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Original poster

Is Three still a rubbish mobile network?

21 replies

LoveInAColdClimate · 14/01/2012 22:06

I was with them for a year probably eight or so years ago, before and since which I have been with Orange. Three were absolutely crap during that year - awful customer service, crap signal and a phone which kept packing in. I couldn't wait to get back to Orange, with whom I have been since. But now I'm going on maternity leave I'm being wooed by Three's much cheaper packages... have they improved at all in the interim? Thanks.

OP posts:
Ponyphysio · 14/01/2012 22:10

They're shite. They can offer you 6million minutes a month for 50p, safe in the knowledge that you will never in yr wildest dreams have sufficient signal to use them. Just my opinion and experience obviously :)

Ponyphysio · 14/01/2012 22:12

Meant to add, I am also about to go on Mat Leave, so looking at where I can save money, so I am swapping to a SIM only deal with O2 - my hubby is on it and gets way better value than me for £15 a month, so might be worth investigating if yr not desperate for a new phone. HTH

Original poster
LoveInAColdClimate · 14/01/2012 22:13

That was my suspicion, Pony - I knew there must be a reason they were so cheap. Thank you for saving me from two years of frustration! I will stick with Orange who may be pricy but who I have always found to be fab.

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Original poster
LoveInAColdClimate · 14/01/2012 22:15

Oh, cross-posts - thanks. Think I probably do need a new phone, TBH - iPhone is over two years old and the (never brilliant) battery is now practically non-existent, otherwise I would do that.

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Tooblunt2012 · 14/01/2012 22:16

I'm on 3 & have had no problems with them at all - good coverage wherever I generally go (although don't usually venture too far from the beaten track!)

Original poster
LoveInAColdClimate · 14/01/2012 22:21

Thanks, Too - have you needed to use their customer service at all? My biggest gripe (amazingly in the context of the fact that I never had a signal and my phone kept breaking!) was the awful service over the phone. They used to use a call centre staffed entirely with people with virtually no English, so we could never understand each other when discussing my latest phone problem. I became convinced it was deliberate to avoid having to ever actually fix the issue. And then, and I had forgotten this, the fuckers never gave me the cash back I was entitled to. Have they got this sorted now?

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KellyKettle · 21/01/2012 10:40

My DH has terrible problems with three every month. Customer service is awful, he struggles to understand them and to be understood, they frequently send him a bill and then call to say he owes more and give a revised figure. He set up a direct debit to leave his account on payday and they sent him a letter confirming it was set up for another date.

They are truly appalling. From a coverage point of view, I don't think he's had many issues however, he was cut off for months while they argued over how much his bill really was...

He paid this months bill and five days later got a call from their credit control dept saying he was in arrears. It took him 2 calls to three to sort that out. They're ridiculous. God only knows how they're still in business.

QED · 21/01/2012 10:42

I'm with 3 and happy with them. Did have a problem where I was overcharged one month, but that got quickly sorted out and I got a refund.

Coverage is generally all right where I am as well.

bruffin · 21/01/2012 10:53

We all have 3 phones, have no problem with coverage here in herts but not so good at mums in Norfolk, have to go outside to get a signal.
We have no problems at all on customer service, they have usually been very helpful.

Original poster
LoveInAColdClimate · 21/01/2012 13:20

Interesting that everyone is having such different experiences - signal I can understand depending on where you live, but customer service tends to be pretty consistent across companies, I find (ie always crap or always at least ok). Thanks, everyone.

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niceguy2 · 21/01/2012 13:48

I briefly put my daughter on a 3 SIM only contract. To be fair I never had any issues with customer service (unlike with Vodafone) and the staff were always polite & friendly.

However, the signal was almost always low. Even in places I'd expect it to be good. For example, in the middle of a shopping centre I couldnt call my DD because she barely had a signal. My OH & myself are on O2 & Voda and both had much better signals.

At home, even though their website said we should be getting a strong 3G signal, we couldn't get more than 1 bar. It seemed the norm to only ever get 1-2 bars.

After a month, we cancelled the SIM because of the signal issues. Value wise it was good but no point if noone can call you.

sharenicely · 26/01/2012 19:31

I've been with them over ten years and signal good here but I know friends used to be with them and poor signal. Don't really ring customer services so no idea about that. I only pay £15 per month for utc phone with 600 mins and unlimited texts and Internet.

sharenicely · 26/01/2012 19:31

HTC not utc

slug · 26/01/2012 19:38

I decided on 3 when I bought my iPhone, mainly for the data package. I've never had a problem and find the signal far better than the crap Virgin one I had before.

DazR · 26/01/2012 19:47

Coverage was OK for me but customer service was a real joke. We spent hours on the phone to foreigners we couldn't understand - who expected us to be available to speak at THEIR convenience. It was extremely frustrating trying to convey the nature of the problem and get it escalated to someone who could actually help. The product was also poor - battery life died very quickly, paint chipped off and the phone randomly switched itself off. On retarting the phone it always played a tune REALLY loudly which was very embarassing at times....... Would not use Three again.

pettyprudence · 26/01/2012 19:59

I switched from orange to 3. On a postcode search orange apparently have a strong signal in my area, and 3 have virtually none however orange didnt work in my house and I have full signal on 3 Hmm. I have PAYG so dont have to deal with customer service much, but when I have they have been a bit crap. But so were vodaphone when I was with them...

slug · 26/01/2012 20:27

I vetoed Vodaphone on the basis that I didn't want to add to the profits of a blatantly tax dodging company.

NoGoodAtHousework · 26/01/2012 20:43

I'm with three and signal is pretty good most places, I don't expect to always have perfect signal so I get over it.
I have to agree that customer service is fairly frustrating so I avoid unless a last resort!
If you want the best signal, try and get payg sims for the networks and an old phone and see what is best.

DorothyGherkins · 26/01/2012 22:43

I gave up on Vodaphone after years of awful signal, mistakes on billing, wrong advice given when I phoned their customer service. Changed to 3 two years ago - dont have a bad word to say. Their coverage and signal (Peak District) is far more reliable than Vodaphone ever was. I ve got a very basic contract with them, which gives me a very cheap and acceptable service. I dont have to hang out the window any more to send a text! (Which I did all the time I was with Vodaphone.) I would recommend 3.

jrapeter · 13/07/2012 17:45

My partner has spent hours trying to get through to Three for service. Whilst she was on hold, I phoned their sales team and got through in 1 minute but the Indian chap was unable to put me through to "customer services" as that unsurprisingly was another department!!

My partner is a GP and she have up waiting on hold after 40 minutes. Having finally got through and asked to give notice to terminate the adviser said she had to phone again to do that!!!!

Absolutely crap - don't use them is my advice

captaincheese69 · 15/07/2014 20:59

I have been with them for 2 years now and Iam sure if I went to the moon I couldn't get any more than one dot on my iPhone...
What's the point of all you can eat data for 15 if I can't bloody get any coverage..I run the net off my home wifi and when I'm out i'm lucky if I can find a place with free fast wifi..
Buying a new phone soon and going back to O2...
Shit network,Shit service..
Just plain shit..
Epic Fail....

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