Three Signal Any Good?

Smoggy · January 25, 2020

How does three do as a broads phone signal? Mostly southern broads.

Giffgaff are about to hike their payg tariffs so I have just got a 3 sim (I have a dual sim phone so will finish the credit first) which offers 3p/min 2p/text 1p/Mb with no regular top up's required so seems too good to me.

I guess payg is not worth giffgaff's efforts so they seem to be pricing us tightwads out.

Mouldy · January 25, 2020

Try Smarty. They use the 3 network, but very cheap for data and a monthly contract. Not used them myself, as currently on EE, but for a sim only deal, they look competitive.

Islander · January 25, 2020

We have used 3 for many years with midi gizmo. Very variable. Today we are on the Whitlingham moorings. Upload 8Mb download 9 Mb! A few days ago at Somerlayton we had 34Mb up and 9Mb down. Tried to watch ourselves going through Brundall but lost the signal just past tingdene until we got to bells yard.

I think for on the rivers it varies whoever you use. We have a payg tesco sim in the car and that's still in credit after 5 years :default_biggrin: and I only put £20 on it.

Colin :default_beerchug:

Smoggy · January 25, 2020

I have no desire to have a monthly contract as I use my phone very little, it's data I use most but wifi where I can so I stick to airtime credit.

I curently still have £35 credit with giffgaff due to their "share the love" deal when they had a promotion last may (on top of the usual £5 kick back both me and "friend" got £10 credit free), I introduced 3 friends and got £45 in kick backs to my account, all 3 friends were me on different email addresses so I got to use that credit too, it cost me £26 total to activate/top-up the sims and I got £30 worth of airtime plus a months goodybag with 500mb of data (on top of the £45 credit to my regular number) just as we were going off on the boat for 2 weeks, the spare sims went in to a tablet and a gps tracker.

Ain't I a stinker..... (said in bugs bunny voice)

VetChugger · January 25, 2020

I have the very same problem Dave, firstly with Tmobile who were taken over by EE who then ended the PAYG deal where £10 a month got you unlimited free texts and the credit didn't expire. I rarely use it for voice calls so had nearly £100 credit when EE scrapped the PAYG. They talked me into a £10 a month contract with free texts which I fell for, and, lo and behold, they have gobbled up my £100! I too am having problems finding a PAYG sim that suits my use.

PS. I am a neanderthal in that I have a very basic bog standard phone. Not one of those infernal strokey devices that appears to hypnotises folk for hours on end!

Smoggy · January 25, 2020

If you use £30 in a year 1pmobile looks to be a good bargain on the EE network but I generaly don't spend that much if I can help it, they want a £10 top up every 4 months.

ZimbiIV · January 25, 2020

You could try penny mobile, 1p/minute calls, 1p/text 1p/1meg.

£10 per 6 month.

.

paul

beaten to it, but my top up is 6 monthly but had it a while.

It's on a phone we leave on the boat.

SteveO · January 26, 2020

I buy Three prepaid data SIMS for around £12 (Amazon or EBay). Each one gives you 3GB of data - more than I would ever use up - and last 3 months. I don't usually bother with one for the "Winter quarter" as we don't use the boat much in Winter. We operate mainly on the Northern broads and the Three signal is pretty good in most places. The coverage maps on Three's website seem to be fairly honest as regards the areas covered, so I suggest you take a look.

SwanR · January 26, 2020

Haven't been on the southern Broads for a few years, but certainly on the northern Broads I get good coverage with O2.

imtamping2 · January 27, 2020

Im on the Southern Broads ......3 is the best for me ......ere is a good deal for you......12gb that lasts for 12 months ....Bargain..

https://www.mymemory.co.uk/3-payg-4g-trio-data-sim-pack-with-12gb-data.html

Paul · January 28, 2020

15 hours ago, imtamping2 said:

Im on the Southern Broads ......3 is the best for me

Is that down to coverage or tariff? There are parts of the south where three is really poor, between St Olaves and Oulton is patchy at best, as is the Chet until you get to Loddon. Coverage along the Waveney is poor in places too, even with the external antenna on our Mifi. Elaine is on Giff Gaff and by comparison can get a good 4g everywhere.

Check the networks coverage guides and you'll see what I mean

http://www.three.co.uk/Discover/Network/Coverage

https://www.o2.co.uk/coveragechecker