O2 new tariff to compete with 3 and t-mobile

[solo12002]

"Wasn't O2 the network that lauched the iPhone, credited for the explosion of interest in mobile applications and data?" I agree and disagree in parts. Yes o2 lauched the Iphone, but again dint loads of o2 users leave the network as soon as they could due to the crap network and sppeed?


As for credited for the explosion of interest in mobile applications cant answer that one but I think Three started the data ball rolling even in their walled garden at the start and data?

" Now in my area I have O2 900GSM, 900 3G and 2100 3G with solid voice and data coverage" All I can say on this is Im delighted for you, in Northern Ireland were I live thier checker also shows I get all of this but in realy life I go from 3G in some areas, then down to Edge and then to GPRS if fact this moring I was left with no coverage on 02 and had to use my three contact phone.


Hands on I tottaly agree that that "WIFI will not cut it more sore for o2 users who dont have free wifi and I agree with " My money is on the reasoning that they users are calls and text customers with little to no mobile data use on featurephones" A lot of young ppl on O2 use O2 only for the free o2 calls and texts which allows them to contact other o2 users free as long as they meet the top up required.

At the end of the day my view is that o2 should be ashamed of having a crap 3G coverage given they were one of the first mobile networks set up in the UK and they should be ashamed of calling 1 or 2 GB of data unlimted never mind unlimted calls and text which o2 state on their blog have a fair use limt. Lets not forget even on o2 pay as you go unlimted calls and texts O2 have pissed every one off by bringing in a fair use policy of 2999 calls and texts as hightlighted on their fourm.

[Ben]

All interesting stuff. In fact, I think, as I've had a clean break from O2 for ~2 years, I'll do a write-up of my experiences with the iPhone 4S some time next week. Will be a lot of SIM-swapping (irritating) until I decide whether to port or not, but it'd be nice to see if that 'million pounds a day' O2 have been investing since I left them has actually made a perceivable difference.

[solo12002]

Ben


Was their a reason why you ruled out three business, for your use?

[3GScottishUser]

Three for business?

Not a runner for most businesses because 3 don't have fallback to 2G in many areas which is still mission critical for most companies.

Data is possibly fine but 1st priority for business is likely to be voice communication, perhaps e-mail via blackberry for some but a 3G only network is not an option even with the claimed coverage now. 2100Mhz still has issues in towns and cities penetrating buildings so safer to have GSM coverage or even bettter have a network that can offer 900Mhz 2/3G, 180Mhz GSM and 2100Mhz 3G.

[Ben]

Was their a reason why you ruled out three business, for your use?

The only thing stopping me switching our mobile subscriptions to Three (we have already moved all our data ones) is that they won't give me a Home Signal box, so I can't use it at home.

[Hands0n]

Three for business?

Not a runner for most businesses because 3 don't have fallback to 2G in many areas which is still mission critical for most companies.

It really all depends on where you are, as with ALL mobile networks. If you were in London, the South East and Kent you'd have little trouble with Three's network for Voice, Text and mobile data. I'd say exactly the same for the M4 corridor (basis my own practical experience last year) and a lot of South Wales! And in that same area of coverage with Three you'd be pushing your luck to get a consistent coverage and quality with O2.

Data is possibly fine but 1st priority for business is likely to be voice communication, perhaps e-mail via blackberry for some but a 3G only network is not an option even with the claimed coverage now. 2100Mhz still has issues in towns and cities penetrating buildings so safer to have GSM coverage or even bettter have a network that can offer 900Mhz 2/3G, 180Mhz GSM and 2100Mhz 3G.

Actually, depending upon the business, you'll likely find that Data has at least an equal priority these days to voice, with text bringing up the rear.

Then again, the Three network of 2011/12 is vastly different to what it was in 2003. The MBNL venture has paid off and coverage and building penetration are of generally high quality and availability. Again, there are exceptions to this of course, but that is also true with all of the radio frequencies - far too much is being made of the lower frequencies like they're some kind of magic bullet. They are not.


But returning back to topic, we've drifted yet again, O2's On and On tariff does not take on T-Mobile's The Full Monty or Three's The One Plan in anything but voice minutes and texts.

[3GScottishUser]

I think for very sound reasons O2 and Vodafone have chosen not to get involved in the unlimited data proposition for now. They have probably done research to determine what sort of customers it attracts and how those might affect the overall quality of service they can provide to their user base which includes a substantial proportion of business clients.

I don't think there is any doubt that 900Mhz is vastly more robust than 2100Mhz otherwise what is all the fuss from 3 UK about having 850Mhz bandwidth guaranteed in the forthcoming spectrum auction?

In my area 3 is still less reliable for voice and text than networks with 2G fallback.

[Hands0n]

The "very sound reasons" for O2 and Vodafone not offering dictionary-definition unlimited is that their networks simply cannot support such a proposition. If they could, they would.

Their 900Mhz and 850Mhz may well be able to punch through 50' of solid steel but what is the point when the data has a challenge passing across routers, switches, firewalls, proxies, image compressors, high latency circuits and all manner of other legacy construction that was fine for GPRS/EDGE but shows its very evident weaknesses with the higher speed airtime delivery apparent in 3G/HSPA.

Goodness only knows what the network performance will be with LTE if they don't completely update their infrastructure. If they graft LTE on to their incumbent IP networks it will be disastrous for them. The customer experience will be dreadful.

900Mhz has attributes that appeal for signal propagation over and above the higher frequencies of 2100Mhz. But that does not make it more "robust". There are downsides to a lower frequency also, these relate to capacity of the radio wave itself. So there are plusses and minuses to both. Far too much is made of 2100Mhz weakness to penetrate buildings, both frequencies may be constrained with modern day thermal insulation materials for example. Without knowing the specifics of an individual situation it is dangerous to apply a one-size-fits-all analysis to why 2100Mhz may be inferior to 900Mhz.

Of course, I cannot speak for Three, but if it were me I would want an equal playing field and so redistribution of the lower frequencies makes entire sense. We are not only talking about private businesses but national infrastructure as essential these days as are water and energy distribution and availability.

[solo12002]

But returning back to topic, we've drifted yet again, O2's On and On tariff does not take on T-Mobile's The Full Monty or Three's The One Plan in anything but voice minutes and texts.[/QUOTE]

I agree with that.

[hecatae]

now available on o2 business too, http://blog.o2.co.uk/home/2012/04/o2...-business.html