What does O2 mean to you?

[Ben]

Bit of a brand dilemma here, but I'm also interested in hearing views on the O2 network.

The O2 brand

What's it synonymous with? Quality? Offers? Music? I honestly don't know. To me it still means EDGE, quirky services and gadgets, and free SIMs!

The O2 network

"Safe" was my thoughts until recently... pretty widespread 2G, not much 3G to speak of, some O2-specific flaws and bugs (like the ABSENT_SUBSCRIBER thing I've raised here before). Not-spots existed without much interest to filling them in, or generally rolling out a footprint much larger than BT gifted them. What I do remember is that data on the iPhone, even if it was slow, always worked pretty reliably. Stark contrast to Vodafone, then.

Now they've gone 3G900 and I'm seeing 3G all over the place, even on 2100MHz, suggesting Telefonica haven't just been sitting on their arse after all. So what's the story? Any praise on or qualms with the O2 network for you?

[Wilt]

O2 always reminds me of late high school/sixth form when they were the 'go-to' network for free texts on payg. However since then they have ended up a bit expensive.

The way they throw their sponsorship deals around it's hard not to link their name to most things - the only area they seem to be beat is movies.

As for the network, I have always held them with the same regard as vodafone for extensive 2g coverage, these two really can't be beat. Interestingly, both of these networks have similarly bad 3g networks.

I've recently rejoined o2 so we'll see how I get on with 3G900 in Hull.

[blush]

I have been with o2 years for at least ten years with a brief switch to Virgin Mobile in the middle.

The o2 brand

I still think of o2 being BTCellent and this means quality to me. I don't care for all the priority moments and other add on nonsense.

The o2 network

The ability to make calls and be contactable is my main reason for being with o2, the 2g network is very good.

My work phone is also on o2 and previously with Vodafone, where I work in Kent, East Sussex and Central London o2 has better 2g coverage than Vodafone.

I have a PAYG on Three and guess I should move my personal number onto Three but the lack of indoor coverage with 3g2100 bothers me. When in basements of various central London buildings I generally get an 02 signal and more often than not I get nothing with Three.

I can see LTE at 800Mhz being a great thing and also 3g900 but for me 2g2100 is only good for outdoor signal.

Compared to the other networks the tariffs offered now do seem to lack any large data packages and what they offer is expensive, I am on a really old tariff which is good value but I might think twice if starting out on o2 now. I think o2 offer corporations and business unlimited data, I work for Network Rail and we have 3g cards with unlimited and unmonitored usage.

[@NickyColman]

O2 - The Brand

O2 dominated much of my teenage years all the way up to my early 20's. Brief flirtations with the other networks until settling with Three. O2, the brand, seemed fresh & engaging at the time. They were always first out of the gate with new services, products and offerings. The Genie SIM, which then became 'O2 Online' was genie-us (see what i did there?). £10 top up on Pay & Go and they GAVE you free texts and a little bit of web time. The first few WAP enabled phones. Online account management. 'O2 Active' their first branded web/WAP portal.

No other network did this at the time.

O2 also had a distinct advertising message - straight talking, no nonsense. Shaun Bean voiced most of the adverts in a blunt style. No faff. You knew what you were getting with those ads. That sort of attitude really won them favour in my mind. Something I think Three are going after these days.

The Network

O2 have always been a superb network in the North East. Full 3G coverage, fast data speeds, virtually no 'downtime'. So why aren't I with them now? Well, there is a huge black-spot hanging over where I work meaning I can only get 2G for voice & texts in a certain place for around a minute before the signal is lost again. Tragic.

If it wasn't for this HUGE hole, I'd still be with them. My place of work houses around 3,000 people and is in a city. Its not like I work in a field in the Shetlands. Its been like this for at least 5 years. Complaints do nothing.

So for this reason, O2, I won't be investing in you.

[Hands0n]

My own view of O2 may be somewhat different, directly through my own personal experience of them over the years in North Kent and East London. Also South Whales and the journey up (?) the M4 to get there.

O2 The Brand
The first image that comes into my mind is that ridiculous white tent on the North Greenwich Peninsular that all of us taxpayers laid out for and got stuff all back in return. A modern day Folly if ever there was one to sate the vanity of two opposing governments. If anyone actually visited the thing before O2 took it over they'd likely know what I mean. Now, O2's brand means nothing more to me than festivals and concerts primarily with a mobile network somewhere in the background of all of the razzamatazz and fanfare blowing.

The only other thing that O2's brand means to me is that it was singly instrumental in forcing me across to the SIM-free method of acquiring mobile phones. Up until then I had always regarded that as an expensive way of doing things. That is, until I experienced their network with a smartphone, as opposed to a feature phone, first hand.

How do I identify with O2 the brand? Typically, I either look the other way or cross the road to avoid any of their high street (or Bluewater) stores. Second only to Orange, I dislike the brand and pretty much all that it stands for. For O2 to win me back as a paying customer would be a significant event for me.

O2 The Network
The network? It sucks.

Back in 2003/4 when Three did their utmost to alienate me from them I switched across to O2, acquiring a 3G compatible Sony Ericsson feature phone. Mostly it was stuck on 2G as I moved around North Kent and London City and East. Occasionally I would pick up a 3G signal where its performance for WAP was significantly faster. But at home, the only way I could get a 3G signal was to have the phone pressed up against the glass of the living room bay windows. O2 insisted that there was 100% 3G coverage where I was and that the problem was with my Sony Ericsson phone. I sort of bought that line for ages, until the contract finished.

I had enough of O2 and jumped ship to Vodafone where I didn't look back. Well, that is, except to assess the Sony Ericsson feature phone with the Vodafone SIM. It locked up on to the Vodafone 3G signal and didn't let go. There was nowhere in and around my house where I couldn't receive Vodafone 3G. But borrowing a friend's O2 SIM it was al back to the normal experience, a few bars of 2G and no sign of 3G save for that particular spot on my bay windows glass. Impressive.

Next Up
My next experience of O2 was with the Apple iPhone (2G only) simply because O2 had the exclusive deal with Apple. Spotty. That is probably the best word to use to describe O2's network availability.

When Apple released the iPhone 3G and O2 offered in-term upgrades I jumped at the chance. Now, finally, I'd be able to access 3G with a true smartphone and enjoy it. Only I couldn't, and I didn't. Spotty 2G conspired with randomly available 3G to ruin that experience also. I would be sitting at the window of one of our favourite eateries in Brick Lane (E1) and see the 3G signal fade in and out. Even outside it was much the same. And even with a 3G signal available the actual data throughput was dire. Network timeouts, DNS lookup failures, slow download of web pages (never mind apps and other data) made using the iPhone 3G horrid.

As soon as the contract came up for renewal I ported my number to Vodafone and used a Rebel SIMcard to allow the use of the Vodafone SIM in the locked-to-O2 iPhone 3G. Freedom! At last I was getting true 3G performance out of the iPhone 3G (where Vodafone's 3G signal was apparent). At home it was the same as the earlier Sony Ericsson experience with Vodafone, performance to rock your shoes off.

I have stayed away from O2 as much as I possibly can and have migrated all of my family and any friends that will listen away to other networks. None of them has regretted the decision and are far happier with their new networks. They had all been told [by O2] that any problems with signal, speed etc. was a issue with their phones.

But I am back on O2 and regretting it entirely. Last summer my firm switched their corporate contract away from Vodafone and on to O2. I voiced my concerns to the lead manager responsible but the ink was dry on the contract by then. Predictably, complaints are widespread from the staff about signal availability and audio quality, and this is on 2G primarily because we're in the main using Nokia 6303c (but also BlackBerry and iPhone 4/4S). There are times I have to give up with the mobile and call the person back using a landline if I am near to one (or use my own personal Three or Vodafone handset instead).

So there you have it. O2, the network, behaves very much like O2 the notwork. Generally, the experience is horrible.

As with all networks, I can only recommend that those considering a network operator try them out with a PAYG to make sure the performance is acceptable in the primary areas where they live, work and play. Regardless of network technology and radio frequencies it is the actual practical experience that counts. And in that respect, I cannot recommend O2 to anyone in my circle of family, friends and associates who live and function within the similar footprint that I do.

[Sajjad Rahman]

I have never been with O2, but from the comments above, i guess i have taken the right decision.

[Hands0n]

@Sajjad Rahman - it really all depends on what O2's signal and network is like where you live, work, play and are likely to travel to. O2 obviously works for some. So my advice always is, if you are considering a different network always try them out with a PAYG before committing to a contract of any length greater than 30 days.

[Ben]

Very interesting read, thanks Hands0n. I knew someone would be able to throw a reasonably sized spanner in the works for me

Your experience of O2 isn't a million miles away from mine when I left them. But since being hooked back up at the end of last week I've been blown away by the coverage compared to Vodafone. No doubt it'll take some 'real' usage once I port to see some of the flaws, but so far, so impressed.

Mobile networks really are so geographically specific. It's hard to get a decent picture of overall quality.

[solo12002]

The O2 brand

Well its a fresh brand but sorry to say one that O2 reminds me of a network for Teenagers based on the fact that a lot of teenagers love it due to unlimted (Limted to 2999 mins and texts) to o2 mobiles

O2 The Network

IF you want to stick with a 2G network then this ones for you, over all their network is disapointing in Northern Ireland, some 3G, in most cases GPRS and the odd time EDGE, its a network that brings in the stupied things make a balls out of them and leaves users with no or little support. examples are how many O2 branded handsets were there? what about 02 Joggler, O2 money and J Phone to name a few, at times I think 02 have lost sense of direction as to were their network and brand wants to go

[jaidonmitchell]

O2 is a network connection provider company which offering best signal or strength for them users even I am also one of the user of this company. You can feel that it's going easy communication with phone with this company services so i like to use this O2 and it means lot to me.