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Orange vs T-Mobile vs other nets in DATA speeds

Antakar

Antakar

Member
I am wondering, what kind of speeds you can get using your phones. What network on average is the best?

I read allot about 3G and HSDPA coverage, checked maps etc. What i found is that Orange has the best coverage in UK. Also people say that it have good transfer speeds...but other are disappointed.

Obviously speed vary because of many factors.

I tried to find some proper article, obvious to me was that while speedtest.net is so popular should have some sort of graphs with average speeds from various providers, but no, "Joey don't share food." :(

That is why i decided to start this topic. What are your average speeds, which network are you on, is the signal stable or are you simply happy with what you have? :)

I suggest to use Speedtest as it seem to be most popular app to do such things :D

Personally i havent decided yet which network to go with so i cant provide my speed-checks, so i count on you :)
 
I would choose which ever is cheapest.

I've always heard reviews for Orange (and particularly T-Mobile) being notoriously rubbish in the UK. (Trust I know, I've been on them for as long as I can remember)

However they'd be good to go with seeing as SOON (maximum by a year) the 3G networks would have merged into one. Meaning that singal + data will be vastly improved.
 
I am getting approx 1.25 Mbps down on O2 in West Yorkshire. Works well for me. I've been using the wireless hotspot functionality & websites open quickly on my laptop as well. Obviously HD video playback on my laptop has to buffer but 480p plays fine.
 
SMFire said:
I am getting approx 1.25 Mbps down on O2 in West Yorkshire. Works well for me. I've been using the wireless hotspot functionality & websites open quickly on my laptop as well. Obviously HD video playback on my laptop has to buffer but 480p plays fine.
Click to expand...

Please dont mix WiFi with 3G/HSDPA.

WiFi speeds are not relevant as it is completely different way of transferring data to your phone than 3G/HSDPA.

But thank you for the rest of your post :p
 
GiffGaff are a good option if you don't need a contract.

Run from the O2 network and is very very cheap. Also features unlimited data (not just the 500mb that most networks call unlimited).

They don't do contract or phones though :(

Please note:
I don't work for them, but have been a happy customer for over a year.
 
trick202 said:
GiffGaff are a good option if you don't need a contract.

Run from the O2 network and is very very cheap. Also features unlimited data (not just the 500mb that most networks call unlimited).

They don't do contract or phones though :(

Please note:
I don't work for them, but have been a happy customer for over a year.
Click to expand...

Thank you Trick202 for your reply.

I am not concerned about the contract price or the data package.

I am only interested in actual average speeds in various areas.

This information you wont find...virtually anywhere, hence this topic. About offers on contract of PAYG i can read on official websites.
 
i was on Orange and will never go back to them due to poor 3G signal. Masts were constantly "down for maintenance" sometimes it would be out for days and i couldn't even make a call or send a text.
 
My orange 3g signal is a bit pants at the best of times, and thats when standing 3 feet away from a signal mast :D but, as said previously, Orange's, T-mobile's AND Three's 3g network will all be linked together soon. Currently it's only Orange and T-mobile's 2g signal thats linked. But T-Mobile share there 3g signal with Three, so Orange will join this group eventually.

Link here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_(telecommunications) - The relevent bit is in the recent changes section of the page when you scroll down.

Ian
 
I don't know about the future but Orange 3G is Shine-a-light (repeat 5 times as fast as you can)

It was my first time on 3G network so I didn't know until I compared it with my friends vodafone network. Bloody awful. We had the same phones back then SGS's. Orange's "coverage" is very VERY good. However the "intensity and strength" of the signal itself is very weak. 3.5G/H is like just 3G for vodafone.

I hope what you guys say above is true though. Would love to have 3 network's 3G network coverage.
 
Just carried out a Speed Test on my S2 (on Three)

Result:

Download: 1829kbps
Upload: 1688kbps

I live in the sticks so signal isnt great, although I tried this by hanging out the window and the signal strength seemed ok :)
 
KING LUFF said:
i was on Orange and will never go back to them due to poor 3G signal. Masts were constantly "down for maintenance" sometimes it would be out for days and i couldn't even make a call or send a text.
Click to expand...

I think that current, lasting for some time problems with networks on Orange and T-Mobile are caused by work to merge both networks. So i think its temporary.

Also, from every i hear "Dont go with Three network, their support and QoS are awful, and data speeds are horrible due to their cheap contracts and (Real?) Unlimited data allowance."
Now i hear from you guys that its quite good.

All that stuff with networks and coverage is very confusing.

I am so surprised that none of the major geek websites or magazine or just simply some survey agent didnt already released large article describing average speeds of networks. More and more people use it and no one really know whats the best and what to avoid. :mad:
 
Oranges 3g network is abit hit and miss at the moment, I'm at work which has 'excellent' 3G, 3G+ and H coverage.

I'm connected on H atm and my speed is 760kbps and upload is 500kbps. It used to be a lot better but I think Orange is working on their network a lot (due to the merger with tmobile) And when that goes through, I'd expect the speeds to be nothing short of brilliant.
 
I am a UK o2 customer and I haven't had any problems generally with up/download speeds on 3G. I don't have any figures as yet, but will try Speedtest and let you know.

Currently, I am living between West London and Bournemouth and can say that both phone coverage and internet connectivity have been more than acceptable for me. Often when I'm at home, I turn off WiFi as the 3G is faster than my router!!
 
feta3000 said:
found a nice comparison regarding the 3G performance of the
UK based networks so I had to register and post :)

Huge variation in data speeds amongst UK carriers - Rethink Wireless
Click to expand...

Feta3000 this is great article! i was looking for something like that :D

Thank you for this post.

I am very surprised by the results presented in this article as wherever i read Orange was the best choice for the Data and 3Three network much the worst ever thing you could do in your life.

There is another aspect of 3g data: coverage.

I think it is better to have any speed than have none.

Speeds for Voda and 3 could be better for urbanized areas like cities, but what about if you will go a bit off-road?

I travel allot in the bus and i spend most of my free time walking in various places which are not cities...

I am interested which network done the best job to cover most of the areas outside cities :)
 
The best way to check signal strength and reliability is to order free SIMS from all the major networks and try them in the phone. There is no need to add money to the SIMS in order to do the check.
 
gaugerer said:
The best way to check signal strength and reliability is to order free SIMS from all the major networks and try them in the phone. There is no need to add money to the SIMS in order to do the check.
Click to expand...

I dont have a device - a smartphone with GPS that i could use for such checks yet, hence the topic :)

But i agree, if anyone could make such test that would be great :D
 
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