Phone signal

[chillyuk]

In a few weeks I am going to be camping in JOG. Can anyone who has been there recently tell me what the signal for mobile phones is like. I am on 3 network, but if someone knows of a good network I have a spare unlocked phone and can buy a PAYG SIM. It's a waste of time looking at the coverage maps, they don't speak the truth.

 

[Gingerbloke]

I had good signal with Orange there in May.

 

[sabian92]

3 is probably the worst of the phone companies - I'd seriously consider Orange or Vodaphone instead on a PAYG deal. I'm on Vodaphone contract and I get pretty decent signal. I used to be on Orange and they were pretty decent too - I'd ditch 3 for your trip, even though I've never done it, 3 is utter crap.

 

[Rebel Ian]

Vodafone signal was absolutely fine.

 

[chillyuk]

3 is probably the worst of the phone companies - I'd seriously consider Orange or Vodaphone instead on a PAYG deal. I'm on Vodaphone contract and I get pretty decent signal. I used to be on Orange and they were pretty decent too - I'd ditch 3 for your trip, even though I've never done it, 3 is utter crap.

I have been on 3 PAYG for several years with very little problem anywhere in the country. My wife is on 3 contract so I get free 3 to 3, loads of free texts and internet access when I top up every couple of months with a tenner. For my general use Orange and Vodaphone would cost a hell of a lot more. However for this trip I have put an ASDA SIM into my old spare phone, and ASDA use Vodafone so between 3 and ASDA I would hope to be reasonably covered. If not there is a perfectly good pub with a payphone!

 

[Jaristokraatti]

I have been on 3 PAYG for several years with very little problem anywhere in the country. My wife is on 3 contract so I get free 3 to 3, loads of free texts and internet access when I top up every couple of months with a tenner. For my general use Orange and Vodaphone would cost a hell of a lot more. However for this trip I have put an ASDA SIM in the phone, and ASDA use Vodafone so between 3 and ASDA I would hope to be reasonably covered. If not there is a perfectly good pub with a payphone!

Utility Warehouse has the cheapest mobile tariff in the UK and uses both T-Mobile and Vodafone networks, so they have the best coverage and cheapest tariffs.
Check www.jarilyden.com

 

[rualexander]

3 is probably the worst of the phone companies - I'd seriously consider Orange or Vodaphone instead on a PAYG deal. I'm on Vodaphone contract and I get pretty decent signal. I used to be on Orange and they were pretty decent too - I'd ditch 3 for your trip, even though I've never done it, 3 is utter crap.

3 is as good as any of the others, I've been on 3 for a couple of years and never had any problems, good signal coverage, including JOG last september at the end of our lejog. As far as i remember, I had decent coverage every day of the lejog route.

 

[andygates]

O2 / giffgaff was okay in May. Mooch around the site if you're having trouble.

 

[vernon]

O2 has always worked for me up there.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

Would suggest picking up a cheep PAYG phone on another network in case. Asda usually do a bogo one for a £10er

 

[calibanzwei]

As Three are a 3G only network, you'll find you'll have a lack of coverage in most places outside of major population centres...
...get both a Vodafone and O2 PAYG SIM, both networks offer them for free, and you'll be covered everywhere.

 

[rualexander]

As Three are a 3G only network, you'll find you'll have a lack of coverage in most places outside of major population centres...
...get both a Vodafone and O2 PAYG SIM, both networks offer them for free, and you'll be covered everywhere.

Rubbish, have a look at a coverage map, 3 compare well with any of the others, and I had coverage on 3 every day between land's end and john o'groats, plenty of that was outside major population centres!

 

[calibanzwei]

Rubbish, have a look at a coverage map, 3 compare well with any of the others, and I had coverage on 3 every day between land's end and john o'groats, plenty of that was outside major population centres!

Three SIM's only work in 3G handsets, hence they are 3G network only.

Three coverage map
Vodafone coverage map
O2 coverage map

Do I have to point out the huge swathes of Scotland, the Lakes, Derbyshire et al that suffer due to the lack of GSM cell sites? Never had a problem with Vodafone in any of these areas
You don't happen to work for Three do you? I've heard there customer services are pretty shocking too

EDIT: Warrington being the mobile capital of Great Britain, guess what industry I work in? (to my shame!)

 

[chillyuk]

It's not worth arguing about guys.

Rualalexander speaks from personal experience of JOG which answers my original question. My experience of all the networks is that coverage maps are at best only an indicator and at worse total bullshit.

I will be taking a 3 phone and another phone with an ASDA sim (Vodafone) in it.

As for 3 customer services I have always found them to be very good. They do what they say, they call back when they say they will. If you want bad service try Virgin! Perhaps calibanzwei has had different experiences. We can only reliably speak as we experience things.

My thanks to everyone who made positive suggestions in response to my OP.

 

[kyussmondo]

On O2 I was fine in JOG. In fact O2 was fine all over the UK. People have said reception in Scotland is bad, but I didn't find that at all.