Advice - Are Three any good for data?

100gSoma

I am with O2 for 10 years. I pay 40euro a month for

unlimited data (3gb fair usage)
10 mms
100 sms
150 minutes.

I regularly run out of texts but barely use 60mins of voice out of the 150mins.
I use 2gb data a month (streaming radio, and surfing etc)

Three are offering a deal for unlimited data (no limit) and 350 units... these units would equate to 150minutes and 400 texts!!!! all for 30euro if I have my own phone. Plus its a 30 day contract. this seems TOO GOOD to be true?
What am I missing here?

Are three any good for data? slow network? O2 are "ok". I get about 1mb - 2mb download speeds in most areas. However, I noticed an issue recently that many sites fail to load and I get a "request blocked by host" error. The site loads on a refresh. I have heard this is O2 recording address requests on a proxy server for a 3rd party marketing company. Dunno if this is true. They are investigating. Either way, something screwy is going on. It only happens on O2, not on wifi or other network with same phone. I only stayed with them as I had the unlimited data thing going on, now I might not have any reason with three if its as good as it seems? Im sure I must be missing something? 10euro amonth cheaper for more minutes/texts (units as they call them) and unlimited data..

help and advice greatly appreciated. any input welcomed. can anyone use the speedtest.net android app on three and let me know how it performs?
any other opinions about the service. Im mostly in Dublin area.

Thanks for reading & replying

100gSoma

I just saw this on a web blog

"Another really bad surprise – Three blocks loads of websites. When I’ve tried to go to the http://jailbreakme.com they showed me a webpage that website is blocked by Three. After that I tried to visit it via proxies – and all public proxies I tried were blocked by Three."

I think that would be a deal breaker for me.... Worse than O2 recording all page requests. Can anyone on three confirm they block certain sites?

cookie1977

100gSoma wrote: »

I just saw this on a web blog

"Another really bad surprise – Three blocks loads of websites. When I’ve tried to go to the http://jailbreakme.com they showed me a webpage that website is blocked by Three. After that I tried to visit it via proxies – and all public proxies I tried were blocked by Three."

I think that would be a deal breaker for me.... Worse than O2 recording all page requests. Can anyone on three confirm they block certain sites?

I was with O2 for 14 years on a similar plan to you. I moved mid march and have found it great. Data is brilliant and the plans are superb. I got classic flex max with unlimited landline calls. Coverage for me has been better then O2. I'm in the dublin area 4, 6W,6, 8, 12, 14, 16 and 24 (southside mainly). Have z2ro problems with coverage but some friends have issues in D15. Three give away free sims so get one and test signal where you live work and play. I'm on a sim only plan so I can leave with 30 days notice but I've founf no reason to yet. I've had no sites blocked on me but maybe I'm not looing at ones you're using. I can test them for you if you like. That site works for me by the way. They may have been using an old apn to access the web.

100gSoma

Hey Cookie, I'm sure I remember you from the O2 forums.

It seems alot of the alleged blocked sites are iPhone related. http://cydia.saurik.com/ Does that work?

I also did a google search and discovered that numerous gay sites in ireland are blocked on the grounds they are a danger to children? www.queerid.com is one that people say is blocked. Again, its not really the particular sites that are blocked that would bother me, but more the fact that the provider is dictating how I can and cannot use the service I'm paying for. Grrr... That really annoys me. Don;t even start me on the Eircom IRMA thing.

I'm mostly in south county, so its good to hear you have had no issues there. Alot of the blogs on three seem to be older so its possibly they have dropped the "web blocking" as part of their all you can eat new plan?
If the cydia site above works via three, I think it means they are not blocking anymore, as the blog complaining about that is from Feb 2011.

thanks again for you input Cookie, very helpful.

cookie1977

100gSoma wrote: »

Hey Cookie, I'm sure I remember you from the O2 forums.

It seems alot of the alleged blocked sites are iPhone related. http://cydia.saurik.com/ Does that work?

I also did a google search and discovered that numerous gay sites in ireland are blocked on the grounds they are a danger to children? www.queerid.com is one that people say is blocked. Again, its not really the particular sites that are blocked that would bother me, but more the fact that the provider is dictating how I can and cannot use the service I'm paying for. Grrr... That really annoys me. Don;t even start me on the Eircom IRMA thing.

I'm mostly in south county, so its good to hear you have had no issues there. Alot of the blogs on three seem to be older so its possibly they have dropped the "web blocking" as part of their all you can eat new plan?
If the cydia site above works via three, I think it means they are not blocking anymore, as the blog complaining about that is from Feb 2011.

thanks again for you input Cookie, very helpful.

Yes same person
Both of those site work for me. I'm using 3internet APN. If you want me to check anymore just post. You could also buy some credit and test them on a pre pay sim on your iphone to be sure to be sure. I get coverage with three in areas were O2's coverage was poor. I have not tested outside of dublin yet so that maybe a whole different story. For me it's not an issue.

Kensington

Can also confirm the above two links work fine on Three! I'm on the exact plan you are thinking of subscribing to. I think the Billpay plans are pretty much unrestricted although you may need to call them first. Prepay is another story though - anything marked as over 18 is blocked. There is currently no way of opting out of this.

No real issues with speed in D6w.

taken about twenty minutes ago from the edge of a fairly busy cell site.
Usually get about 4Mbps during the day. Worst I've seen was about 500Kbps on a Sunday evening.

Speeds seem pretty consistent throughout the Dublin area from what I've found. Not really had a chance to head outside Dublin yet since switching to Three.

wmpdd3

Yep, I'm on 3 and all those site open for me, I'm on the lowest bill plan (19 per month) and an E63.

h57xiucj2z946q

Kensington wrote: »

Prepay is another story though - anything marked as over 18 is blocked. There is currently no way of opting out of this.

The the apn 3internet instead of 3ireland.ie

100gSoma

Got this back from a query about flexmax package...
Not pushed on the 'guided by iwf' part o2 blocked imgur.com following that. It's not blocked anymore.

Thanks for your email.

It is great to know that you are interested in joining Three!

Sites of an adult nature are currently blocked by 3's filtering service called Bluecoat; this is to ensure that children don't access content they shouldn't see. 3's access to sites is also guided by the Internet Watch Foundation.

3 are currently working on a more flexible solution whereby customers over 18 will be able to opt in to the filtering system instead of receiving the filtered service automatically. Bluecoat don't always get it right and sometimes they block "lifestyle sites" in error - if there is a site you believe we should allow access to we are happy to review it against the guidelines and unblock it where necessary. Let me also inform you that iPhone related sites are accessible.

I hope this answers your query. Should you require any further help, don’t hesitate to contact us on free phone 1913 and request to speak to a member of our Customer Services Team or you can come back to me on Customer.Services.ie@3mail.com



Kind Regards,

Farhadiba Shaikh
3 Customer Service
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