Best Mobile Phone Network in Ireland

Bulmers

Hey all, this has probably been done before but would be just interesting i think to see peoples opinions on this.

What is the best mobile network provider in Ireland? I know it's a loaded question as there are many different criteria to take into account, i.e. bill charges, mobile BB reliability, network quality etc but more on a high level view.

I've been with with 3 of the 4 except Meteor but of O2, 3 and Vodafone, i find Voda the best all round, although i do think i suffer from slightly more dropped calls with them but overall in other terms, cost ( free VF to VF calls etc ) find them the best

drunkmonkey

O2

I'm going to say 3 beacuse you can do so much more with your mobile....02 number 2, then vodafone......meteor are not there just yet...but that can call all change......

drunkmonkey stumbles off to find a hard hat:P

gcgirl

3

Meteor all the way for me!! In to my 2nd year with them and i find them brill!

Sam Vimes

3

drunkmonkey wrote: »

I'm going to say 3 beacuse you can do so much more with your mobile....02 number 2, then vodafone......meteor are not there just yet...but that can call all change......

drunkmonkey stumbles off to find a hard hat:P

my list is yours but back to front

drunkmonkey

O2

Sam Vimes wrote: »

my list is yours but back to front

What's the story fella?:D

Bob the Builder

Vodafone

o2,
then voda,
then meteor,
then Three.

I must admit i have vested interests. as i work for a shop that deals in o2, but we also deal in three, and i hate three so much.

but tbh, after getting the job in the shop, i switched from voda to o2 and i am actually delighted..

does anyone else find that voda costs a lot of money? and imho, o2's offers of free texts to any network is much better than vodafone's "vf --> vf" only..?

voyager

3

I have been with all companies except tesco and 3, as for the rest, vodafone and o2 are 2 expensive for calls outside of any deals one might be on, and despite some people i know complaining about meteors reception and coverage i have to say i am with them a long time and never had any such trouble.

METEOR for me, all the way.

voyager :cool:

strecker

I agree it's interesting to see what people have to say about their networks, but a poll with such a "loaded" question???
It's so simple: every network is great, until they screw you, don't have the phone you fancy, and then another network is better... Add to that what people like to do on their phone, how much money they have to spend/waste, and the answers turn caleidoscopically esoteric...

O2 have the best prepay data rates - keep you really off the net

Sam Vimes

3

and of course "best" can mean so many things. what's mainly good for me is really cheap calls and texts so i'm on meteor but i also want internet access so until this meteor 3g trial started i carried around a 3 phone with me just for the internet (yes i am a nerd) because to do it on meteor would bankrupt me

so "best" depends on what you're looking for

drunkmonkey

O2

Sam Vimes wrote: »

and of course "best" can mean so many things.

so "best" depends on what you're looking for

Very True...

Best for customer service 02
Best for content 3
Best for cheap calls and texts Meteor
Best for catchy adverts Vodafone

Would you agree Sam...?

Sam Vimes

3

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Very True...

Best for customer service 02
Best for content 3
Best for cheap calls and texts Meteor
Best for catchy adverts Vodafone

Would you agree Sam...?

yes i would

Ah-Watch

Best for me: Vodafone
1: Vodafone, I'm pretty loyal- best customer care, good offers, best coverage and no one can deny that, overall my favourite

2: Meteor, Cheap... Cheap... My next preference

3: 02, not a fan as the breaks in the websh*te(often out for maintanance), When you ring customer care you often have to wait almost ten minutes to speak to someone, bad customer care-yes their mannerly but asking for a handset to be blacklisted 3 times is a joke and waiting 2 months for a nokia unlock code is outragious, but good offers within the last year!

4: Three, okay just wasn't established enough when I was on them before!


But of course so many things come into considersation, friends on the same network, now vodafone are doing free any network texts I'm happy as punch!:D

drunkmonkey

O2

Ah-Watch wrote: »

Best for me: Vodafone
1: Vodafone, I'm pretty loyal

You gold watch is in the post sir:D

Walkman

O2

Never had a problem with 3. Find the prices great, coverage perfect and services brilliant. Have had little dealings with customer care and in each case problems were small and easily resolved. Now looking at the SE C902. Anyone using it on 3 or any other network? Is it worth the money?

1huge1

O2

Been with 3 for three years now and have saved so much money being with them and been able to get so much more from my phones etc.
Dead cheap internet and great packages on pay monthly works perfect for me.

Ah-Watch

drunkmonkey wrote: »

You gold watch is in the post sir:D

nice one;):D

jimmycrackcorm

O2

Strange how the poll results reflect the operator market share.

I've been with all the operators but I vote Three the best because talking and texting it a miniscule part ofr what I use my phone for.

Now if it was customer service we were voting for then It would be a different story.

Dino72

I was with 3 from day one when they entered the Irish market. However, their prices and customer service weren't as good as I had expected so I changed back to Vodafone thinking they had good customer service. But they were very very expensive. Then the iPhone 3Gs became available with o2 with free landline calls and o2 to o2. That hooked me but it had to be on an 18 month contract.
Now I see 3 are offering on their Ultimate Flex Max or their Thingymajiggy offer and for €95 inc VAT per month, you can call anyone on any line and not go over but again it's an 18month contract. But you also get a new iPhone 4. Has anyone else taken this offer and how are you finding it? Also what's the new iPhone 4 like? Have the 3GS and satisfied with it. Just finding O2 a bit expensive.

plonk

Recently moved from o2 to meteor, mainly for the value of it but since moving I have found that meteors 3g isnt a patch on o2.

evolutionqy7

mmm thats cause meteor started rolling out 3G ages after every one else did but their improving

though i find meteor internet faster than 3 anyway

squire23

I'm finding Meteor absolute cat at the moment. Their coverage keeps dropping & I picked up by Vodafaone-Meteor (!?) plus now it seems they're having mast trouble in our area. Their technical people as well are pretty stupid. Tried telling my wife she was having trouble cause she didn't have a new phone - her phone is 2 months old & not even released here in Ireland yet!

-10pts for Meteor

Freddie59

squire23 wrote: »

I'm finding Meteor absolute cat at the moment.

Cat = you HAVE to be from Waterford!!:D

I've been with 02 for around 10 years. Have Voda in Work. Much of a muchness really. Blackspots vary with either in Waterford City. But they're few and far between.

I am considering moving to Three for their offer of unlimited texts to any network and 200 mins of calls for €25 per month. Especially given 02s treatment of existing customer vs new ones (who were being given €150 to transfer recently)But the T & Cs are very confusing.

Hard to tell whether or not the offer continues past the 31st of December.

drunkmonkey

O2

Freddie59 wrote: »

Hard to tell whether or not the offer continues past the 31st of December.

Could be better after december, christmas market usually sparks off a war between the networks. It's a very hard offer for the other networks to beat. There all afraid to offer free calls to any network, there all trying to keep you in the one box.

Walkman

O2

If you sign up before December the free texts are for the duration of the contract, although the free text promotion has been extended twice already so I wouldn't worry about it

emo72

why no tesco on the poll? i love them and as i have a braw in canada

it only costs 2 cents a min to call him:eek: i save a fortune. i stick 20 euro in a month and i can never spend it all, credit is always carried forwardand i now have about 50 e credit and its the end of the month.

only gripe is the non 3g service on non branded tesco mobiles. i can live with that though.

drunkmonkey

O2

you can call landlines and mobiles in canada for 2cent on 3 as well, you just need to use http://gocall.ie/canada%20%28landline%20and%20mobile%29

btw, tesco is not a network it's an mvno

jay93

1.Tesco Mobile for their double top up offer:D
2. 3 for content and best 3G network with more on offer than o2,voda
3.o2 very realiable network no outages when i was with them
4.Meteor signal sucks spluttery gob****3s
5.vodafone complete fools i hate voda with a passion
6.postfone no experiance with these yet!!

pirelli

emo72 wrote: »

why no tesco on the poll? i love them and as i have a braw in canada

it only costs 2 cents a min to call him:eek: i save a fortune. i stick 20 euro in a month and i can never spend it all, credit is always carried forwardand i now have about 50 e credit and its the end of the month.

only gripe is the non 3g service on non branded tesco mobiles. i can live with that though.

There is 3G on non brand phones although it drops out of coverage all the time.

charlie_says

VF, just for being able to use data abroad without being raped at bill time.

mickeypat

im moving back to ireland at xmas and was wondering which would be best for me,not interested in internet or anything fancy just calls and texts id say, what would i likely be paying a month for something like that?

Mimikyu

3

This post has been deleted.

drunkmonkey

O2

Captain Morgan wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Did you not leave out a network?, you know the one who gives you free calls and texts to everybody & free skype to call your mates abroad when you get back home, you must know it the best prepay offer in the country:)

Mimikyu

3

This post has been deleted.

drunkmonkey

O2

Captain Morgan wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

How much are you on from Voda:D Surprised you didn't mention them though, it was like you were encouraging me:)

Walkman

O2

Best of both 15 from 3. €15 per month gives unlimited texts to all networks, unlimited 3 to 3 calls and 60 mins to other network.

benix1

well i think tesco is best then just mobile then postfone then vodafone then 3 then meteor then 02(i hate 02 its crap)

havetoquit

I only use my mobile for texts and urgent calls. I send about 20 texts per month, but mainly use my mobile when roaming in UK and France. I am with 02 use top up and am considering moving to postfone, but unsure if it would be viable for me. I am so confused by all the different offers and tariffs etc and would really appreciate any advise, especially as cost is a serious priority for me. Thanks a lot in advance.

cococoady

benix1 wrote: »

well i think tesco is best then just mobile then postfone then vodafone then 3 then meteor then 02(i hate 02 its crap)

Are Tesco not using the 02 network??

JohnSmith765

Bob the Builder wrote: »

o2,
then voda,
then meteor,
then Three.

I must admit i have vested interests. as i work for a shop that deals in o2, but we also deal in three, and i hate three so much.

but tbh, after getting the job in the shop, i switched from voda to o2 and i am actually delighted..

does anyone else find that voda costs a lot of money? and imho, o2's offers of free texts to any network is much better than vodafone's "vf --> vf" only..?

Vodafone also offer free texts to any network!

D'Peoples Voice

JohnSmith765 wrote: »

Vodafone also offer free texts to any network!

John,
is this deal under Prepay? or Post-pay?

Do you have to top up by a minimum every month? - which is bill-pay really but some still call it pre-pay!
Does that deal applies to every Vodafone customer or where you just throwing it out like someone suffering from Tourette's syndrome?

Surely if you have a data pakage (3g) or have access to wi-fi, can't you use cabbage mobile to do this - well up to a particular maximum of course.... Perhaps you could "What App" on the Android, or the Blackbery messenger service! Skype to skype messaging - I'm sure there are plenty more........

Surely the best network must have to meet several criteria such as for example
- reliable service - not just coverage but in times of high demand
- good customer support - not some dodgy line to the arseend of India where you can hardly hear the support technician, and understanding them is an even greater challenge!
- offer flexible plans customized around you needs - some people ring more people on different networks than text
- price is cheap, a Daihatsu Charade is cheaper than a BMW 6 series, but is it a better car, perhaps only in some circumstances
- phone range is attractive - some want candybar phones, others smartphones
- have a good website - that maintains a record of sent messages for you to check if they have been delivered, not one that neglects to tell you if your message was delivered, or refuses to allow you to go in and check if you've omitted something from your text
- offer a transparent online billing service so you can track your costs and adjust your usage accordingly, not a website that strives to hide these details from you
- offer various special offers be they cherry points, Treats, priority concert booking
- their plans do not lock you into a contract for a very long period
- their roaming rates are very attractive, again only of use to some people

I'm sure there are another 10-15 items that would be included in any decision for me to go for one network over another!

g0ldp

I have been with every operator with exception of 3 and Tesco (and any other obscure MVNO out there). When I wanted to try 3, I read report on mobile operators and their ethics (surprised to see, if you are a 3 customer, you have to OPT-OUT from semi-pornographic games and sites that they advertise), I have dropped out and choose Meteor.

Oh, the O2 and Vodafone fans out there, this came from the lips of a business executive who met with both of them to sell privacy software and both told him either we already have (which I can't find) or told him out right, by implementing we will loose revenues.

In my opinion, every one is as bad as other, meteor / Eircom seems to be a bit conservative and have very good customer support.

Do your home work if you are going for bill-pay, you might stuck with them for a LONG time.

eoindaniel

3 is definitely one of the best they have great deals and for prepay and bill pay phones and get good reception

eoindaniel

You get all you can get free all you can eat data with everything 20€ top up on 3 +free texts to every network+free 3 to 3 calls and at the weekend free calls to every network. O2 and the rest of the networks deals are awful compared to dis

tiny timy

3 are dirt,nothing but hassle with them,useless data speed at the evenings horrible coverage and drop calls.emobile are good,unlimited calls to all networks and landlines,plus 15gb internet.plus the cistomer service is actually based in ireland and gets things done

evolutionqy7

tiny timy wrote: »

3 are dirt,nothing but hassle with them,useless data speed at the evenings horrible coverage and drop calls.emobile are good,unlimited calls to all networks and landlines,plus 15gb internet.plus the cistomer service is actually based in ireland and gets things done

Oh rly? I left Meteor cause of voice and data downtimes, speeds are constantly falling below of what Three now delivers.

I wont be defending either, cause both of them are nothing of what good customer support should be (fair play to the 5 people that are on both sides)
Plus its still better than Vodafone, you ring Vodafone you would be lucky to be able to find the menu that actually gets you to talk to some one...

I think O2 is about the only network with half decent customer service.

Seeing as the only network to offer decent data beside Meteor is Three, that's where I went after being with them for over 10 years.

paulmcgrath

So has the consensus of this changed?

1. 3
2. Meteor
3. O2
4. Vodafone

I'm after a new mobile contract, probably Iphone. Need to know what network to focus it down to.

If it helps im in the monaghan, louth area.

ddanne

Just recieved an astronomical bill from meteor have been with them for 12 years
time to look for other mobile provider can anyone recommend a good one.

ddanne

Just recieved an astronomical bill from meteor have been with them for 12 years
time to look for other mobile provider can anyone recommend a good one.

paulmcgrath

Apparently o2 are doing a deal for 10euro per month you get unlimited texts and calls.

Bob24

ddanne wrote: »

Just recieved an astronomical bill from meteor have been with them for 12 years
time to look for other mobile provider can anyone recommend a good one.

Depends on your needs. What type of use is costing you a lot on the Meteor bill? National call? Text messages? Data? International calls? Roaming?

numorouno

paulmcgrath wrote: »

Apparently o2 are doing a deal for 10euro per month you get unlimited texts and calls.

only unlimited calls for 10 you've to buy an extra bundle for texts