Three or Meteor? IPhone 4S

yupyup7up

Hi guys,

I'm planning on getting an iPhone 4S on billpay.

I'm currently on PAYG with meteor (€20 a month free calls, texts internet etc.), but trying to work out whether to go with Meteor again or move to Three.

Meteor is €40 a month for 24 months, 200 texts, 200 minutes (but no free
meteor to meteor calls and texts ) and 5g data

Three (I'm assuming) is €40 a month for 24 months, 350 flexi units (inc. free three calls and texts) and all you can eat data. (plus I get 20 % a month discount making it €32 a month)

What would you guys recommend? Is 5gb data a month enough? Is Three a good enough network? Will be in Limerick city 95% of time BTW so I'm assuming coverage will be good? Does either network allow the HSDPA speeds the 4s is capable of?

Thanks for your help in advance.

du Maurier

You don't get free texts to 3 customers on a 40 CFMax plan. I can only advise against 3 personally. They are a complete joke of a company. You should check out some of the other threads on here about them. I should think you'll be better off and less stressed going with Meteor.


I thought on Bill pay Smart with Meteor you do get free calls and texts, but only 1 GB of data on a lower plan.

culabula

yupyup7up wrote: »

Hi guys,

I'm planning on getting an iPhone 4S on billpay.

I'm currently on PAYG with meteor (€20 a month free calls, texts internet etc.), but trying to work out whether to go with Meteor again or move to Three.

Meteor is €40 a month for 24 months, 200 texts, 200 minutes (but no free
meteor to meteor calls and texts ) and 5g data

Three (I'm assuming) is €40 a month for 24 months, 350 flexi units (inc. free three calls and texts) and all you can eat data. (plus I get 20 % a month discount making it €32 a month)

What would you guys recommend? Is 5gb data a month enough? Is Three a good enough network? Will be in Limerick city 95% of time BTW so I'm assuming coverage will be good? Does either network allow the HSDPA speeds the 4s is capable of?

Thanks for your help in advance.

I think you need to wait and see what exactly Three is going to offer.

Meteor's new offer is 5€ cheaper than yesterday's offer of a free iPhone 4 with that tariff.

Three is unbeatable if you're in an area of good signal -there is even more to their 40€ deal than you have mentioned (though 3-3 free texts do not exist).

Still: wait and see.

yupyup7up

thanks for the replies guys!

A good few of my friends have moved to Three and they have nothing but good things to say about them, but I have seen a few bad threads about them alright. But that's probably down to their location etc.. yeah I think I'll wait and see what Three have up their sleeve. Will be very tempting especially with the 20% discount!

cojomo2

what 20% discount is this?

IMO, the smart network will offer a good deal on an 18 month plan..that what people want.

2 years is silly.

Uncle Mclovin

I'm intrigued by this 20% discount.

Chesapeake

I would stick with Meteor between those 2.
And wait and see what voda & O2 will offer.

cojomo2

now that people mention 20%..i know a lad who gets either a 20 or 25% discount on his bill every month..it appears as 'staff discount' ..which he is not..nice.

Enright

looking for details of how i might get the 20% discount as well

Would appreciate a reply

marathonic

Meteor have just put their prices up 5 euro per month!!!

Jax Teller

Meteor gone up to €45 now .
https://phones.meteor.ie/phones/apple_iphone_4s

yupyup7up

Coletrickle88 wrote: »

Meteor gone up to €45 now .
https://phones.meteor.ie/phones/apple_iphone_4s

sneaky bastards! I'll going with three! The discount is because of a club membership I have.

quad_red

I don't get this.

On Meteor you have to get a 24 month contract:
A 32GB iPhone 4S for free:
200 mins + 200 texts + data
For 50e p/m
Total: €1,200

To go sim free and a sim only contract
A fully unlocked 32GB iPhone 4S from the Apple Store: €699
200 mins + 200 texts + data
For 20e p/m
Total cost over 24 months including cost of phone: 1,179

So: you pay MORE money for locking yourself in to a 2 year contract and receiving a network locked iphone than just getting it from Apple unlocked and getting a no contract plan that you can change/cancel/amend any time you want.

The only benefit being more data. But isn't 1GB enough for anybody?

murpho999

quad_red wrote: »

I don't get this.

On Meteor you have to get a 24 month contract:
A 32GB iPhone 4S for free:
200 mins + 200 texts + data
For 50e p/m
Total: €1,200

To go sim free and a sim only contract
A fully unlocked 32GB iPhone 4S from the Apple Store: €699
200 mins + 200 texts + data
For 20e p/m
Total cost over 24 months including cost of phone: 1,179

So: you pay MORE money for locking yourself in to a 2 year contract and receiving a network locked iphone than just getting it from Apple unlocked and getting a no contract plan that you can change/cancel/amend any time you want.

The only benefit being more data. But isn't 1GB enough for anybody?

Well the benefit for me is not having to put up €699 up front, and this might sound silly but I find it a pain to have to top-up all the time and they, sorry have to go now as I've no credit. Small issue I know but one reason for prefering bill pay.

Eire Go Brach

quad_red wrote: »

I don't get this.

On Meteor you have to get a 24 month contract:
A 32GB iPhone 4S for free:
200 mins + 200 texts + data
For 50e p/m
Total: €1,200

To go sim free and a sim only contract
A fully unlocked 32GB iPhone 4S from the Apple Store: €699
200 mins + 200 texts + data
For 20e p/m
Total cost over 24 months including cost of phone: 1,179

So: you pay MORE money for locking yourself in to a 2 year contract and receiving a network locked iphone than just getting it from Apple unlocked and getting a no contract plan that you can change/cancel/amend any time you want.

The only benefit being more data. But isn't 1GB enough for anybody?

I think you may be incorrect. I have been looking at doing it this way as well. I think your looking at the same plan. It is only €20 for 12 months. Then goes to €30 if you purchase online.

What I dont get if its a for 12 months. Does this mean you can gove 30 notice, or is it a contract?

yupyup7up

yeah the up front price is a killer for many people. I wanna get the 16gb version though, dunno why anyone would need 32/64

for me though, itll be €768 over 2 years as opposed to my current €480 (20 a month with meteor PAYG), so a cheaper iphone

culabula

quad_red wrote: »

I don't get this.

On Meteor you have to get a 24 month contract:
A 32GB iPhone 4S for free:
200 mins + 200 texts + data
For 50e p/m
Total: €1,200

To go sim free and a sim only contract
A fully unlocked 32GB iPhone 4S from the Apple Store: €699
200 mins + 200 texts + data
For 20e p/m
Total cost over 24 months including cost of phone: 1,179

So: you pay MORE money for locking yourself in to a 2 year contract and receiving a network locked iphone than just getting it from Apple unlocked and getting a no contract plan that you can change/cancel/amend any time you want.

The only benefit being more data. But isn't 1GB enough for anybody?

Well, I DO get it. Somewhere the phone has to be paid for. That's the reason for the tariff, though admittedly it's lousy.

I always go SIM-free. You're fooling yourself otherwise.

1Gb wouldn't see me to Friday.

quad_red

Eire Go Brach wrote: »

I think you may be incorrect. I have been looking at doing it this way as well. I think your looking at the same plan. It is only €20 for 12 months. Then goes to €30 if you purchase online.

What I dont get if its a for 12 months. Does this mean you can gove 30 notice, or is it a contract?

I don't understand?

See http://www.meteor.ie/plans/bill_pay/lite_sim_card/#plans-tab

Bill Pay Smart Lite with a 30 day contract is €20 p/m. The '12 month' condition will presumably allow them to end the offer eventually. But then you are free to demand a continuation of the deal or leave for another network for a better deal.

Being locked into a long term contract guarantees a network treats ye like crap with poor value. You've no choice but to take it.

murpho999

quad_red wrote: »

I don't understand?

See http://www.meteor.ie/plans/bill_pay/lite_sim_card/#plans-tab

Bill Pay Smart Lite with a 30 day contract is €20 p/m. The '12 month' condition will presumably allow them to end the offer eventually. But then you are free to demand a continuation of the deal or leave for another network for a better deal.

Being locked into a long term contract guarantees a network treats ye like crap with poor value. You've no choice but to take it.

How does a network treat you like crap?

Contracts don't last forever you know.

quad_red

culabula wrote: »

Well, I DO get it. Somewhere the phone has to be paid for. That's the reason for the tariff, though admittedly it's lousy.

I always go SIM-free. You're fooling yourself otherwise.

1Gb wouldn't see me to Friday.

I understand that. A network subsidises the cost of the phone in order to get a customer to sign a contract, guaranteeing the network revenue.

Not charging bloody well more than it would be to buy sim free!!

sink

yupyup7up wrote: »

yeah the up front price is a killer for many people. I wanna get the 16gb version though, dunno why anyone would need 32/64

Music, I have a 32GB 3GS and every time I get new music/apps I have to delete old stuff. I have a 100GB music collection on my PC and can only fit 20GB on my iPhone with the other portion taken up by apps/photos. I still have a 120GB iPod which I take with me on long trips.

Etnies

I tried to go with meteor on their old deal, and they wanted a 300 euro deposit which I get back after 6 months.. absolutely ridiculous. Went with 3 instead and got the 3gs for free for 40 per month on a 12 month contract as a special deal for signing up.

murpho999

Etnies wrote: »

I tried to go with meteor on their old deal, and they wanted a 300 euro deposit which I get back after 6 months.. absolutely ridiculous. Went with 3 instead and got the 3gs for free for 40 per month on a 12 month contract as a special deal for signing up.

Mmmm.....you know the 3GS is a very old phone at this stage?

Mirrorboy

any body know how much the 4S is on Three pre pay?? Meteor have it on their website for €579

Thanks

drunkmonkey

Mirrorboy wrote: »

any body know how much the 4S is on Three pre pay?? Meteor have it on their website for €579

Thanks

No prices released yet. The won't release till friday or all the other operators have i'm guessing..

Mirrorboy

Thought that might be the case, cheers! Considering ordering it off the Apple website sim free for what seems like only an extra €20, their delivery dates seem a bit sketchy though

cojomo2

Etnies wrote: »

I tried to go with meteor on their old deal, and they wanted a 300 euro deposit which I get back after 6 months.. absolutely ridiculous. Went with 3 instead and got the 3gs for free for 40 per month on a 12 month contract as a special deal for signing up.

its also available for free on an 18 month 25 euro/pm contract.

IMightKnow

Meteor do a plan called Bill Pay Smart Lite. It is 20 euro per month if bought online and includes free meteor-meteor calls/texts, 200 non-meteor mins, 200 non meteor texts and 1GB of data.
Its a one month contract so they take 20 euro from your a/c every month but you can cancel at any time.
If this suits all you need the phone for (ie if 1GB data will be enough) you are cheaper to buy the phone from apple and go with this plan, its cheaper than getting ifone for free and paying 60per month on a 24 month contract.

This only relates to meteor and is coming from someone who needs meteor-meteor calls/texts so I haven't looked into other networks

kellygav

Well the first stage is actually getting meteor to answer their phone today...

If you are an already exsisting bill customer than it won't actually let you order online and it gives you a free phone number.. sounds great?

Well i was waiting for someone to answer for over 1hr 45min... then i hung up as i though there must be something wrong...

This is clever by meteor as they'll give all the phones to new customers and the current customer won't get any because they won't answer, as i write this i'm on hold again for this time only!! 35mins again (this was actually my 4th 30min call after the 1st one without an answer)

Their CS department earlier didn't even know about the phone being available for pre-order.. what a joke!! They kept saying sorry "sir" your wrong we arn't taking orders for the phone until friday, i told them to check their own website...:mad:

What a joke!! i think meteor is great but if they tell me that all the phones are gone.. then i'm moving to another network as this is a scam!

Etnies

murpho999 wrote: »

Mmmm.....you know the 3GS is a very old phone at this stage?

Jaysus I do just didnt feel like paying for the 4 when what everyone thought was the 5 coming out. Ill probably wait for that to come out next year or if i can get a good deal on the 4 now, either way not bothered.

cojomo2 wrote: »

its also available for free on an 18 month 25 euro/pm contract.

No it's not.. not according to the Three website anyway.

kensutz

kellygav wrote: »

Well the first stage is actually getting meteor to answer their phone today...

If you are an already exsisting bill customer than it won't actually let you order online and it gives you a free phone number.. sounds great?

Well i was waiting for someone to answer for over 1hr 45min... then i hung up as i though there must be something wrong...

This is clever by meteor as they'll give all the phones to new customers and the current customer won't get any because they won't answer, as i write this i'm on hold again for this time only!! 35mins again (this was actually my 4th 30min call after the 1st one without an answer)

Their CS department earlier didn't even know about the phone being available for pre-order.. what a joke!! They kept saying sorry "sir" your wrong we arn't taking orders for the phone until friday, i told them to check their own website...:mad:

What a joke!! i think meteor is great but if they tell me that all the phones are gone.. then i'm moving to another network as this is a scam!

I got 2 calls today about pre-ordering the iPhone and we definitely were not told that the pre-orders were available from today. So it's nothing to do with the CSR's. It's Meteor head office who never told us anything.

Also, over the past 3 weeks there's over 150 people trying to get through at any one stage. For some unknown reason and that's why it's taking ages for poeple to get through.

davywalsh7

yupyup7up wrote: »

sneaky bastards! I'll going with three! The discount is because of a club membership I have.

can any1 get this club discount?

Eire Go Brach

This is what I am looking at with meteor. 64gb Going on the sim free plan. Buying from Apple 799
12*20=240
12*30=360
Total=1399


Or Contract Phone Cost 99
24*50=1200
Total=1299
Now I reckon I can sell the phone for at least €400 after 1 year and maybe €300 if I hold onto it for 2 years? Plus I just said 12*30 as that what the meteor site has. The discount is just for 12 Months. But I assume I will get a better deal. So buying sim free for me seems to work out more or less the same.
I will defo be selling the phone.

culabula

sink wrote: »

Music, I have a 32GB 3GS and every time I get new music/apps I have to delete old stuff. I have a 100GB music collection on my PC and can only fit 20GB on my iPhone with the other portion taken up by apps/photos. I still have a 120GB iPod which I take with me on long trips.

Audiogalaxy.

RonnyD

So if I buy the i phone in full with meteor on friday can I avail of the bill pay smart lite offer then!! or do i have to buy the iphone from apple directly?

besty

Has anybody received their contract by email from Meteor yet?

Jev/N

du Maurier wrote: »

You don't get free texts to 3 customers on a 40 CFMax plan. I can only advise against 3 personally. They are a complete joke of a company. You should check out some of the other threads on here about them. I should think you'll be better off and less stressed going with Meteor.

I would disagree, especially seeing as there are a litany of threads on here complaining about how bad Meteor are.

I've been with Three for a good while and have never had any issues and have actually had good experiences with their support staff whenever needed

I think Three's idea of flexi units are great so you're not stuck with a fixed texts and mins plan. They've also got the free add on in their plans, I've the 150 evening and weekend mins which I find great

Finally, IMO the free within network texts are becoming less and less important with the likes of WhatsApp, Viber etc.

culabula

Jev/N wrote: »

I would disagree, especially seeing as there are a litany of threads on here complaining about how bad Meteor are.

I've been with Three for a good while and have never had any issues and have actually had good experiences with their support staff whenever needed

I think Three's idea of flexi units are great so you're not stuck with a fixed texts and mins plan. They've also got the free add on in their plans, I've the 150 evening and weekend mins which I find great

Finally, IMO the free within network texts are becoming less and less important with the likes of WhatsApp, Viber etc.

And em.......iMessage.

Stinicker

I seriously recommend people here considering Three to have another think about it.

Read my thread here

They are an obnoxious shower if ever I knocked across them, you get no customer service and unless you are happy spend the majority of your time on a 2G service then forget them.

Jax Teller

RonnyD wrote: »

So if I buy the i phone in full with meteor on friday can I avail of the bill pay smart lite offer then!! or do i have to buy the iphone from apple directly?

Makes no odds where you get it once your meteor sim will work in it .

yupyup7up

Stinicker wrote: »

I seriously recommend people here considering Three to have another think about it.

Read my thread here

They are an obnoxious shower if ever I knocked across them, you get no customer service and unless you are happy spend the majority of your time on a 2G service then forget them.

Where abouts are you based though? All of my friends in the Limerick/Clare region have had no problems at all.

corklad32

Stinicker wrote: »

I seriously recommend people here considering Three to have another think about it.

Read my thread here

They are an obnoxious shower if ever I knocked across them, you get no customer service and unless you are happy spend the majority of your time on a 2G service then forget them.

Don't forget the 3 megathread

kellygav

kensutz wrote: »

I got 2 calls today about pre-ordering the iPhone and we definitely were not told that the pre-orders were available from today. So it's nothing to do with the CSR's. It's Meteor head office who never told us anything.

Also, over the past 3 weeks there's over 150 people trying to get through at any one stage. For some unknown reason and that's why it's taking ages for poeple to get through.

I have worked as a call center manager for 6 years now and its a joke that a customer would have to wait over an hour and more "No matter what was going on!!", i would have taken on temp staff to cover the over flow and maybe put in place a call back service which could operate up to 10pm depending on the customer. (ie. sorry sir nobody is able to take your call at the momnet, but i can arrange for someone to call you at an agreed time, this reduces call spikes and improves customer service) This has been done on the cheap end of story.... i have been part of some huge marketing campaigns (which this is not) and was always able to ensure customer exsperience always remained at a high level. Oh and i got a mail from meteor after i looged a complaint on their website and they said sorry and gave me a different number which brought me through to "Retentions" ha ha and all they said was "I'll put you on a list and someone will call you back in a few days" JOKE of a company!

alexboard

I don't know about Meteor or emobile, but don't just don't go with Three, this will break your heart ...

See extract from my post on Stinicker's thread ..

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=75157495#post75157495


...This is the biggest frustration I have since I moved to 3. Was years with O2 and you take it for granted that a service you pay for just works! Cos you pay for 3G plan you expect to get it.... Not on Three!
3G coverage is rubbish, if you want to call n text you're prob OK, but as a smartphone user, biggest mistake ever and now stuck for 24 months.
Even in city it keeps switching to the back up voice network with extremely slow GPRS, I had never seen the blue circle on my iPhone being used so often. This is actually the Vodafone network. The Three network is 3G only (displayed as 3 3G) and everywhere when you can't get it, it automatically switches back to Vodafone (displayed as 3) through a roaming agreement they have. The thing is once it has switched, it takes 5 to 10 minutes to look again for the 3 3G network, or you have to manually re-scan!!! During your time on the virtual Vodafone 3 network, you don;t get 3G or pretty much any data at all, even the EDGE barely works.
Absolutely rubbish, and I don't even mention Cork to Dublin train journeys or any venture outside urban jungles. I wish I could get out, if any one knows a way please post, It's killing me

Stinicker

yupyup7up wrote: »

Where abouts are you based though? All of my friends in the Limerick/Clare region have had no problems at all.

I am based in Co. Kerry but have had the same issue all over the country and it is a national issue, amazingly however when I cross the border into Northern Ireland on roaming with 3-UK and on the British Mainland the Network issue itself disappears and the phone stays on 3-UK's 3G and if it goes to 2G due to lack of coverage it will migrate back to 3-UK 3G automatically.

However with Three in the Republic of Ireland when the phone goes onto a 2G network it will stay there latched onto that even when located 50 metres away from the Three 3G mast it will remain on two bars of coverage latched to Vodafone's 2G network mast despite it being several kilometers away; a little test I did myself one day!

nathancool

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