O2 Vs Orange

[Alec]

Hello all.

I couldnt decide if it was best to put this here or in the OT section but here goes.

I'm thinking about dragging myself intot he 21st century with a new mobile phone, one of these 3G/internet/wifi enabled phones, probably a Blackberry of some sort.

Anyway, I'm on O2 and would like to saty with them, but a friend of mine says Orange have better coverage for these internet phones.

Does anyone know, if I go with O2, will my internet experience be significantly slower with them?

 

[Frank Harvey]

Swings and roundabouts - some areas Orange might be better, some O2. I've been with Orange for about 14 years now - I think that says a lot. In the meantime, I've had other contracts with T-Mobile, O2, but either disliked their back up service or not liked their invoicing procedures.

 

[Alec]

Thanks David.

 

[John Duncan]

I had O2 for about 12 years before getting a work phone earlier this year, and had nothing but excellent service and reception. I think you pay your money and take your choice - though I specifically *didn't* take a Blackberry when I was considering keeping my own phone because the plans for them seemed a bit steep, whereas iPhone and other smart phone tariffs seemed a bit more reasonable. YMMV.

 

[bigboss]

As David said, really depends on where you live. Recent Ofcom report has suggested Vodafone to have the best 3G coverage......but if it doesn't cover your area, these statistics mean little to you.

 

[Alec]

Thanks chaps.

Thats interesting John, though maybe you and I are at different levels, so to speak. I haven't really looked in to things for a while and I still have a basic Nokia which can do internet in kind of the same way that a 3210 could, really (though I haven't tried it much if at all). I went along to my O2 store and was surprised to find there are even reasonable deals on pay as you go Blackberries, whereas the iphone was way over what I'd want to pay for a pay and go phone, and the contracts were expensive (though everyone says it is a very good phone).

Just so you know, I'd want it as a texting phone which happens to have decent-ish net ability if i really ever want to use it. I probably wont use it for forum posting much, or banking or anything, just for looking things up from time to time, though i might get one that can push my emails to me (ooh hark at me).

The particular Blackberry I have my eye on was only £250 on pay and go, 15 quid a month gets you unlimited wifi, 500 texts, 500mb data...and i forget the calls allowance...

By the by, is one more liekly to call people by mistake with a touchscreen in ones pocket?

 

[Alec]

Also, if anyone can comment on the BlackBerry Pearl 3G, I'd be glad to hear from you.

 

[grifz]

Just in case you are thinking of taking there cheap offer for broadband for cotract customers? Orange are terrible with less than reasonable low dropping speeds . O2 £7.50 for phone contract customers are the best broadband service ive had as i cannot get virgin . I have had sky and orange that seem to lower your speed intensionallly to free up thecongestion and both have terrible customer service . O2 costomer service answer every time with nice british accents.and never lowerd my speeds as i always check via speedtest.net .

 

[bigboss]

al7478:

By the by, is one more liekly to call people by mistake with a touchscreen in ones pocket?

My HTC Desire used to make calls initially in my pocket, that is until I locked the keypad. No problems since then.

 

[bigboss]

al7478:Also, if anyone can comment on the BlackBerry Pearl 3G, I'd be glad to hear from you.

I was looking for this phone for my sister. It's a very nice phone crammed with features. But in the end, I got HTC Desire for her which had more features & better UI.

Since I got my HTC Desire, I started surfing the net & checking my emails, this forum etc. on it. I never imagined that I would use the internet so much when I had my Blackberry Storm!

 

[scene]

One thing to remember about orange (in the UK) is that since the merger/takeover of T-Mobile (UK), you can subscribe (for free) to access the T-Mobile network as well, which kicks in if Orange coverage fails. This does improve their coverage quite a bit...

 

[John Duncan]

al7478:By the by, is one more liekly to call people by mistake with a touchscreen in ones pocket?

No, I'm just pleased to see you.

It's usually locked so there's no problem, but a couple of times recently I have found myself calling people at random by sitting down (I carry my phone in my right back pocket, generally). I didn't think this would be possible, but maybe I just have a hyperconductive -rse.

 

[professorhat]

JohnDuncan:al7478:By the by, is one more liekly to call people by mistake with a touchscreen in ones pocket?

No, I'm just pleased to see you.

It's usually locked so there's no problem, but a couple of times recently I have found myself calling people at random by sitting down (I carry my phone in my right back pocket, generally). I didn't think this would be possible, but maybe I just have a hyperconductive -rse.

Or it's lonely...

(NB - that's not an offer of any kind...

)

 

[Alec]

Thanks for all the thoughts.

I read in a review my proposed phone doesnt have @ and another character by default...Not sure if i can link to teh review but its on PC Advisor.

 

[Alec]

the other character is a full stop. sounds weird to me.