

Apparently, it's only 2G roaming at the moment, and it's not perfect, i.e. if you're on a call, and get moved from one to the other, you're call will drop, but they're working on it.

I am using "cell viewer" to check signal source at the mo, not sure if it would show up on there tho, if anyone has any better idea, lemme know :)

I've filled in the form on the tmobile site to use orange masts, though after my experience with orange and my sf sim I'd rather steer clear!

[Guest clivec]

Yeah, i know what you mean, orange arn't the best round here tbh. Although my contract is with them so i'm stuck with them for the meantime. However, if this merger gains ground and becomes fully functional, it might just prove to be their savior, cos i think tmobile are up there, especially for data speed.

Will see what happens, at least i've not had to unlock my blade i suppose :)

[Guest mark2410]

hmm the orange site seems down

[Guest clivec]

hmm the orange site seems down

Yeah, my friend has just text'd me and said the same thing, probably overloaded.

[Guest geezer466]

When does this service go live?

I registered on the Orange site a few weeks ago and just tried to connect to the local T Mobile service but it 'aint having it'.

[Guest clivec]

When does this service go live?

I registered on the Orange site a few weeks ago and just tried to connect to the local T Mobile service but it 'aint having it'.

You know what, i did a few weeks ago too, but i had to do it agn this morning, i think it's a different registration form. Anyhow, it worked for me this time round. I just forced my phone onto tmob by selecting tmob in the list of available operators in wireless settings, and it worked, and you get a little "r" above the signal bars to indicate "roaming". Also i have checked "enable roaming" in the wireless settings too but dunno if it's necessary.

[Guest clonmult]

When does this service go live?

I registered on the Orange site a few weeks ago and just tried to connect to the local T Mobile service but it 'aint having it'.

Its live right now.

I registered this morning, and within a minute I had the basic confirmation, then about 20-30 minutes later had the notification to reboot the phone. Rebooted and its definitely working a lot better.

Points at which I got no Orange signal I'm now happily getting a 2G T-Mobile connection, and data seems to be absolutely fine on both networks. Huge surprise really, I never expected Orange/T-Mob to get this right, but they seem to have done a pretty good job. For once.

[Guest clivec]

Its live right now.

I registered this morning, and within a minute I had the basic confirmation, then about 20-30 minutes later had the notification to reboot the phone. Rebooted and its definitely working a lot better.

Points at which I got no Orange signal I'm now happily getting a 2G T-Mobile connection, and data seems to be absolutely fine on both networks. Huge surprise really, I never expected Orange/T-Mob to get this right, but they seem to have done a pretty good job. For once.

Out of interest, did you have to enable the roaming checkbox or not?

[Guest Simon O]

Out of interest, did you have to enable the roaming checkbox or not?

I didn't have to enable it. At the moment it's voice calls only. They will be enabling data soon then 3G next year.

[Guest lonegunman]

Can someone pop a link up for this, looking on the orange site and i cant seem to find it.ta

[Guest philmein]

www.orange.co.uk/share

[Guest lonegunman]

All sorted,many thanks.

[Guest sipart]

I didn't have to enable it. At the moment it's voice calls only. They will be enabling data soon then 3G next year.

As far as I am aware it is for 2G data roaming as well as voice/text - 3G later on next year?

The Orange legal speak (below) and all press coverage has mentioned that 2G data will be able to be used from Oct 5th - unless you know otherwise from some where?

"To sign up to access 2G T-Mobile signal as well as Orange signal," and "If your phone requires you to switch 'data roaming' on to get internet and email on your phone while using T-Mobile signal in the UK, we are not responsible for any charges that you incur by using an "always on" internet or email service outside the UK."

And T-Mobile point out:

"When you use Orange's signal, you'll be using the 2G network, which is mostly used for talking and texting. You might get some basic, slow internet and data services but they work best on 3G signal. So, just wait until you come back onto T-Mobile signal to do your 3G stuff."

Sensibly they are setting the expectations low for roaming onto each others network.

FYI - I am in a complete T-Mobile dead Zone but with an Orange cell on top of our building - and no pick up yet - but then again I haven't had any texts from T-Mobile (I have registered interest) - so I expect either this particular Orange cell is not included or they are rolling out from today - I will wait and see.

Edited October 5, 2010 by sipart

[Guest Simon O]

As far as I am aware it is for 2G data roaming as well as voice/text - 3G later on next year?

The Orange legal speak (below) and all press coverage has mentioned that 2G data will be able to be used from Oct 5th - unless you know otherwise from some where?

"To sign up to access 2G T-Mobile signal as well as Orange signal," and "If your phone requires you to switch 'data roaming' on to get internet and email on your phone while using T-Mobile signal in the UK, we are not responsible for any charges that you incur by using an "always on" internet or email service outside the UK."

And T-Mobile point out:

"When you use Orange's signal, you'll be using the 2G network, which is mostly used for talking and texting. You might get some basic, slow internet and data services but they work best on 3G signal. So, just wait until you come back onto T-Mobile signal to do your 3G stuff."

Sensibly they are setting the expectations low for roaming onto each others network.

FYI - I am in a complete T-Mobile dead Zone but with an Orange cell on top of our building - and no pick up yet - but then again I haven't had any texts from T-Mobile (I have registered interest) - so I expect either this particular Orange cell is not included or they are rolling out from today - I will wait and see.

Ah cool. Thanks for clearing that up!

BTW link for t-mobile customers is http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/share

[Guest clonmult]

I didn't have to enable it. At the moment it's voice calls only. They will be enabling data soon then 3G next year.

You don't have to, but they are supporting data over 2G. In which case you do have to check the box for roaming data. Worked perfectly.

[Guest geezer466]

Signed my 3 phones up a couple of hours ago. Had the first texts to reply yes too but nothing further since.

Reckon there is a gue of people to work through.

Will be handy as the building (Grand Hotel) which had the orange mast atop burnt down last year and they never replaced it. Ever since there has been no orange reception indoors and it has been patchy at best out locally. (The next nearest masts are a over a kilometre away North and South). 3G or any data is hopeless.

I did have a N97 which does not have a brilliant reception unless it is under the transmitter at the best of times. The SF is better but not by much.

[Guest Matt Thompson]

This is going to be a huge benefit to the Three network.

Three and T-Mobile and once complete Orange share their 3G network.

Now Three will start to have access to the T-Mobile 2G network too.

[Guest Cobble]

This is going to be a huge benefit to the Three network.

Three and T-Mobile and once complete Orange share their 3G network.

Now Three will start to have access to the T-Mobile 2G network too.

I was wondering about that earlier.

I can't get a 3 signal in my house, so I'm always roaming on Orange at home.

[Guest mark2410]

not really, 3 already roam onto orange for 2g and im my experience have easily the best 3g network anyway

[Guest clonmult]

This is going to be a huge benefit to the Three network.

Three and T-Mobile and once complete Orange share their 3G network.

Now Three will start to have access to the T-Mobile 2G network too.

Not necessarily, that'll have to be negotiated.

The deal is between Orange and T-Mobile, not Three and T-mobile. At some point it may well be allowed.

[Guest Olly232]

Mine will now appear to connect to Orange (instead of T-Mobile) but cannot make or receive calls.

[Guest Simon O]

Not necessarily, that'll have to be negotiated.

The deal is between Orange and T-Mobile, not Three and T-mobile. At some point it may well be allowed.

The T-Mobile and Three network infrastructure is run by a company called MBNL. The merger of Orange & T-Mobile, along with the network sharing, means that within the next 2 years all 3 networks will be using the same network infrastructure. So yes, it will eventually be a benefit to Three.

[Guest Simon O]

Mine will now appear to connect to Orange (instead of T-Mobile) but cannot make or receive calls.

Have you contacted T-Mobile customer service about this?

[Guest Olly232]

Have you contacted T-Mobile customer service about this?

Not yet, I'm still investigating it. I can data roam but not make any voice calls. When I manually select back to T-Mobile it still won't handle calls, I have to power off and on to get it to work again. (Using Paul's r3 build).

Update:-

I have just reported the problem to T-Mobile and apparently it is a known problem and they say it should be fixed on or by the 11th October.

Edited October 6, 2010 by Olly232