Considering iPhone - Network?

Sierra Oscar

Hey all, I am currently on Pay As You Go with Vodafone, but I have made up my mind that I want to move over to Bill Pay, I find I am spending silly amounts of money on credit lately.

In anycase, I was considering getting an iPhone and have been looking around at the various network plans. So far I have my eye set on the Vodafone €45 monthly plan (with 150 minutes + 150 texts / 500MB data allowance). What is the general consensus as to which of the networks is the most generous with its plans?

Also, is 500MB actually a generous data allowance? I would be using the iPhone to browse the web - not that intensively, but often all the same.

Thanks in advance!

seamus

500MB is a crap allowance, though you're unlikely to breach it unless you're a very heavy user.

General consensus is thus:

O2 - Worst value, best network
Vodafone - Middling value, Middling network
Three - Best value, worst network.


O2 has the best network by virtue of being backed up by EDGE virtually everywhere that you don't have 3G
Vodafone has fairly comprehensive 3G coverage
Three have OK 3G coverage but you're often bumped to GPRS, especially outside of main urban centres. And GPRS is just crap.

It's worth noting that there's not much between Vodafone & O2's plans, but three's plans are miles ahead in terms of value.

mikejpatterson

Vodafone has free data when you're roaming. It just comes out of your bundle.

I've travelled to the States and throughout Europe happily streaming movies and music with no nasty bill when I got home!

I hear the O2 Data roaming rates are crazy.

http://forum.vodafone.ie/index.php?/topic/6483-data-roaming-and-the-live-apn/

mitsybaby

I don't think 3 is that bad a network.... I'm switching to them from VF when my contract is up!

Sierra Oscar

mitsybaby wrote: »

I don't think 3 is that bad a network.... I'm switching to them from VF when my contract is up!

Indeed, although I have read that their deal is best when your friends are on the 3 network - i.e. free calls/texts between 3 -3 network users?

Only issue is that none of my contacts use the 3 network at all. Or does it matter?

Walkman

No you get free 3 to 3 calls but also get calls to other networks, this is standard with all networks

naasrd

I jumped ship from PAYG with VF and moved to 3 bill pay when the iPhone 4 came out and it was the best move I ever made. There's a lot of guff about 3's network but you'll find it's from people who aren't even on 3. I have no network problems and never had. 500mb is too mean an allowance, with 3's 2gb I usually have around 500mb left over at the end of the billing cycle. Free text wise; just pick up Jelly SMS or Eirtext and make use of your 333 web texts from your phone. That and one of the free add ons and you'll be cruising. Vodafone and 02 are yesterday's men.

drunkmonkey

Sierra Oscar wrote: »

Only issue is that none of my contacts use the 3 network at all. Or does it matter?

It doesn't really matter on 3 you'll have enough minutes to use to every network you can also use the flexi units to call the uk.
There's also 20% off flex if you've any contacts in the five-o