Merger Three & Vodafone

[Buckman]

I have received an email notifying us of the merger between Three and Vodafone. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has approved the merger of Three UK and Vodafone UK, subject to certain conditions.

Previously we were Vodafone customers way back in about 2004 and the service was abysmal then and also being over charged by nearly £600! Not sure if the merger is a take over by Three or the other way around?

 

[Mr Plodd]

It's a merger, not a buy-out, all over this mornings press.

 

[RogerL]

Vodafone will own 51% with Three owning 49% - Vodafone have an option after 3 years to buy out Three's share.

 

[Buckman]

Vodafone will own 51% with Three owning 49% - Vodafone have an option after 3 years to buy out Three's share.

Probably be the time to look for a new provider?

 

[RogerL]

Probably be the time to look for a new provider?

Their combined coverage will be greater than EE or O2 - at 99% by population. We have phones on Vodafone and laptop on Three so will be good to see an improvement in coverage.

 

[otherclive]

Probably be the time to look for a new provider?

My daughter and son are both Vodaohone and have no concerns over their service. You do hold a grudge at times . 2004 to now is 20 years things might have improved 🙈

I’m with ID mobile who are Three network and owned by Currys. But I’ve no plans to move as they are cheap, monthly contract and not lacking coverage.

 

[Sam Vimes]

I've followed the takeover/merger talks with the CMA and the usual concerns arose.

Reduction in service providers from 4 to 3...lack of competition.

Increase in charges.

Redundancies

Customer Service.

Usual platitudes from VodaThree to address these but if past events are anything to go by once agreed and the deal goes ahead they'll find ways to get around all the things they said they wouldn't do.

 

[Buckman]

My daughter and son are both Vodaohone and have no concerns over their service. You do hold a grudge at times . 2004 to now is 20 years things might have improved 🙈

I’m with ID mobile who are Three network and owned by Currys. But I’ve no plans to move as they are cheap, monthly contract and not lacking coverage.

We haven't been on contract with a provider for the past 18 months and pay £15 for unlimited data on one phone and the other £5 for 8GB data. When you have been ripped off for nearly £600 due to their mistake it takes a long time to forget and forgive. However we will see how it goes as at present coverage at home is almost non-existent with any network.

 

[Sam Vimes]

One of the problems with using MVNOs instead of the main providers is that not all the services may be available...WiFi calling for example. Also while coverage may be the same, acccess to it can be limited and data rates reduced.

As an example I need WiFi calling because there is a poor to non-existant signal from any of them. Three used to work fine but when I tried Smarty (Three owned). WiFi calling wouldn't work on my phone.

Similary When ASDA switched from EE, where my WiFi Calling worked, to Vodafone, WiFi Calling didn't work. It seemed that Vodafone only enabled this on certain phones and mostly ones they sold.

These days it's easy to switch supplier and keep your number

So what will happen to MVNOs after the merger remains to be seen.

 

[GUMPY]

As an example I need WiFi calling because there is a poor to non-existant signal from any of them. Three used to work fine but when I tried Smarty (Three owned). WiFi calling wouldn't work on my phone.

WiFi calling works fine with Smarty for me.
As far as I know Smarty has exactly the same services as Three, I've never noticed anything missing.

 

[otherclive]

One of the problems with using MVNOs instead of the main providers is that not all the services may be available...WiFi calling for example. Also while coverage may be the same, acccess to it can be limited and data rates reduced.

As an example I need WiFi calling because there is a poor to non-existant signal from any of them. Three used to work fine but when I tried Smarty (Three owned). WiFi calling wouldn't work on my phone.

Similary When ASDA switched from EE, where my WiFi Calling worked, to Vodafone, WiFi Calling didn't work. It seemed that Vodafone only enabled this on certain phones and mostly ones they sold.

These days it's easy to switch supplier and keep your number

So what will happen to MVNOs after the merger remains to be seen.

I’ve got good wifi calling on IDmobile that uses the 3 network and Virgin cable broadband.

 

[Sam Vimes]

WiFi calling not only depends on the operator providing it but also have the option and code for a specific service on your phone.

Some phones come with the code pre- installed so WiFi Calling works. Other phones may need an over the air update to allow WiFi Calling with a specific service. In my case on my Realme 6 phone, using EE with any Mvno worked without any updates. Vodafone would not issue an over the air update for it. Smarty tried but it still didn't work.

With my new Samsung phone Vodafone WiFi Calling worked straight out of the box but my main service is still EE via 1pmobile, which reviews claim to be the best Mvno with service on EE which is virtually identical.

 

[RogerL]

WiFi calling not only depends on the operator providing it but also have the option and code for a specific service on your phone.

Some phones come with the code pre- installed so WiFi Calling works. Other phones may need an over the air update to allow WiFi Calling with a specific service. In my case on my Realme 6 phone, using EE with any Mvno worked without any updates. Vodafone would not issue an over the air update for it. Smarty tried but it still didn't work.

With my new Samsung phone Vodafone WiFi Calling worked straight out of the box but my main service is still EE via 1pmobile, which reviews claim to be the best Mvno with service on EE which is virtually identical.

"Best" coverage depends whether you live in an urban, rural or remote area - no one network is best at all three types of area.

 

[woodsieboy]

I am with Buckman on this one, we had dreadful experience with Vodafone years ago so they are on our 'won't even consider'list Problem is we use 3 who so far have been excellent, need to wait and see what happens.

 

[Buckman]

"Best" coverage depends whether you live in an urban, rural or remote area - no one network is best at all three types of area.

We are about 6 - 7 miles from the town centre, but in a rural area. We are in a slight dip so coverage is very poor. Going about a mile up the road it is slightly better, but still poor. Most of the area around us for 4-5 miles is very poor signal.

 

[Sam Vimes]

Then again there are those in cities that also have poor reception in doors because of obstructions.

If I go into the garden I may get a weak signal at times. In the house it can be zero at times.

 

[otherclive]

Then again there are those in cities that also have poor reception in doors because of obstructions.

If I go into the garden I may get a weak signal at times. In the house it can be zero at times.

Yet my son has just returned from Costa Rica and reckons mobile signals by and large were better than where they live in wales.

 

[ProfJohnL]

I suspect anyone who has a mobile phone has at some time encountered a problem with signal quality either with their own phone of possibly with the person at the other end of the call.

On occasions call quality can be affected by weather, traffic or other variables within a single call. Its possible th e number of calls or data transmissions being made through one transceiver node might also affect the individual call quality.

As you become familiar with a locality you will learn where reception is unsatisfactory and avoid using your phone in that area. Unfortunately as an individual consumer it rarely possible to get the service provider to investigate or modify their transmission signals or location to improve your personal experience.

There are some work -arounds such as using a wifi link to the internet / phone service.

You know perhaps one day we might end up with pair of copper wires that links you to the phone system

 

[Sam Vimes]

Some years back I tried a SIM card from Vodafone. In order to activate it I had to drive 3 miles to get a signal. Then got home to find that it wouldn't support WiFi Calling on my phone.

So many variables and mileage may vary but I've found EE gives me best reception on the locations I've been to.

 

[Dustydog]

Three months ago we switched both mobiles to EE from BT. They were prepared to negotiate. We feel we had a good deal.
And on the whole the EE cover throughout the U.K. has been excellent. Ironically there is no EE in Tesco Cirencester store!

 

[Buckman]

Three months ago we switched both mobiles to EE from BT. They were prepared to negotiate. We feel we had a good deal.
And on the whole the EE cover throughout the U.K. has been excellent. Ironically there is no EE in Tesco Cirencester store!

In our local Tesco store no Three coverage and same with the one in Worcester.

 

[Woodentop]

For anyone interested and for personal reasons I have been looking around in the last few days. Anyone heard of Spusu? An Austrian company now operating as a MVNO on EE. If you want a simple deal with effectively no data try there very basic offer. 1GB data and unlimited calls and texts for £2.90 per month with a new number if required and which you can cancel at any time without penalty.
I am waiting for the SIM to arrive today so that I am well covered - my main SP is GiffGaff (O2) - to be able to use it whilst I am in hospital next week.

 

[RogerL]

The UK has just 4 basic networks for mobile comms - EE, O2, Vodafone and Three - I noticed that O2 and Vodafone have had a shared network agreement for over 10 years and the shared agreement will extend to the new Vodafone/Three merged network - so it looks to me as though we'll end up with just two networks with EE as a standalone network and Vodafone/Three/O2 as a larger combined network.

On one hand this is good news as the larger Vodafone/Three/O2 network should provide better cover but bad news as it reduces competition.

 

[otherclive]

The UK has just 4 basic networks for mobile comms - EE, O2, Vodafone and Three - I noticed that O2 and Vodafone have had a shared network agreement for over 10 years and the shared agreement will extend to the new Vodafone/Three merged network - so it looks to me as though we'll end up with just two networks with EE as a standalone network and Vodafone/Three/O2 as a larger combined network.

On one hand this is good news as the larger Vodafone/Three/O2 network should provide better cover but bad news as it reduces competition.

Good news too for the dogs tracker and its two SIMs. Might even work up on Salisbury Plain at some future stage when the merger goes through, or perhaps longer legs might help capture a signal,

 

[borderbilly]

For anyone interested and for personal reasons I have been looking around in the last few days. Anyone heard of Spusu? An Austrian company now operating as a MVNO on EE. If you want a simple deal with effectively no data try there very basic offer. 1GB data and unlimited calls and texts for £2.90 per month with a new number if required and which you can cancel at any time without penalty.
I am waiting for the SIM to arrive today so that I am well covered - my main SP is GiffGaff (O2) - to be able to use it whilst I am in hospital next week.

I checked spusu network coverage and it keeps coming up invalid postcode, so I guess that's me out.