3

Mint Sauce

in a bid to try and save money on my current mobile bill am currently tempted to sign up to one of 3's pay monthly packages, but after being asked for a €300 euro deposit from them about 2 years ago (took the retention offer from my current provider instead), and experiencing terrible customer service during the 7 days i tried their broadband for, i am hoping they have changed.

generally as a mobile provider wondering what their like, mainly coverage and reliability, currently only ring my current provider once or twice a year, with 3, am i likely to be ringing them anymore, or should i expect a worry and hassle free service, dont know any one who uses them, so cant really ask their advise (dont know if thats a bad sign).

cheers in advance

Blue_Wolf

Some people have no problems and have no need to ring up

Some people have lots of problems and have to ring up.

Luck of the draw really.

Mimikyu

This post has been deleted.

drunkmonkey

-Phuqer- wrote: »

*Awaits Drunkmonkey's

http://www.tvgasm.com/newsgasm/images/newsgasm/nads/bitch_slap.jpg

couldn't be bothered to be honest, if op in't capable of seeing a good deal for himself (€50 off second bill, Chance to win 1000000 minutes, Flexible price plans) there's not much point...the last thing we need is another gambler 101......ye'll all only recommend AB3 anyway...

Mint Sauce

drunkmonkey wrote: »

http://www.tvgasm.com/newsgasm/images/newsgasm/nads/bitch_slap.jpg

couldn't be bothered to be honest, if op in't capable of seeing a good deal for himself there's not much point...the last thing we need is another gambler 101......ye'll all only recommend AB3 anyway...

i'm quite capable of seeing a good deal, the price i've seen is better than my current providers price plans, and maybe slighter better than my retention deal i have from them, but not sure if its worth it based on my previous experience with them a couple of years ago, hence my question on peoples current experience and if they have improved

Rsaeire

irish-stew wrote: »

in a bid to try and save money on my current mobile bill am currently tempted to sign up to one of 3's pay monthly packages, but after being asked for a €300 euro deposit from them about 2 years ago (took the retention offer from my current provider instead), and experiencing terrible customer service during the 7 days i tried their broadband for, i am hoping they have changed.

generally as a mobile provider wondering what their like, mainly coverage and reliability, currently only ring my current provider once or twice a year, with 3, am i likely to be ringing them anymore, or should i expect a worry and hassle free service, dont know any one who uses them, so cant really ask their advise (dont know if thats a bad sign).

cheers in advance

You could take that as a bad sign. If you don't know anyone on 3 then you could check with your friends what network they're on and pick a network based upon their free calls to their respective networks, e.g. free calls and texts from Meteor to Meteor, free calls and texts from O2 to O2 etc.

drunkmonkey

there no where near as bad as "some" people on the interweb make out, i've had my phone with them since they first came to Ireland, Had a few rough times with them but haven't had any reason to complain or call 3 support in the last year......The main reason i'm with them is price and I like the internet on my phone, i'm on relax 950 and no other network will give me the same amount of minutes or flexibility for the same price....as far as making calls and texts there as good as any other network, they've a roaming agreement with vodafone so you should never be stuck for coverage....
Pick a good phone if your going with them to get the best experience, e71 is brilliant phone;)

Sam Vimes

drunkmonkey wrote: »

i'm on relax 950 and no other network will give me the same amount of minutes

This is true but if all your friends are on another network then you can get unlimited free calls to that network and not have to worry about such things. The same could be said of 3 but his friends aren't on 3. For this specific guy, another network would probably be cheaper

Walkman

Same here as Drunkmonkey. I have been with 3 since they launched and never have and any major issues with the service. IMO their phone service and their broadband (or midband service, whatever you want to call it) should not be compared.

Sam Vimes

irish-stew wrote: »

and experiencing terrible customer service during the 7 days i tried their broadband for, i am hoping they have changed.

Nope. Same guys, same level of training

drunkmonkey

Rsaeire wrote: »

check with your friends what network they're on and pick a network based upon their free calls to their respective networks, e.g. free calls and texts from Meteor to Meteor, free calls and texts from O2 to O2 etc.

I'm really hate these deals, "Oh i'll only call people on Meteor as i've free talk and text to them" what happens is you end up not calling people as your afraid all your credit will go, and your friend on vodafone won't call you cause there afraid all there credit will get eaten up, it's a vicious circle, the big 3 are trying to stick everyone in a box, it's not something you should be worrying about when making a phone call....:mad:

3's pay as your go, 200 minutes to any network at the weekend, if you were on, Meteor, o2, Vodafone, your taking at least spending €60 in top up over the weekend, i'm not saying it's a great deal but at least your not pigion holed into making on network calls only....

source: friends on all network and friends yet to meet....

rant/over...

Sam Vimes

drunkmonkey wrote: »

I'm really hate these deals, "Oh i'll only call people on Meteor as i've free talk and text to them" what happens is you end up not calling people as your afraid all your credit will go

Then you cop yourself on and you realise that you can use the €20 a month that you're topping up with to call other networks

Btw, I've never seen anyone say they'll only call one network

Sam Vimes

drunkmonkey wrote: »

3's pay as your go, 200 minutes to any network at the weekend, if you were on, Meteor, o2, Vodafone, your taking at least spending €60 in top up over the weekend

and if you're on 3 your talking at least spending probably more than €60 in top up over the rest of the week. Both offers are restrictive. They just have different restrictions


To quote you "what happens is you end up not calling anyone during the week because you're afraid your credit will go" :rolleyes:

Rsaeire

drunkmonkey wrote: »

I'm really hate these deals, "Oh i'll only call people on Meteor as i've free talk and text to them" what happens is you end up not calling people as your afraid all your credit will go, and your friend on vodafone won't call you cause there afraid all there credit will get eaten up, it's a vicious circle, the big 3 are trying to stick everyone in a box, it's not something you should be worrying about when making a phone call....:mad:

3's pay as your go, 200 minutes to any network at the weekend, if you were on, Meteor, o2, Vodafone, your taking at least spending €60 in top up over the weekend, i'm not saying it's a great deal but at least your not pigion holed into making on network calls only....

source: friends on all network and friends yet to meet....

rant/over...

It's a good thing then that Meteor offer free evening and weekend calls to all networks and landlines, 300 minutes to any network plus 80 free texts for only €50 a month.

Walkman

Sam Vimes wrote: »

Nope. Same guys, same level of training

3's customer service has vastly improved IMO. Customer care agents are not technical support so you probably would not get a great service from then with relation to your modem. Also you would have a lot less reason to call customer services over a phone than an internet connection.

drunkmonkey

Sam Vimes wrote: »

Then you cop yourself on and you realise that you can use the €20 a month that you're topping up with to call other networks

I'm not 10, I need to be able to use me phone, when I want for what I want...

Comparing Relax 950 and any networks prepay deals is silly...they are far from the same thing...

Why don't you just come out and say it straight "GO TO METEOR/O2/VODAFONE AND GET YOUR FREE TALK AND TEXT TO EVERYONE ELSE IN YOUR BOX AND ONLY SPEND €20pm" you seem to thinks it's the business, maybe you could stick it on your sig, just under 3 are ****e and they pissed me off in the past and i'll just spend the rest of my life bitchin about them on the internet.....

Rsaeire

Walkman wrote: »

3's customer service has vastly improved IMO. Customer care agents are not technical support so you probably would not get a great service from then with relation to your modem. Also you would have a lot less reason to call customer services over a phone than an internet connection.

That is unless you have a porting issue, which hardly ever occurs with 3. :rolleyes:

Sam Vimes

Walkman wrote: »

3's customer service has vastly improved IMO. Customer care agents are not technical support so you probably would not get a great service from then with relation to your modem. Also you would have a lot less reason to call customer services over a phone than an internet connection.

I would disagree on all counts:

1. They seem exactly the same as they've always been to me.

2. It is true that customer care agents are not technical support agents and usually (I stress usually) when things get escalated they get solved. One of the major problems is the hoops they make you jump through before escalating it and the apparent reluctance to do so. A few times I've been "transferred to the technical department" and when that person couldn't help me he said he'd "transfer me to the technical department"! Where had I been transferred? I believe I had been transferred to the guy sitting next to the first guy to try to appease me.

3. With the internet you just need to keep the bit pipe going. Anything else is most likely an issue with the person's own computer. With a phone you need to keep exactly the same bit pipe flowing AND keep a lot of other services running

Sam Vimes

drunkmonkey wrote: »

I'm not 10, I need to be able to use me phone, when I want for what I want...

So don't join 3 or you can't use it during the week by your own logic!!!

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Comparing Relax 950 and any networks prepay deals is silly...they are far from the same thing...

You're the one comparing relax 950 to meteor PAYG so stop

drunkmonkey wrote: »

maybe you could stick it on your sig, just under 3 are ****e and they pissed me off in the past and i'll just spend the rest of my life bitchin about them on the internet.....

You will see me recommend 3 here on a regular basis to people it will suit (with appropriate warnings). What I "spend my life bitching about" is you constantly giving wrong information because of your fanatical devotion

Walkman

Im actually betting bored with this thread already. Its going to turn into the usual pro 3, anti 3 rubbish. In my head im already going blah, blah, blah (to my own posts also). OP its this simple. 3 are a mobile network. They will provide you with a phone that you will be able to talk and text (and internet if you so wish) at a very reasonable price. They will not wipe your arse for you but you will get a very reliable service, with a package that no other network is offering. Try them out if you wish, dont if you dont. Sorry guys I dont mean to be rude to any of you but so many 3 threads read the same its boring me to death.

Sam Vimes

Walkman wrote: »

Sorry guys I dont mean to be rude to any of you but so many 3 threads read the same its boring me to death.

This is true. It's really wrecking my head at this stage. But I can't quite bring myself to let drunkmonkey fill people's heads with his crap.

I have no problem with people saying good things about 3 and bad things about other networks if those things are true. The problem is, as in this case, they rarely are with him

Mint Sauce

the freinds network thing doesn't concern me, the friends point was that i had no one i knew who was with them to share their experience,

main factors i want to consider

1. my biggest expence is international calls, am nearly always going over my international minutes allowance, have been told '3' allow you to use up to half your units to dial international numbers, weather your on 3 ireland or 3 somewhere abroad (not sure how true this is)

2. 2nd biggest expence is international txts, as far as i know, 3 dont have any deals for this, neither do my current provider, do try to make use of webtxt, but am never always near a computer when txting abroad, do '3' offer webtxt

3. roaming, current provider allows me to use my minutes whist in the UK to make and receive calls, whislt on their network, dont pay any roaming at all (retention deal they gave me), am aware no roaming costs with 3 abroad (on their network), but what is their coverage/reliabilty like abroad, am in the UK, mainly london at least 3 times a year and in N Ireland often

4. the customer service/reliabilty, not good from what i've read, not sure if the saving is worth it (thinking of the ryanair anology on the main thead)

5. if after the 14 days i'm not happy, and want to go back to my current provider, whats the chances of having lost my current plan and my rentention deal (good i reakon as will be like a new customer)

not bothered about data so not an issue

drunkmonkey

Sam Vimes wrote: »

You will see me recommend 3 here on a regular basis to people it will suit (with appropriate warnings). What I "spend my life bitching about" is you constantly giving wrong information because of your fanatical devotion

Show me the source in this thread of wrong information that prompted you to wade in with your never ending critisim of 3...

I add balance, I wouldn't call it devotion.....

Rsaeire

drunkmonkey wrote: »

I add balance, I wouldn't call it devotion.....

I wouldn't call the below quote balance.

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Why don't you just come out and say it straight "GO TO METEOR/O2/VODAFONE AND GET YOUR FREE TALK AND TEXT TO EVERYONE ELSE IN YOUR BOX AND ONLY SPEND €20pm" you seem to thinks it's the business, maybe you could stick it on your sig, just under 3 are ****e and they pissed me off in the past and i'll just spend the rest of my life bitchin about them on the internet.....

Sam Vimes

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Show me the source in this thread of wrong information that prompted you to wade in with your never ending critisim of 3...

I add balance, I wouldn't call it devotion.....

See my first two posts. You talked about how 3 gives you load of minutes on a very high tariff so I pointed out that that doesn't matter if you're getting unlimited free calls. This wasn't specifically wrong information. It was making an offer seem like it was better than it is

then you talked about the fact that you can only get free meteor calls on meteor PAYG and said that you need to use your phone when you want, where you want so I pointed out that 3 PAYG is no better for this because you only get free weekend calls

questions?

drunkmonkey

irish-stew wrote: »

the freinds network thing doesn't concern me, the friends point was that i had no one i knew who was with them to share their experience,

main factors i want to consider

1. my biggest expence is international calls, am nearly always going over my international minutes allowance, have been told '3' allow you to use up to half your units to dial international numbers, weather your on 3 ireland or 3 somewhere abroad (not sure how true this is)

2. 2nd biggest expence is international txts, as far as i know, 3 dont have any deals for this, neither do my current provider, do try to make use of webtxt, but am never always near a computer when txting abroad, do '3' offer webtxt

3. roaming, current provider allows me to use my minutes whist in the UK to make and receive calls, whislt on their network, dont pay any roaming at all (retention deal they gave me), am aware no roaming costs with 3 abroad (on their network), but what is their coverage/reliabilty like abroad, am in the UK, mainly london at least 3 times a year and in N Ireland often

4. the customer service/reliabilty, not good from what i've read, not sure if the saving is worth it (thinking of the ryanair anology on the main thead)

5. if after the 14 days i'm not happy, and want to go back to my current provider, whats the chances of having lost my current plan and my rentention deal (good i reakon as will be like a new customer)

not bothered about data so not an issue

1. Where are the international calls to, just NI & UK?

2. No

3. No roaming charges in the UK or NI (Just like home)

4. A tiny % of people, there broadband & phone support are different

5. You'd more than likley loose your current deal, but isn't that the whole point of switching to save money

drunkmonkey

Sam Vimes wrote: »

See my first two posts

whatever, you've completly missed my point as usual...

Tom Dunne

Ok guys, relax a bit, will you?

It's a mobile phone recommendation, not a plan to solve the world financial crisis.

Sam Vimes

irish-stew wrote: »

1. my biggest expence is international calls, am nearly always going over my international minutes allowance, have been told '3' allow you to use up to half your units to dial international numbers, weather your on 3 ireland or 3 somewhere abroad (not sure how true this is)

International is one of the technical areas where they fall down actually. They don't have the range of agreements that Vodafone or O2 do and I've experienced roaming in three countries (edit:the number three, not the network :P) where it was supposed to work but didn't. You can check the countries they have agreements with on their website

As for international texts there is an ongoing issue where if you text some foreign networks (or receive a text while connected to a foreign network), three doesn't get an acknowledgement and keeps sending the text for days. The sender doesn't pay each time but the recipient will get the text hundreds of times. this happened to my friend in italy, where 3 have a network. He had a three phone but it must have been connected to another network when he received the text.

irish-stew wrote: »

3. roaming, current provider allows me to use my minutes whist in the UK to make and receive calls, whislt on their network, dont pay any roaming at all (retention deal they gave me), am aware no roaming costs with 3 abroad (on their network), but what is their coverage/reliabilty like abroad, am in the UK, mainly london at least 3 times a year and in N Ireland often

On pay monthly you can roam for free in the UK, Italy, Sweden, Denmark, Hong Kong, Australia and Austria. On 3pay it's a subset of those

irish-stew wrote: »

4. the customer service/reliabilty, not good from what i've read, not sure if the saving is worth it (thinking of the ryanair anology on the main thead)

Not good

irish-stew wrote: »

5. if after the 14 days i'm not happy, and want to go back to my current provider, whats the chances of having lost my current plan and my rentention deal (good i reakon as will be like a new customer)

If you leave the network you lose your retention deal

Walkman

irish-stew wrote: »

the freinds network thing doesn't concern me, the friends point was that i had no one i knew who was with them to share their experience,

main factors i want to consider

1. my biggest expence is international calls, am nearly always going over my international minutes allowance, have been told '3' allow you to use up to half your units to dial international numbers, weather your on 3 ireland or 3 somewhere abroad (not sure how true this is)

2. 2nd biggest expence is international txts, as far as i know, 3 dont have any deals for this, neither do my current provider, do try to make use of webtxt, but am never always near a computer when txting abroad, do '3' offer webtxt

3. roaming, current provider allows me to use my minutes whist in the UK to make and receive calls, whislt on their network, dont pay any roaming at all (retention deal they gave me), am aware no roaming costs with 3 abroad (on their network), but what is their coverage/reliabilty like abroad, am in the UK, mainly london at least 3 times a year and in N Ireland often

4. the customer service/reliabilty, not good from what i've read, not sure if the saving is worth it (thinking of the ryanair anology on the main thead)

5. if after the 14 days i'm not happy, and want to go back to my current provider, whats the chances of having lost my current plan and my rentention deal (good i reakon as will be like a new customer)

not bothered about data so not an issue

You can use 50% of your allowance to call the Uk and NI not international. When in London you will be on 3Uk so you will have no roaming charge (these are instances of people claiming they were charged but I also go to london a few times a year and have never been charged, just make sure your phone is on 3Uk before making receiving a call). Their EU roaming rates are lowest. Personally I find their service and reliability 100%. Yes their customer service could be better but as I have said I rarely need to call them.

Rsaeire

irish-stew wrote: »

2. 2nd biggest expence is international txts, as far as i know, 3 dont have any deals for this, neither do my current provider, do try to make use of webtxt, but am never always near a computer when txting abroad, do '3' offer webtxt

Sam Vimes has an application called Cabbage that you can download to your handset and enables you to use your free webtexts over GPRS/3G. If you chose to go with O2, you could then use their 250 free international texts from your handset. As you said this is one of your biggest expenses, this may save you some money.

Sam Vimes

Rsaeire wrote: »

Sam Vimes has an application called Cabbage that you can download to your handset and enables you to use your free webtexts over GPRS/3G. If you chose to go with O2, you could then use their 250 free international texts from your handset. As you said this is one of your biggest expenses, this may save you some money.

your cheque is in the post :P

Rsaeire

Sam Vimes wrote: »

your cheque is in the post :P

Well, trying to save the OP money is what we're all here for.

drunkmonkey

Rsaeire wrote: »

Well, trying to save the OP money is what we're all here for.

even me;)

roll on 2, Sam has me all fired up, can't wait to go out and tackle the world..:)

Mint Sauce

Rsaeire wrote: »

If you chose to go with O2, you could then use their 250 free international texts from your handset. As you said this is one of your biggest expenses, this may save you some money.

thats who am with, but not always near a computer when txting abroad

Sam Vimes

irish-stew wrote: »

thats who am with, but not always near a computer when txting abroad

You're misunderstanding him. You install my program on your phone and instead of writing a text normally you write it in my program.
It then gets uploaded to my website which forwards it on to the o2 website and uses your webtexts to send it. It's all automatic, all you have to do is write the text, enter the number to send to (or you can pick one from your phone book) and hit send

The only charge you pay is the data charge which is about 2c per text.

Rsaeire

irish-stew wrote: »

thats who am with, but not always near a computer when txting abroad

Oh right, I wasn't sure if you were Vodafone, O2 etc as you didn't say before now. As I mentioned, you don't have to be near a computer to send texts, you do it all form your handset.

What is it about 3's price plans that has you tempted?

Mint Sauce

Sam Vimes wrote: »

You're misunderstanding him. You install my program on your phone and instead of writing a text normally you write it in my program.
It then gets uploaded to my website which forwards it on to the o2 website and uses your webtexts to send it. It's all automatic, all you have to do is write the text, enter the number to send to (or you can pick one from your phone book) and hit send

The only charge you pay is the data charge which is about 2c per text.

i understand that bit, i was quoting his reference to 250 free webtxts

Sam Vimes

irish-stew wrote: »

i understand that bit, i was quoting his reference to 250 free webtxts

I know you were. You can use them from your phone with my program for about 2c per text instead of 39c or whatever the normal international text charge is. You don't need to be at a computer. Unless I'm missing your point still?

Sam Vimes

Basically my program logs into the o2 website for you and sends a webtext. And you install the program on your phone so you can use it anywhere

There's also a desktop version. Maybe that's where the confusion is?

Mint Sauce

Rsaeire wrote: »

Oh right, I wasn't sure if you were Vodafone, O2 etc as you didn't say before now. As I mentioned, you don't have to be near a computer to send texts, you do it all form your handset.

What is it about 3's price plans that has you tempted?

it's the savings on international calls, being able to use half the units to dial the UK and NI whilst here and whilst roaming in the UK and NI. and roam as if at home

currently have an old add on with o2 , something like 25mins international for €7.50, and am always going over it (something like 25c for every min over). have seen their current add on, €2 or €3/month and all UK and NI calls 25c/min. after doinf the maths didn't think their was a huge difference between the two

like the look of '3' price plan where you can use your units for either talk or txt, am more of talker, would send less than 40 or 50 irish txts a month, plan i'm looking at with '3' is cheeper than my similar o2 plan

even i was sending international txts with 3, over all i would probably still be paying less than i am currently with o2, but not sure if i had to deal with their customer services, would it be worth it

Mint Sauce

Sam Vimes wrote: »

Basically my program logs into the o2 website for you and sends a webtext. And you install the program on your phone so you can use it anywhere

There's also a desktop version. Maybe that's where the confusion is?

i use the the desk top version when near a computer, ie, via the o2 website site, dont pay for the txts, just use my broadband connection. i assume if using your application the txts are still free, i'm just paying the data charge for accessing 3g from my handset

Sam Vimes

irish-stew wrote: »

i use the the desk top version when near a computer, ie, via the o2 website site, dont pay for the txts, just use my broadband connection. i assume if using your application the txts are still free, i'm just paying the data charge for accessing 3g from my handset

That's right. No money goes to me. The only charges are data charges to upload the info to the website and receive the response, the response being how many messages you have left

It won't work on all phones. What type of phone do you have?

Mint Sauce

currently have an SE k800i, not sure what i'd go with if i went with '3', would like either a SE905, samsung pixon (havn't seen '3' do them), or one of the nokia slide phones

Sam Vimes

irish-stew wrote: »

currently have an SE k800i, not sure what i'd go with if i went with '3', would like either a SE905, samsung pixon (havn't seen '3' do them), or one of the nokia slide phones

It'll work fine on any sony ericsson phone or nokia. You might have issues with a samsung but in theory it should

You can try it out for yourself here:
http://cabbagetexter.com/dl1.5

You can go to that link directly in your phone but it would cost data charges to download it. Instead you can download it to your computer and transfer it to your phone

It should work as soon as you enter your phone number, password and pick o2 but if it says it can't connect, go into menu-settings-connectivity-internet settings-settings for java

And make sure they're set up to use the same as the normal browser (assuming your normal browser works)

1sttimebuild

I have been with Three for a few years now ported from vodafone the only time i'm in contact with them is when they contact me about my upgrade every ten months. So I haven't had any problems with them, the rates a better than other networks and a big plus for me is they have skypeout on the mobile which lets me call international at local rates and people in other countries call me for free on my mobile. I would reccomend the E71 just got it a few weeks ago and best phone I've ever used.

Declan1

OP,

I'm counting down the days until my 3 contract ends, have had an awful experience with them for the last 11 months. I use the phone a lot in the UK. The coverage is very patchy in Northern Ireland. Also, you can't lock your phone onto the 3 network abroad, it always reverts back to automatic network selection so you find yourself paying roaming charges regularly. Unfortunately I've spent a lot of time talking to customer services about 2 faulty phones, repeated repairs and the bad coverage, I find them very hard work. About 2 months back I decided to just stick it out and not bother calling them again until it's time to find a new network. Like I said, I spend a lot of time in the UK and I think I'm going to go with O2.

Just my 2c.