which mobile network has best coverage

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cheers user, what does being allowed to port mean? (is it taking your existing number to another network?)
 
Yeah. It's where you can take your number from one provider to another.

I was one of the first to do this, and it was a real struggle. Why do you want to leave? was one of the first questions I was asked by one2one. Some still do ask questions, but in those days, they had to have a valid reason before "allowing" you to take your number to another provider.

These days, as long as you don't owe your provider anything, and the contract (if any) has expired, they should give you a PAC (Port Authorisation Code).

Take this to the provider you want to move to and they will do the rest. It usually takes about a week, and you will lose the use of your "incoming sim" (the new one!) while the transfer takes place. And you will also lose any credit on the outgoing sim, so try and run it down as much as you can.
 
I used to work for an SP when porting started it could take a week to become live again. It was not welcomed by the SP's as they were lossing customers that were expensive to obtain.
 
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i can only speak from experience, and that was regarding port-ins to orange. but porting is very very easy and simple.

the customer would just get the PAC code, and come into the shop. i would connect them onto orange with a temporary number, and setup the port, which takes a week to go through.

for that week, the customer could carry on using their number on the old network, giving them time to run down credit (if on PAYgo). a week later, its disconnected, and the number's on orange. simple. they have kept their number, and have never been without service!
 
Diyisfun said:
What reason did they not allow you to port?

I ordered the phone through Vodafone's website and at no point throughout the process was I given the option of number porting. I phoned them to ask and was simply told that number porting was not available on internet orders. To be honest I didn't question it further as it's no big deal for me to text friends and family the new number, so it didn't seem worth pursuing.
 
jtaunton said:
Re: the network - Unless you live in a city centre, or within t'M25, don't go for a 3G phone. The theory is that if it flicks back to the 2G network whenever it can't get a 3G signal, which is all well and good. But it will insist on keeping you on the weakest of 3G signals if it can get a sniff of one.

I have a 3G phone on 3, and I've had no problems. I've used it in the middle of nowhere, I've even made a video call on the outskirts of Middlesborough :eek:

It switches to old-fashioned mode when you are out of 3G coverage, but I am yet to find a time when I have no reception or a call just cuts out (I think all those claims must be about a particular phone!) They seem to have a roaming agreement with other providers, but it still counts as your free minutes (I'm yet to use my full 500 minute quota :LOL: )

I even have full 3G reception in my friend's house, where he has no reception on Orange (or Norange as I have started calling it).
 
How do you find 3G generally ? Do you use its features enough to make it worthwhile.

I've only had alimited experience of 3G but, generally, it just seemed to e a device inviting me to spend money on services I'd managed to get along nicely without beforehand, or am I just a Luddite ?

Incidentally, I saw a good demo once, where someone had modified a handset so that whenever you were in your house, it took you off the cellphone network and made outgoing calls through a bluetooth link to a box in the corner, and then via a landline, at much cheaper rates. It was at a fairly advanced stage and they had interest from a cellphone operator, but I don't know if the operator then buried it in the face of lost revenue ?
 
Yes, BT operate something like this.

You have a bluetooth-enabled broadband router, and this is used to make phone calls over the internet (VOIP) when you are within range, or as a mobile at other times.

3G is a bit of a gimmick. Granted, I am never more than about 10 feet from an internet connection at work or at home, so I don't really need it. It is useful if you want to get news headlines, for instance I was wandering about outside when I heard someone mutter about shooting a bomber, so I whipped out my phone and in 2 seconds had the full story (or as full as we knew then, anyway). But, if you spend most of your time near a radio, again that is of little benefit.

Video calls are expensive (50p a minute, or 25p a minute if you buy it in bulk), and on occasion you might jump out of the shower to answer the phone in the nuddy, only to find your mother has pressed the video dial button on her phone by mistake. :LOL:

The main benefit is, they are gagging for customers so the packages are very cheap.
 
AdamW said:
Video calls are expensive (50p a minute, or 25p a minute if you buy it in bulk), and on occasion you might jump out of the shower to answer the phone in the nuddy, only to find your mother has pressed the video dial button on her phone by mistake. :LOL: .

No offence to your Mum, but better that way round than vice-versa, I'd imagine... :D
 
Im with Orange now and got a good deal. I was with Orange 2 years ago and left them cos O2 were cheaper, but they were dreadful, kept losing signal, bad customer service and 50ppm helpline for online tarrifs.

Then when I left after 12 months, I asked for a final bill, never got it but did get a letter from a debt collector telling me to pay up or else. Phoned O2 and the "lady advisor" said to me, and I quote "thats the way we work here, you should have paid the bill".

Couldnt believe it, Id avoid O2 if my experience is anything to go by.
 
im with 3 and ive got to admit the coverage is good, but as for making use of the 3g....apart from all the bloody sales crap they send me, i dont make use of it
 
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