3 Network In Ireland

Dellas

Yeah I thought that myself but its better than nothing. The thing is if you are on holidays in UK or Austria,Australia or another country that has 3 you can watch all these things for free. I was in London last week and it actually worked!!!

RTE are supposed to be updating 3 times a day so maybe this is just teething problems. I have to admit though it is a good idea to have local news other than foreign news....time will tell I guess if it will be useful.

ferryman

Dellas, were you charged for browsing the RTE/ITV video content while in the UK? The site says that "all 3 services will cost the same as in Ireland" when selecting Australia/Austria/Hong Kong/Italy/Sweeden, but no sign of it on the UK page. Just wanted to double check.
Would I be right in saying that access to the majority of 3's Internet content (apart from ringtones/music videos/commedy clips etc) is free both in Ireland and in any country in which 3 have a presence? Seriously thinking about "making the move", from Meteor!
Are you still happy with the service? Any improvement on the SMS to foreign networks situation? I notice the list of roaming partners isn't growing too quickly, it's been stuck on 34 for nearly 2 weeks now. In most cases they seem to have an agreement with just one operator in each country, it's about time they got the finger out, lots of money to be made from roaming IMO. I see that 3 UK have agreements in around 150 countries, and not just with non O2/Voda operators.

Dellas

Hi Ferryman,
You are right at the beginning there was a problem with using the 3 Ireland services in the UK so it was taken off but in the last few weeks it is working I have tested it in both Belfast and London and I was not charged for any ITN/RTE video news etc....

You pay for ringtones ,MTV videos etc.....

The roaming is getting better but im not that bothered about that Im more bothered about the SMS agreements which enables you to send a text from Ireland to other countries and networks..this seems to be slow but it will eventually come in place. O2 UK and Vodafone UK are dragging their heels as usual so I have my old Sagem MYV65 to use on Vodafone PAYG to combat this in the meantime. All in all I would still stay with 3 the services and video calls are very good from a personal opinion!!!

Sam Vimes

paulm17781 wrote:

I didn't have to pay extra or trade in my ol phone in 3G.

The keys on the 6680 are a bit close together. It is slightly annoying but I am getting used to it.

you didnt pay extra, the ppl who trade in in cpw pay less they get 20 quid off the 149, 199 or 239 you paid

Sam Vimes

kazzer wrote:

Some questions for anyone already on a 3 contract:

1. Can you only pay your bill by direct debit? (I prefer to use online banking)
2. Is voicmail included as part of your monthly minutes?
3. Are you charged WAP/GPRS charges for accessing the free video content, I assume so?

1. you can pay your bill by cash but they charge 4.50 a month extra

2. voicemail is 15c and not included in your minutes. unless its like the itemised bill thing where theyre supposed to charge but they dont

3. your not charged for anything that doesnt have a price on it

flodis79

Dunno if this has been queried before in this thread. What is the per kb cost for GPRS connections via 3ireland? What about EDGE per kb? And ordinary 3g data connections, per kb?

Dellas

there is no per KB charge as you cant access any other webpages other than whats offered on the 3 menu and 3 content and to view that it is free unless it has a price next to it and then you have to click to buy item,,

flodis79

You cannot access other things?? Seems very strange. 3 in other countries can do that, why not here?

Dellas

3 have only recently allowed UK customers to view non 3 content. My sisters on 3 in London.

TCamen

Four new handsets on 3 for Christmas [UK]

So what're the chances that 3 will introduce these new handsets for their Irish customers before Christmas? I know a few people that would definitely move network if the N70 or V3X were on offer.

I just wonder if 3 will be like Vodafone/O2 over here and be slower than the UK for getting handsets on their networks.

JBoyle4eva

Is there any word if £ in Ireland will launch a prepay service?

1huge1

JBoyle4eva wrote:

Is there any word if £ in Ireland will launch a prepay service?

dont press shift when pressing 3 (unless you ment to for some reason)
anyway hope they launch prepay soon because i really want to change to them

ferryman

TCamen wrote:

Four new handsets on 3 for Christmas [UK]

So what're the chances that 3 will introduce these new handsets for their Irish customers before Christmas? I know a few people that would definitely move network if the N70 or V3X were on offer.

I just wonder if 3 will be like Vodafone/O2 over here and be slower than the UK for getting handsets on their networks.

Hopefully not. They were pretty quick getting the Sony Ericsson 608I weren't they? They could definitely do with freshening up their offering a little, I'm one of those who'd jump ship if the N70 came along...

LFCFan

Am thinking of joining 3 and getting the K608i. A few questions before I make up my mind:

1. Is this a good phone?
2. Is 3 better then Vodafone? (i.e. are they good to deal with)
3. What insurance options are available?
4. Is there a sports section in their internet service? e.g. Can you check the latest Premiership scores/news stories etc. It's really the only thing I use WAP for.

Thanks!

quintron

608i is a good phone but no memory card slot. Big drawback for a lot of people. Cam shots would fill up the 32meg internal pretty fast...


Std insurance options available via 3... €10 a month for CPW insurance if interested and purcahse from there.

All sports. All scores. All free. Video clips ...the lot..

Dunno bout vodafone v's 3 for customer service. In my opinion all the networks need to cop themselves on and treat customers wit some respect.
The monpoly network days are fading fast and we have more network / pricing choices.

A new network like 3 should be working twice as hard as they are a new company here with a dodgy history in the UK rolling out a 3G service that was nowhere near ready at the time.
3's people seem nice to deal with and got back to me quickly when I had problems at the beginning..

The problem is that handsets are a lot more advanced but all they know in the shops are how to sell phones.. Ask them a tech q and they are stumped.. Call the tech line and you are on hold...this needs to improve..better staff training, faster/ better customer phone service across the board.

I would recommend the Nokia 6680 on 3 network. Its currently their best phone. And its symbian so there is loads of software for it.

PS for someone enquiring about voicemail charges...I found a great prog called Smart Answer (SAnswer) that uses the phone itself (any symbian eg: 6680) as the answering machine bypassing the voicemail of 3. No more voicemail charges! :-)
Google it. Its worth a look.


Hope this helps.
Q.

Our man in Havana

Commander Vimes wrote:

1. you can pay your bill by cash but they charge 4.50 a month extra

2. voicemail is 15c and not included in your minutes. unless its like the itemised bill thing where theyre supposed to charge but they dont

3. your not charged for anything that doesnt have a price on it

Can you pay your bill by CC as opposed to Bank Account DD? Can you set it up this way when ordering online?

TCamen

Can you pay your bill by CC as opposed to Bank Account DD? Can you set it up this way when ordering online?

I think they just want your CC when you order online to pay for the handset, and they ask for bank details for the DD. On the back of the itemised bills they send out it has:- Ways to Pay:

1. Direct Debit - the simplest way to pay your bill and 3's preferred method of payment. Call us with your bank details and we will set up your DD for you.

2. By Phone - Call 3 Customer Service on 333 free from your handset and pay by credit or debit card.

3. Online/Phone Banking - set up a bill payment with your bank using the following details.... *bill includes Sort Code etc for 3*

4. In Person - take the Bank Giro slip to your bank and pay by cash/cheque.

5. By Post - please fill in and detach the slip @ the bottom of your bill and send it to 3.

Sam Vimes

1. Is this a good phone?
its a good phone except for the lack of memory card. has most of the important specs of the 6680 but no symbian. has a radio.
2. Is 3 better then Vodafone?
i've never been treated better by any company. they're a pleasure to deal with. i love the scottish accent
3. What insurance options are available?
never mind that 10 a month mentioned above. if you lose your phone or break it or cover it in absinth like i did you get a new one for €50. the only catch is you have to go into a new 12 month contract. you only have to go into the new contract if you've had the phone for more than 3 months. there's no extra charge per month for this.
4. Is there a sports section in their internet service? yes, gaa, soccer, hurling, horse racing, golf, rugby union/league, formula one, tennis, cricket and a few others. . never mind checking the scores, watch the highlights nearly live for free

Sam Vimes

quintron wrote:

The problem is that handsets are a lot more advanced but all they know in the shops are how to sell phones.. Ask them a tech q and they are stumped

you've obviously never come into my shop

Sam Vimes

Bond-007 wrote:

Can you pay your bill by CC as opposed to Bank Account DD? Can you set it up this way when ordering online?

no. on the form in the shop there's only an option for acc num and sort code. i phoned 3 about it and they said there's no option for cc yet

Sam Vimes

Commander Vimes wrote:

2. voicemail is 15c and not included in your minutes. unless its like the itemised bill thing where theyre supposed to charge but they dont

i was wrong about this. voicemail is 15c outside the minutes but it's included

quintron

Commander Vimes wrote:

you've obviously never come into my shop

Apologies. I did not mean to make a sweeping statement or a too much of a generalization. I would love to go to your shop if I knew where it was and knew that the reps would be of real assistance with technical issues.

A lot of people buy phones and do not use many of its features except basic calling and texting and hence never come into a shop with problems.

Others try to use the full potential of the handsets and network and it is here (at least consistanty in the past in my experience) that the companys have failed to deliver.

I have walked into o2 and vodafone shops many times with queries and problems with handsets over the past 4+ years to be met with vacent stares and swiftly given the helpline number which 8 times out of 10 has been little help. Features not implemented as advertised. Features not consistent etc.

Its hopefully changing as the latest handsets are more advanced and consequently more training is necessary to show off their added features.
I don't mean to sound hard or cynical of these people that are just doing their jobs but I'm speaking from experience as a (sometimes) frustrated owner.

TCamen

So 3 UK have the N70 on their site -- no sign of it on the Irish one

Anyway, I'm already signed up for the 12 month contract with the V975. I was just wondering *IF* I decided to get the N70 sim free, obviously the 3 settings won't be on it. Is it a case that 3 will frown upon me getting the sim free phone and then asking for the settings to get it set up for 3 services?

Anytime I changed my phone on O2 I never really had to let them know, since you can receive the MMS/GPRS settings from their site.

In 3's case, since they tinker with the handsets before selling them, to put the triangle button on them etc, is it a breach of contract for me to get a new phone elsewhere?

Also, if they get new phones before Christmas, can I buy one from them, even though I won't be eligible for an upgrade? Like, can I buy a new 3 handset from their website for the same price as a new customer as long as I don't want a discount? Or do they expect you to keep the same handset you get at the start of your contract until such time as you can upgrade to a different one?

Again, I never legitimately upgraded with O2, so I haven't been bothered about what the network allows.

milltown

When I was signing up with 3 in the CPW last week the sales guy said if I put the 3 sim card in a different phone that they might/will disable it (forget which). Also, that if my bill exceeds €280 for the first three months they may cancel my account.

I can sort of see the sense in the second one, they don't want people getting cheap phones, running up huge bills and then defaulting on paying them. Especially in their, loss making first couple of years.

The first condition though I thought odd. Maybe their accounting system can only reliably bill people for usage on phones with 3's own firmware/software on them. Or it could be something entirely less interesting that I haven't thought of.

TCamen

When I was signing up with 3 in the CPW last week the sales guy said if I put the 3 sim card in a different phone that they might/will disable it

I think that's just if you put a 3G sim into a 2G phone, but I could be wrong.

Our man in Havana

milltown wrote:

Also, that if my bill exceeds €280 for the first three months they may cancel my account.

I thought they would love you for spending silly money with them. If you pay it what's the problem?

Sam Vimes

Bond-007 wrote:

I thought they would love you for spending silly money with them. If you pay it what's the problem?

the problem is for the first few months they don't know if you're going to pay it

chrislad

I know that over in England, the phones 3 have are a lot different than the standard Voda/O2/Orange phones. They can't be unlocked by standard means, and you can only use a sim card in the phone that it was intended for.

What's the 3 coverage like at the moment? I'm hearing 40 to 60%

mugenextreme

hey folks just wondering is it best to go to a shop to connect to this network or is online just as good.

on line is fine
You get your phone, the next working day by courier(make sure you include your existing mobile number so as not to miss the courier)

The sim is in the box put it in the phone and plug into charge.
The sim will work straight away.

Our man in Havana

Earthman wrote:

on line is fine
You get your phone, the next working day by courier(make sure you include your existing mobile number so as not to miss the courier)

The sim is in the box put it in the phone and plug into charge.
The sim will work straight away.

Did you have any trouble porting over your old number with 3?

Sam Vimes

Bond-007 wrote:

Did you have any trouble porting over your old number with 3?

they have lost the faxes of the "keep a hold of it" forms a few times but they seem to have solved that problem now

Bond-007

Bond-007 wrote:

Did you have any trouble porting over your old number with 3?

After they received the form and copy of old bill.

For me it took less than 2 hours.
Likewise with my brother.

Our man in Havana

Earthman wrote:

After they received the form and copy of old bill.

For me it took less than 2 hours.
Likewise with my brother.

I don't have an old bill as I am RTG. Wonder how they work that.

rogue-entity

Old Bill is just for Bill customers and it is also proof of addy so you would just need your bank account no. and sort code. When I connected, I did so as a new customer and just gave a copy of my bank statment and driving licence and I was up and running within an hour even though CPW told me it could take a day for the phone to become active for making/receiving calls.

SaltySeaDog

Talking about which sim will work were, I have an unlocked 3 phone,basically if you have a sim card from 3, these will only work in a 3 phone,

You can take an existing 2/2.5G SIM and put it in a 3 phone and this will work.

The 3 phone has to be able to read all frequencies, not just the "UMTS" spectrum, for roaming purposes etc.

I have used a voda sim in a 3 phone and i can get 2.5G to work, but my voda sim wont work in 3 phone.

I've never heard of them barring a phone from swapping SIMs, i'd guess it's a scare tactic on behalf of customer service to stop people "making" up their own phones.

Dellas

TCamen wrote:

I think that's just if you put a 3G sim into a 2G phone, but I could be wrong.

I used my 3 3G Sim in a 2G phone and it doesnt make any difference!!!!!! Its still working fine........

Dellas

SaltySeaDog wrote:

Talking about which sim will work were, I have an unlocked 3 phone,basically if you have a sim card from 3, these will only work in a 3 phone,

You can take an existing 2/2.5G SIM and put it in a 3 phone and this will work.

The 3 phone has to be able to read all frequencies, not just the "UMTS" spectrum, for roaming purposes etc.

I have used a voda sim in a 3 phone and i can get 2.5G to work, but my voda sim wont work in 3 phone.

I've never heard of them barring a phone from swapping SIMs, i'd guess it's a scare tactic on behalf of customer service to stop people "making" up their own phones.

I have used a Vodafone Sim in a unlocked 3 V975 phone it sends sms and can make/recieve calls but Vodafone live didnt work even though i changed the profiles.

Dellas

Anyone know when 3's Pay as you go will be launched?????

SaltySeaDog

must be my phone so, i'm trying to use 3 sim in a nokia 6100, 2.5 yrs old

kazper

i have been having a number of problems with my phone! cannot send text messages to england via 3 network. Also i cannot send multimedia messages to 02 numbers. When i try to log onto 3 internet at home or in work, it says i am outside the video service area, despite it having worked fine before both at home and at work!

JBoyle4eva

Dellas wrote:

Anyone know when 3's Pay as you go will be launched?????

They're probably in talks with Alphyra (The guys who own and operate the top-up machines in your local stores) about getting Three's network on them. It'll be a lenghty process, as all the machines have to have a firmware upgrade. We got ours at work upgraded in February for the now deceased Top Up Club.

Sam Vimes

kazper wrote:

i have been having a number of problems with my phone! cannot send text messages to england via 3 network. Also i cannot send multimedia messages to 02 numbers. When i try to log onto 3 internet at home or in work, it says i am outside the video service area, despite it having worked fine before both at home and at work!

there's some technical prob with sending mms to and from o2. they know about it and they're working on it. networks go down all the time. it'll probably work again in a day or two. dunno bout the texting england problem. i know some people have had problems texting abroad but they've been from lithuania/south africa. england should work

BuffyBot

3 don't have texting agreements signed with quite a few foreign operators. I'm sure someone mentioned earlier in this thread that some of the UK networks are among them.

France doesnt work.

FFS I have friends there,If I fly there or anywhere,I'd like to be able to text people to say where I am...

Big Big Down point with 3 is their lack of international texting.

I mean Hello Hundreds of thousands of people do go abroad you know...

Now I wonder what the problem is in setting that up??
Nice and all as the 3 customer services are, thats the only question that they have stone walled me on.
They are just giving no information.

BuffyBot

Now I wonder what the problem is in setting that up??

It's a big bar to me switching to 3 anyway. Roaming and text agreements should have all been signed before launch.

yeah, theres no U.S roaming either.
Texts would be the main loss.

Dellas

Commander Vimes wrote:

there's some technical prob with sending mms to and from o2. they know about it and they're working on it. networks go down all the time. it'll probably work again in a day or two. dunno bout the texting england problem. i know some people have had problems texting abroad but they've been from lithuania/south africa. england should work

Hi yes I posted this at the start...I still cant send texts to O2 mobiles in UK its crazy!!!

1huge1

so many problems with 3 at the moment thats why i wont join them until they get this fixed and launch a pay as you go network

Dellas

God guys I never thought I would say this but hell im going back to Vodafone!!! At least you get an Irish person at the call center!!! I have to say though that most of the staff in Scotland are nice enough but the guy I got today was a complete hitler!!! I called up because I got my bill in and have been overcharged for roaming calls by over €100!!!!! Also my Motorola phone broke so I got a new one and they charged me for a new one even though it was broke. I have had lots of other issues some resolved some not.
The guy I spoke to today really was the last straw...he was rude and aggressive. When I told him I wasnt happy with the service and the treatment so far and that I was thinking of going back to Vodafone his reply was " Ive been working here two years and we are the best company in the world and our technology will take over the world" hmmm sounds like he should be in a James Bond movie!!!!!!

So my suggestion is to stay with Vodafone and DO NOT sign up for 3!!!!! They have a lot to learn from other Irish networks. I will be pleased to get my webtexts back / my free voicemail / texts to all international mobiles / 50% lower roaming charges than 3 / god the list goes on!!!!

I guess you learn from your mistakes.....im pulling out of the contract and have taken it up with Comreg who say I have a strong case if they choose to keep me locked into the contract.