Is the Iphone 4 really that bad on 3?

colly10

Just looking at my options for a new iphone 4 16GB. The price difference between 3 and the other 2 is massive

Vodafone
Cost: 279
Mins: 150
Text: 150
Data: 500 MB
Monthly: 45

O2
Cost: 259
Mins: 150
Text: 100
Data: 500 MB
Monthly: 45

3
Cost: 169
Flex Units: 350 (Better than calls + texts offer from the other 2)
Data: 2GB (4 times the other 2)
Monthly: 40

So, i've heard their customer service is bad, but could it really be bad enough to justify this price difference? Can you never get on 3G or something?

guil

dont forget its prob a 2 year contract with 3 aswell

Johnmb

colly10 wrote: »

Just looking at my options for a new iphone 4 16GB. The price difference between 3 and the other 2 is massive

Vodafone
Cost: 279
Mins: 150
Text: 150
Data: 500 MB

O2
Cost: 259
Mins: 150
Text: 100
Data: 500 MB

3
Cost: 139 (Half what vodafone are charging)
Flex Units: 350 (Better than calls + texts offer from the other 2)
Data: 2GB (4 times the other 2)

So, i've heard their customer service is bad, but could it really be bad enough to justify this price difference? Can you never get on 3G or something?

Works fine for me. I haven't had to contact customer care about anything important, so I have no real knowledge as to how good/bad that aspect is, but the fact that I haven't had to contact them is a good thing.

guil

yeah its 24 month and its 169 not 139

colly10

guil wrote: »

dont forget its prob a 2 year contract with 3 aswell

That explains the initial price difference anyway. But still doesn't justify the difference in the price of the plan

drunkmonkey

There 18mt prices but it's cheaper again on 24mts.

Tbh, I've iPhone 4 on 3 and there's no way I'd switch to the other 2, there just to expensive and 3's network is miles ahead of the rest for 3G coverage.

colly10

Johnmb wrote: »

Works fine for me. I haven't had to contact customer care about anything important, so I have no real knowledge as to how good/bad that aspect is, but the fact that I haven't had to contact them is a good thing.

No real issues with mobile internet speed?

guil

colly10 wrote: »

That explains the initial price difference anyway. But still doesn't justify the difference in the price of the plan

yeah its a bit of a joke what o2 and vodafone give in the allowances

drunkmonkey wrote: »

There 18mt prices but it's cheaper again on 24mts.

Tbh, I've iPhone 4 on 3 and there's no way I'd switch to the other 2, there just to expensive and 3's network is miles ahead of the rest for 3G coverage.

no, its the 24 month plan, on 18 months its 269 for the phone
http://three.ie/shop/iphone-4-32gb-black-classic-flex-max-24.htm?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=click&utm_campaign=iphone-plans

colly10

drunkmonkey wrote: »

3's network is miles ahead of the rest for 3G coverage.

So 3 actually has the best 3G coverage? I thought they had the worst. Going 3 if thats the case

guil

colly10 wrote: »

So 3 actually has the best 3G coverage? I thought they had the worst. Going 3 if thats the case

your best bet is to get a prepay 3 sim and try it out for a week or 2 beofre commiting to the contract

Johnmb

colly10 wrote: »

No real issues with mobile internet speed?

Nope. I don't have internet access if I don't have a 3G signal, but other than the bowels of the building I work in, I never lose the 3G signal (I'm not on an iPhone plan, so I assume that's why the gprs doesn't kick in).

nightster1

colly10 wrote: »

Just looking at my options for a new iphone 4 16GB. The price difference between 3 and the other 2 is massive

Vodafone
Cost: 279
Mins: 150
Text: 150
Data: 500 MB
Monthly: 45

O2
Cost: 259
Mins: 150
Text: 100
Data: 500 MB
Monthly: 45

3
Cost: 169
Flex Units: 350 (Better than calls + texts offer from the other 2)
Data: 2GB (4 times the other 2)
Monthly: 40

So, i've heard their customer service is bad, but could it really be bad enough to justify this price difference? Can you never get on 3G or something?

I'm on 3 since last Sept '10. Perfect for iphone4, no issues except voicemail charges add about €8/month.I spoke with customer care a few times, they seem fine.

colly10

nightster1 wrote: »

I'm on 3 since last Sept '10. Perfect for iphone4, no issues except voicemail charges add about €8/month.I spoke with customer care a few times, they seem fine.

How do ye not get free voice mail, everyone else gives it free on a 20 a month plan. Is calling voicemail not taken out of your standard free minutes?

drunkmonkey

colly10 wrote: »

So 3 actually has the best 3G coverage? I thought they had the worst. Going 3 if thats the case

Complete opposite they've 96% 3G population coverage. I have it most places around the country. Used to be terrible when they first came out as they were only starting building a 3G network from scratch now there more or less finished it.

3G coverage wise, meteor/emobile is worst, followed by o2 and Vodafone. Talk and text coverage there also on par with vodafone, followed very closely by o2 and then meteor/emobile.

If you after the 16GB I wish you luck on finding one. 32GB could even be a struggle at this stage.

Hullomail for free Voicemail

colly10

drunkmonkey wrote: »

If you after the 16GB I wish you luck on finding one. 32GB could even be a struggle at this stage.

So you think they won't have a 16GB in stock, that'd be a bit of a joke but sure i'll try for it anyway

drunkmonkey

colly10 wrote: »

So you think they won't have a 16GB in stock, that'd be a bit of a joke but sure i'll try for it anyway

There sold out I think, you'd probably have to reserve one.

drunkmonkey

nightster1 wrote: »

I'm on 3 since last Sept '10. Perfect for iphone4, no issues except voicemail charges add about €8/month.I spoke with customer care a few times, they seem fine.

This will fix your voicemail charge it's a free app, a must for anyone on the iphone max plans. http://hullomail.com/ie/iphone.html

Bigcheeze

I got an iPhone with 3 on launch day. After a week I was really regretting it as they had network switching problems where if you went off 3G coverage you couldn't get back on. It has improved since. Coverage is generally good. Most of my use is in Dublin. The ability to call the uk and roam freely in the uk is great. Customer service is poor as the most simple of tasks are an ordeal. Good advice to try a sim before you buy.

naasrd

I've had mine since August, rang Customer Service once and had my enquiry dealt with in no time and without any problems. Auto switching to 3G was a problem but that was fixed ages ago. I wouldn't hesitate recommending them, by far the best value especially their data allowance and in particular 3 Like Home; I was in Italy recently and all my calls, texts, browsing and tethering to an iPad and my son's PAYG iPhone came out of my bundle.

Breoithepaul

Just a post to get started

barryd09

in on 3 since september just gone,€40 a month,iphone 4,cost me €219 on an 18month contract.
im in galway,3g coverage isnt great/not available indoors in the west of the city but i have wifi access wherever i usually am.
hullomail to get free voicemail and eirtext & whatsapp cover any potential to run over the units on my plan,Flex 350 i think im on,3000 free minutes to other 3 users."3 like Home" using your units in other countries that have 3 is brilliant,roaming to england (for example) costs nothing extra.theyre in italy too afaik,few others aswell.

customer service,well the phone service has been grand the one time i had to ring,some communication issues (both of our accents i presume) but nothing major at all.

Patrick in the Talk to 3 section on here is very helpful,direct any issues through him id say.

nightster1

colly10 wrote: »

How do ye not get free voice mail, everyone else gives it free on a 20 a month plan. Is calling voicemail not taken out of your standard free minutes?

3 don't give the option of free voicemail, thats the only downside of this operator for me. Call quality and 3G reception are mostly fine. I've rarely been to an out of service area.

nightster1

barryd09 wrote: »

in on 3 since september just gone,€40 a month,iphone 4,cost me €219 on an 18month contract.
im in galway,3g coverage isnt great/not available indoors in the west of the city but i have wifi access wherever i usually am.
hullomail to get free voicemail and eirtext & whatsapp cover any potential to run over the units on my plan,Flex 350 i think im on,3000 free minutes to other 3 users."3 like Home" using your units in other countries that have 3 is brilliant,roaming to england (for example) costs nothing extra.theyre in italy too afaik,few others aswell.

customer service,well the phone service has been grand the one time i had to ring,some communication issues (both of our accents i presume) but nothing major at all.

Patrick in the Talk to 3 section on here is very helpful,direct any issues through him id say.

grand bit of advice there barryd09! I can give up the 3 voicemail now.:D

whiterebel

nightster1 wrote: »

grand bit of advice there barryd09! I can give up the 3 voicemail now.:D

It is too!!! Hullomail is streets ahead of normal voicemail anyway.

Johnmb

nightster1 wrote: »

3 don't give the option of free voicemail, thats the only downside of this operator for me. Call quality and 3G reception are mostly fine. I've rarely been to an out of service area.

They do have free voicemail, just not on the smartphone plans. I'm on a normal phone plan with them, with the 10GB data add on, and that has free voicemail. If you have an unlocked iPhone, their plans are even better value, but if you want a subsidised phone, they aren't quite as good value.

Blazer

drunkmonkey wrote: »

This will fix your voicemail charge it's a free app, a must for anyone on the iphone max plans. http://hullomail.com/ie/iphone.html

or answer his phone

ingen

drunkmonkey wrote: »

T3's network is miles ahead of the rest for 3G coverage.

vodafone have a vastly better 3g signal than 3.

along the m1 three have virtually no 3g signal.

drunkmonkey

ingen wrote: »

vodafone have a vastly better 3g signal than 3.

along the m1 three have virtually no 3g signal.

No they don't. Maybe along that bit of the road but countrywide there not even close.

fred252

there's issues with the 3G - 2G handovers. 3 uses vodafone's 2g network and for some reason they haven't gotten this handover to work very well on the iphone. i have the iphone 4 with 3. I got apple to replace the handset but the issue persists i.e. when it switched to 2g it doesn't automatically switch back to 3G when in range. (it eventually does but after a long time) i've also notice that the 3G reception significantly attenuates when in doors, in areas that should have excellent covereage.

just my experience

user1842

drunkmonkey wrote: »

No they don't. Maybe along that bit of the road but countrywide there not even close.

Remember also that Three won the contract for the National Broadband scheme which means they are required to put up a lot more 3G masts in rural areas. When they are finished Three will have the best coverage without question.

Johnmb

ingen wrote: »

vodafone have a vastly better 3g signal than 3.

along the m1 three have virtually no 3g signal.

I've actually had the opposite effect. I've only been up to Belfast and back a couple of times since switching to 3, but I've not noticed losing the 3G signal on any of the journeys up or back, using the M1. And the 3G signal around Rathmines and down into town (Aungier Street area) has been much better with 3 than with Vodafone. The other areas in Dublin have either been similar, or I simply can't remember what the Vodafone reception was like to be able to compare the two.

whiterebel

I really don't know what 3 are at. There were a couple of p*ssed off Three users who left because of the lack of signal in Cork, yet myself and others get brilliant signal in Cork, indeed, I get a really good signal in most parts of the country.

Blazer

They had loads of issues at the start which wasn't unexpected considering it was the iphone's first appearance on their network.
Everything's hunky dory now and I'm glad I stuck with them....was in Heathrow for about 12 hours last weekend and I was able to happily browse away etc using my normal 3 package at no additional cost....
My only complaint is that they're not in poland

scwazrh

Within a week of having my iphone with three I regretted it but everything seems ok now.Overall I would recommend that people make their decision based on the cost , and three are without doubt the cheapest if you want an iphone 4.

If you want an Iphone 5 though ??????:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

anotherlostie

I've been with them 3 months now and the only complaint I've had was the 3G/o drop and recover but that doesn't seem as bad now as it was at the start. It's a 24 month contract so reckon will be finished just in time for IPhone 6:D And for €139, I also got a free ipod shuffle and €50 credited to my last bill so was a much better offer than the others and the fact that the monthly minutes can be used in any other 3 network is great.

Have only had to ring Customer Care once and while it was so obvious they were reading from a script, my issue was dealt with without fuss.

mitsybaby

Hiya, i was with 3 for around 5 years and left them to join vodafone to get the iPhone!!

I read a while back that people were having issues with the iPhone on 3, I plan on switching back to 3 when my contract is up and hopefully the iPhone 5 will be out by then too!!! their tarrifs are much better than VF!!

glad to see that everything's OK with 3 now!! :rolleyes:

Tones69

drunkmonkey wrote: »

There 18mt prices but it's cheaper again on 24mts.

Tbh, I've iPhone 4 on 3 and there's no way I'd switch to the other 2, there just to expensive and 3's network is miles ahead of the rest for 3G coverage.

Jesus i wouldnt say that now, i know of a few people who's 3g comes and goes the whole time, actually more time gone than coming! Went into call customer service in the 3 shop and he was on the fone for at least 30 mins to which he got "we will contact u with a solution in the next 2 to 3 days", not a hope id EVER go with 3!!

colly10

Tones69 wrote: »

Jesus i wouldnt say that now, i know of a few people who's 3g comes and goes the whole time, actually more time gone than coming! Went into call customer service in the 3 shop and he was on the fone for at least 30 mins to which he got "we will contact u with a solution in the next 2 to 3 days", not a hope id EVER go with 3!!

Where's he living?