Mobile networks vs MVNO's

[securespark]

ID is indeed associated with CPW.

Smarty is a Which? recommended provider.

I recently left 3 and moved to Smarty.

Obviously the same network, but for me the set-up and user-experience was much easier.

According to Which?, Smarty's CS is miles better than 3.

Smarty offer the same features that 3 do: this is very often NOT the case with MVNOs; usually they are cheaper because they offer a cut down service compared to the company they are piggy-backing off.

I used to use PAYG as when I stopped being S/E, I didn't need the contract.

I was initially attracted to 3 because they had 321 SIMs: 3p calls, 2p texts, 1p per MB.

At the time, it was the cheapest PAYG, with the bonus offer of 4G free when it came along.

Also, I was limited to providers because many have zero or very patchy coverage in our area. Voda and EE are awful here and always have been. 3 and O2 are our only choices. 3, ID and Smarty all offer WiFi calling, so if the signal is patchy around home, the router takes over.

Now there is a MSP called 1p Mobile (I think) who offer 1p/1p/1p. I believe they piggy back off EE.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I used to use PAYG as when I stopped being S/E, I didn't need the contract.

I was initially attracted to 3 because they had 321 SIMs: 3p calls, 2p texts, 1p per MB.

At the time, it was the cheapest PAYG, with the bonus offer of 4G free when it came along.

Likewise here, I made irregular use of my own phone, so PAYG worked fine for me. I was paying for unlimited calls on my landline - Then mobile call costs dropped faster than calls via landline, to the point where an unlimited, unlimited 4Gb contract could be had, for less than the unlimited on my landline, so the obvious thing to do was contract for mobile and cancel the unlimited calls part of my landline.

All originated calls are now made on my mobile, my landline just provides for inbound calls and Internet access. Mobile is of course slightly more useful, in that I usually carry that with me all the time.

 

[mattylad]

the signal via 02 (as 02 or giffgaff) is not so great where I work but I have the company wifi so am not worried.
However when out in the park walking the dogs there is lots of delays yet the coverage maps show it as well covered.

Videos buffer a lot, facebook posts can take ages to load (if at all).
So I may be up for a change before too long.

 

[Mottie]

Well, I’ve just ordered an ID mobile sim and will try it out for a while. Will report back with my findings.

 

[securespark]

The only thing I would say is that my techie lad has a 3 SIM and while in a pub together, he had 5G reception, while my Smarty SIMmed phone did not.

We would have swapped SIMs to see if he had 5G on my Smarty SIM (in case the difference was the phones and not the SIMs), but we didn't have a poky SIM tool on us.

So although Smarty says they offer 5G where available, I have not seen hide nor hair of it as yet.

If anyone who has a Smarty SIM has 5G, please let me know!

Not sure about ID Mobile. Do they offer 5G service?

 

[Mottie]

Not sure about ID Mobile. Do they offer 5G service?

Yes, although I don’t have a 5G phone to check it out. I’ll worry about that when I’ve got one!

 

[securespark]

Fairy nuff!

 

[securespark]

Talking of Gs........

3 will be switching off 3G in the next couple of years.

Three UK to switch off 3G network in two years’ time

End of UK’s first third-generation network announced as operator announces its investments in 4G and 5G gather pace with next-gen network hitting new usage milestone, increasing by over 358% over the last year.

www.computerweekly.com

 

[Mottie]

Well, I’ve just ordered an ID mobile sim and will try it out for a while. Will report back with my findings.

Well, it came today and I tried that as well as Mrs Motties Three sim in the same phone on 4G and run a speed test on both of them. Considering they both run on the Three network, I'm impressed so far!

The ID app is pretty good too.

 

[Mottie]

Still impressed by it. We have a weak Three signal in our house and our Three sim-enabled phones always have 1, sometimes 2 bars but are always latched on to Wifi calling. The ID sim enabled phone on the Three network fluctuates between 2 and 3 bars and I've only ever seen it latch on to Wifi calling once. How can that be when it runs on the Three network?

 

[securespark]

I don't know.

You would expect network performance to be IDentical (could not resist the pun there!).

But whatever the difference in signal, you know it will route via WiFi if necessary.

 

[Mottie]

Another ID mobile bonus. Where I usually walk my dog, the signal in the woods has always been patchy at best. I can sometimes receive calls and texts but 3/4G is out of the question. Often it says 'no service'. Checked it a few times now since moving to ID and I always have one bar showing. Never had a 'no service' showing. What’s more, I tried a couple of web sites and they all loaded pretty quickly. I’m liking this more and more.

 

[securespark]

Cant understand why, though, as ID uses exactly the same infrastructure.

Edited for clarity.

 

[Mottie]

Cant understand why, though, as ID used exactly the same infrastructure.

Same here. If anything, I’d have thought it would have been the other way around. Will probably all turn to **** next week!

 

[Mottie]

Still working fine. Works fine while roaming in Jersey. Just had my remaining data rolled over.