Orange SIM only vs. Vodafone SIM only

Draven · 8th May 2008, 10:51pm

Yo,

My contract with (shitty) 3 is up at the end of the month so now actively looking fora new phone contract. I absolutely love my Sony Ericsson W850i phone so don't require a new phone, will simply unlock it and pick up one of the nice SIM only deals that are floating around due to them not having a minimum contract length and generally fitting what I need.

I've now narrowed it down to two networks; Orange and Vodafone.

Vodafone (150 minutes, 500 texts) I pick because seemingly they have the best network coverage overall. 3 is extremely poor and the signal drops out whenever I go inside any buildings, and gets practically no coverage in the Scottish Borders when I'm there.

The Orange deal however, looks really good. It offers 150 minutes, 300 texts but with unlimited evening and weekend texts. More than enough. That's in addition to the Orange Wednesdays offer which I would take advantage of.
My only concerns however is that in the past I've heard negative things about their coverage.

When I refer to coverage I'm more meaning the performance inside buildings, in addition to 3G signals.

Could anybody recommend me on the merits of either network? I would prefer the Orange deal but have reservations about their coverage.

Cheers gang!

i_am_blip · 8th May 2008, 10:53pm

i have an orange phone and a vodafone phone.

orange is gash for coverage in my experience and vodafone is also a bit poor to be honest.

o2 seems to be the winner for me (although they won't give me a phone

)

Draven · 8th May 2008, 10:55pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by i_am_blip

i have an orange phone and a vodafone phone.

orange is gash for coverage in my experience and vodafone is also a bit poor to be honest.

o2 seems to be the winner for me (although they won't give me a phone

)

Any particular reason that O2 wins? Where do you get poor coverage specifically (I'm based in Edinburgh/Scottish Borders)?

i_am_blip · 8th May 2008, 11:23pm

i've just had better experience with o2.

i find the orange coverage gash when i'm travelling down south on the trains. it drops out all over the shop.

poprock · 9th May 2008, 6:07am

Orange and Three should have identical coverage because they share networks.

Draven · 9th May 2008, 7:24am

Vodafone or O2 it is then!

Benefit of these kind of contracts I suppose is if I really don't like it, it's easy to switch.

Zippy · 9th May 2008, 7:42am

Quote:

Originally Posted by poprock

Orange and Three should have identical coverage because they share networks.

That's not strictly true - they only share networks when no 3 coverage is available but 3 phones are automatically programmed to refresh and try and access the 3 network every 5 minutes or so, so even in places with good Orange coverage (if the phone can't access 3's coverage) it will still try and access the 3 network meaning that the signal can sometimes fluctuate wildly.

If the phone can't find 3 or Orange then it will drop onto the O2 network. Things should improve in the next year or so because 3 and T-Mobile will be sharing the network completely so there won't be any of the fluctuation that I mentioned before.

Draven · 9th May 2008, 7:58am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zippy

That's not strictly true - they only share networks when no 3 coverage is available but 3 phones are automatically programmed to refresh and try and access the 3 network every 5 minutes or so, so even in places with good Orange coverage (if the phone can't access 3's coverage) it will still try and access the 3 network meaning that the signal can sometimes fluctuate wildly.

If the phone can't find 3 or Orange then it will drop onto the O2 network. Things should improve in the next year or so because 3 and T-Mobile will be sharing the network completely so there won't be any of the fluctuation that I mentioned before.

Yeah I found this a lot with 3, it constantly fluctuating signals even if it previously had a good one. Shite.

Do you know if Orange has good overall coverage Zippy?

Zippy · 9th May 2008, 8:06am

Orange and Vodafone have great coverage - even if your experience on 3 is fluctuating signal don't let that put you off getting an Orange phone as an Orange customer will have a much better experience on the Orange network than a 3 customer piggy backing onto the Orange network.

Draven · 9th May 2008, 8:32am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zippy

Orange and Vodafone have great coverage - even if your experience on 3 is fluctuating signal don't let that put you off getting an Orange phone as an Orange customer will have a much better experience on the Orange network than a 3 customer piggy backing onto the Orange network.

Cannae rep you.

Do you have any experience with the Orange network? I did think it would be better than 3's but the impression I got from poprock's post was that they would be identical, but what your saying totally makes sense.

I would prefer the Orange deal, but more concerned about signal quality etc.

Again cheers for the help, Zippy and everyone.

poprock · 9th May 2008, 8:40am

Nice one Zippy. It’s not often someone around here actually knows what they’re on about, eh?

I have a question for you: How’s the 3 network around Glasgow city centre? I’m thinking of defecting from Orange, since 3 are doing cheaper deals this year. Orange have a perfect signal everywhere I hang out, but O2 cannae even give me reception in my flat. I figured 3 should be okay because of the way they use Orange’s network as a back-up.

Zippy · 9th May 2008, 10:38am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Draven

Cannae rep you.

Do you have any experience with the Orange network? I did think it would be better than 3's but the impression I got from poprock's post was that they would be identical, but what your saying totally makes sense.

I would prefer the Orange deal, but more concerned about signal quality etc.

Again cheers for the help, Zippy and everyone.

I don't have any personal experience with Orange other than you never hear folk on Orange complaining about the signal they get.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poprock

I have a question for you: How’s the 3 network around Glasgow city centre? I’m thinking of defecting from Orange, since 3 are doing cheaper deals this year. Orange have a perfect signal everywhere I hang out, but O2 cannae even give me reception in my flat. I figured 3 should be okay because of the way they use Orange’s network as a back-up.

The city centre signal is good, I haven't really had any problems with it and as you said it flips pretty quickly onto Orange if the 3 signal does go. Yours is a new flat as well aye? So you shouldn't have coverage issues like you can do in older flats (thicker walls and that).

You might as well get this info from me now...I leave here in 6 weeks! (not that I'm counting or anything!)

TSR · 9th May 2008, 10:38am

i like vodafone. i've never lost coverage (that i know of, but i don't watch my phone). i do loose signal in places like Solids basement though. ground level's always good though

poprock · 9th May 2008, 10:49am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zippy

You might as well get this info from me now...I leave here in 6 weeks! (not that I'm counting or anything!)

You’re going to be a southern pansy soon.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zippy

… you never hear folk on Orange complaining about the signal they get.

I have a signal everywhere except deepest, darkest Girvan.

**djtoast** · 9th May 2008, 10:53am

^ The only place I ever went where I couldn't get an orange signal was bamboo, which is reasonable, I don't think anyone gets signal in that basement except in the guys' toilets.

No O2 reception in your flat Tony? No iPhone for you