Meteor or Three for the Galaxy S II

Morbert

I'm wondering which network would be best.

With Meteor I can get a 30e/18 month contract with 1G data if I pay 250 for the phone. With three I can get the phone for free, with unlimited data if I sign up for a 40e/24 month contract.

Three seems like the better deal, as I would mainly be using it for data. But I am wondering what the catch is/ the quality of the Three network.

Thanks

73trix

Me too, me too! Coverage HAS to be the snag, right??

Pseudorandom

Just ordered it from 3 online due to the exact reason you mentioned. Been meteor for years but couldn't put up with paying 250e for a phone that all other networks are charging 200e for and that 3 is giving away for free! The guy in the meteor shop gave me a big long spiel as well about how the phone is really expensive so it's a massive discount having it at 250e - EVERY other network has it cheaper!

I was due an upgrade after my previous 12 month meteor contract too but I didn't get any better deal than someone walking in off the street would. Had been meteor for about 7 years now but that annoyed me enough to leave.

Loggie

Morbert wrote: »

I'm wondering which network would be best.

With Meteor I can get a 30e/18 month contract with 1G data if I pay 250 for the phone. With three I can get the phone for free, with unlimited data if I sign up for a 40e/24 month contract.

Three seems like the better deal, as I would mainly be using it for data. But I am wondering what the catch is/ the quality of the Three network.

Thanks

I've been looking at these myself.
Meteor is 30e/12 month contract if bought online + free meteor to meteor calls and txt. Out of bundle costs Cost per min: 25c, Cost per text: 10c. Total paid over 24 months €970 or only 12 months €610. If you use fatcheese.ie €40 rebate if porting the €570. (Someone else posted about fatcheese.ie on another thread. I've never heard or used it)

3 is a 24 month contract though but unlimited data is good.
Out of bundle costs Cost per min: 34c, Cost per text: 17c, Cost per 500Kb data: 34c, Voicemail (per min): 15c Total paid €960

3 only have 3g network but what happens when out of 3g. Can you access data services? Meteor have 3g and edge so I assume you would have access alot of the time. Open to correction here.

Its probably down to which network for me...

Pseudorandom

Loggie wrote: »

3 only have 3g network but what happens when out of 3g. Can you access data services? Meteor have 3g and edge so I assume you would have access alot of the time. Open to correction here.

Its probably down to which network for me...

As far as I know, 3 have an agreement with vodafone to use their 2g when no 3g signal is available

Loggie

Pseudorandom wrote: »

As far as I know, 3 have an agreement with vodafone to use their 2g when no 3g signal is available

That is correct but don't think its much use for data. I was with 3 and couldn't use data if no 3g. Not sure if it was down to settings. Maybe someone here can tell me if it was due to incorrect settings.

Whats the difference between edge and 2g? Is edge 2.5g?

Kensington

Loggie wrote: »

Whats the difference between edge and 2g? Is edge 2.5g?

Basically. EDGE is the ISDN version of dial-up. Slightly faster than GPRS but still by no means a pleasant browsing experience!

2G data only works officially when you have a Three Flex Max plan. Flex, FlexiFix and 3Pay only gives you access to data while on the Three 3G network - on 2G, it's calls and texts only.

Loggie

Kensington wrote: »

Basically. EDGE is the ISDN version of dial-up. Slightly faster than GPRS but still by no means a pleasant browsing experience!

2G data only works officially when you have a Three Flex Max plan. Flex, FlexiFix and 3Pay only gives you access to data while on the Three 3G network - on 2G, it's calls and texts only.

Thanks for that.

Now to decide which provider. 3's 24 month contract is way too longer even though unlimited data. Meteor's 12 month seems good enough for me even though much less data.

73trix

But what is 3 like for network coverage for calls and texts OUTSIDE Dublin? I don't see any mention of that. Thanks

73trix

Loggie wrote: »

Thanks for that.

Now to decide which provider. 3's 24 month contract is way too longer even though unlimited data. Meteor's 12 month seems good enough for me even though much less data.

reckon the 24month contract is enough at this stage to put me off. Now, who's best value between the other big 3?!! Thinking of meteor's 12month contract for a samsung s2 for E99 via Fatcheese. Looks decent offer at 30/month and E40 cash back.

Nibs05

Don't forget with 3 you can use your flexiunits roaming, same cost as at home. But you must sign up to three like home roaming and use the three network in the country your in.

mangledbadgers

Anyone notice this saving for the Galaxy S II (If your are Meteor PAYG) in Meteor's Smart 30/35 or Connect 20/25 Bill pay plan...

Move your number to Meteor = €139.99 (for the phone)
Get a New Number = €169.99
Move from Meteor PAYG to BP = €169.99

I haven't done this yet but in theory if you select 'Move your Number to Meteor' even if your a Meteor PAYG, they will send you out a new sim card, and you can just ring up customer service and change your new sim number back to your PAYG number.

Saving of 30e anyway.. anyone done this?

chrislad

johanneskraw wrote: »

Anyone notice this saving for the Galaxy S II (If your are Meteor PAYG) in Meteor's Smart 30/35 or Connect 20/25 Bill pay plan...

Move your number to Meteor = €139.99 (for the phone)
Get a New Number = €169.99
Move from Meteor PAYG to BP = €169.99

I haven't done this yet but in theory if you select 'Move your Number to Meteor' even if your a Meteor PAYG, they will send you out a new sim card, and you can just ring up customer service and change your new sim number back to your PAYG number.

Saving of 30e anyway.. anyone done this?

Nope, won't work, I'm afraid. Port in (from another network) is done at time of application. You can always switch to someone else and switch back, but seems a lot of hassle for 30e.

mangledbadgers

Quote:
Originally Posted by johanneskraw View Post
Anyone notice this saving for the Galaxy S II (If your are Meteor PAYG) in Meteor's Smart 30/35 or Connect 20/25 Bill pay plan...

Move your number to Meteor = €139.99 (for the phone)
Get a New Number = €169.99
Move from Meteor PAYG to BP = €169.99

I haven't done this yet but in theory if you select 'Move your Number to Meteor' even if your a Meteor PAYG, they will send you out a new sim card, and you can just ring up customer service and change your new sim number back to your PAYG number.

Saving of 30e anyway.. anyone done this?
Nope, won't work, I'm afraid. Port in (from another network) is done at time of application. You can always switch to someone else and switch back, but seems a lot of hassle for 30e.

Hmmm so using a free new number sim at time of aplication, and then changing that number back to your original PAYG number wont work? I was hoping the Fatcheese -40e voucher might work too!

jay93

73trix wrote: »

But what is 3 like for network coverage for calls and texts OUTSIDE Dublin? I don't see any mention of that. Thanks

The coverage outside Dublin should be fine if you go out of 3G coverage you will be switched over to vodafone's 2G network which does have very wide coverage.

evolutionqy7

jay93 wrote: »

73trix wrote: »

But what is 3 like for network coverage for calls and texts OUTSIDE Dublin? I don't see any mention of that. Thanks

The coverage outside Dublin should be fine if you go out of 3G coverage you will be switched over to vodafone's 2G network which does have very wide coverage.

Id you stay on it for too long your gonna get kicked of it. Cause theee is paying Vodafone for the roaming on their network if one user stays on it too long they somehow throw ya off it for a while.

Hence where people complain they have dropped calls and no availability.

Meteor might have more expensive handsets but their plans are cheap and out of bundle rates are cheaper. Since your in a long contract with a network I think that little bit makes a diff over 12/18/24 months.

And hey they offer a 12 month contact for a smartphone.

I don't mind 12 months myself. But feel that 18 months or 2 years are way too much.

If U go cpw you can trade in your old phone and get money of the phone

Kensington

evolutionqy7 wrote: »

Id you stay on it for too long your gonna get kicked of it. Cause theee is paying Vodafone for the roaming on their network if one user stays on it too long they somehow throw ya off it for a while.

Hence where people complain they have dropped calls and no availability.

The only reason you would be kicked off is if you had a 2G handset and were hence permanently roaming on Vodafone - it is part of the terms that you only use your Three SIM in a 3G capable phone.

Walkman

evolutionqy7 wrote: »

Id you stay on it for too long your gonna get kicked of it. Cause theee is paying Vodafone for the roaming on their network if one user stays on it too long they somehow throw ya off it for a while.

Hence where people complain they have dropped calls and no availability.

rubbish they do NOT throw you off for using Voda network too much. You can use Vodafones network 100% of the time if there is no 3G available. They do however not like you using Vodafones network when their own network is available

drunkmonkey

evolutionqy7 wrote: »

Id you stay on it for too long your gonna get kicked of it. Cause theee is paying Vodafone for the roaming on their network if one user stays on it too long they somehow throw ya off it for a while.

Hence where people complain they have dropped calls and no availability.

That's absolute garbage.

evolutionqy7

Well thats what the Three rep told me.

If you dont have 3G coverage at the house and your gonna be roaming on Vodafones network all the time they have a time out for how long you can stay on it for. Because every user who roams on vodafone is costing three extra money.

Wont be a problem if you have decent 3G at home. But im just saying

drunkmonkey

They really are clueless in carphone reps and all, like the time they guy in carphone told me the Tom Tom kit wouldn't work on my iPhone because I'm with 3 and I'd be better off moving to meteor before buying it as 3 have hardly any 3G signal. I've a feeling now who I was talking to that day, not looking at anyone in particular.

evolutionqy7

Im not talking about sales rep. Im talking about a Three Training Rep that trains sales consultants

TBH alot of spots ive been testing 3G between Meteor (on phone) and 3 (on MiFi) they either come around par on availability down the midlands.

Sometimes Meteor has 3G where Three doesnt and vica versa.

The main difference i found was that when meteor loses it i could still browse on edge.

When you lose it on three, you lose data coverage. Unless its a different story on a 3G phone? But since their using 2G i dont think it would be any good?

Either way the reason why id go for meteor cause U have the 12 month option. Fair enough U fork out 150+ on sgs2 but you would be eligable to an upgrade quicker.

In 24 months with three there will be another two ground breaking device releases atleast

drunkmonkey

When you lose 3G data on 3 you have either Vodafone Edge or GPRS data depending on location. You have access to them the whole time even in 3G areas. I don't know where your testing but it has no grounding in reality, Meteor have by far the least 3G coverage in Ireland, If they had even half even a 1/4 of the 3G sites 3 has i'd be surprised.
I can't believe your actually selling 3, you haven't a clue. Not your fault as you happen to have bad coaches but still.

evolutionqy7

drunkmonkey wrote: »

When you lose 3G data on 3 you have either Vodafone Edge or GPRS data depending on location. You have access to them the whole time even in 3G areas. I don't know where your testing but it has no grounding in reality, Meteor have by far the least 3G coverage in Ireland, If they had even half even a 1/4 of the 3G sites 3 has i'd be surprised.
I can't believe your actually selling 3, you haven't a clue. Not your fault as you happen to have bad coaches but still.

Well around my location their equal. Meteor internet actually faster.

Obviously different locations different coverage.

I do know meteor has lower 3G coverage. But it also has lower bandwitch due to either lower resources or more users.

mangledbadgers

Mentioned to staff in a Meteor shop on Sat that it would be cheaper to move from Meteor PAYG number to a different network and then sign up to Meteor Bill pay with old number (Samsung Galaxy S2 €139.99) than moving from Meteor PAYG to Bill Pay (€169.99)

Meteor person agreed and offered phone for €139.99 PAYG to Bill Pay and threw in €30 worth of Meteor accessories on discounted Bill Pay Smart 30e for 18 months, 25e (12mths) 30e (6mths). Got bluetooth set & some screen covers!

Nice phone! :cool:

evolutionqy7

johanneskraw wrote: »

Mentioned to staff in a Meteor shop on Sat that it would be cheaper to move from Meteor PAYG number to a different network and then sign up to Meteor Bill pay with old number (Samsung Galaxy S2 €139.99) than moving from Meteor PAYG to Bill Pay (€169.99)

Meteor person agreed and offered phone for €139.99 PAYG to Bill Pay and threw in €30 worth of Meteor accessories on discounted Bill Pay Smart 30e for 18 months, 25e (12mths) 30e (6mths). Got bluetooth set & some screen covers!

Nice phone! :cool:

Good stuff enjoy