Do Virgin Mobile use the TMobile Network?

[Russ]

Originally Posted by Defiant

I thought 3 used O2's network

No, only when you go out of a 3 area. It then picks up an o2 signal and uses that until it finds it's own network again.

[Tezcatlipoca]

Originally Posted by Russ D

What kind of hassle?

I wanted to downgrade my tariff recently, something that should have only taken 1 phone call.

Phoned up O2 CS, gave my details, said what I wanted etc.

Bloke said he'd get it done, no problem.

Few days later, my GPRS access vanished.

Phoned up again...

"Oh, sorry sir, it must have happened 'cos of the tariff change. I'll get it put back on for you. It will take up to 24 hours."

GPRS didn't come back, after waiting over 36 hours.

Phoned up again...

"Oh, sorry about that. I'll get it put back on. Oh..you also want to check that the tariff change has gone through? Eh? What tariff change? You're still on tariff no.X. Terribly sorry. I'll get that done for you too."

GPRS access finally returned the following day.

And, just in case, I phoned O2 a 4th time, to check the tariff had actually been changed this time. Luckily, they had managed to get it right after the 3rd time I called them.

OK, maybe not "*lots*" of hassle as I said before, but still hassle, nonetheless.

Although, I did actually find O2 Online CS even more useless than standardO2 CS, back when I had an online contract last year.

[keithwalton]

i've found o2's network to be pretty good imo, i've found that if anyone is gonna have a signal out in the middle of nowhere / usual poor reception places it'll be an o2 phone. 2nd best is orange with the rest being laughable.
Only problem i've had with them was in halls last year there were only a few parts of the flat / room that had a useable signal and that was near windows and such. go outside and it would be fine. I guess it was the structure of the building wasnt kind to mircrowaves as nobody else could consistantly get a signal inside either.

I've recently got a nokia 7210 as my old mitsu trium was getting abit long in the tooth (did have a 8210 but that err died)
It's currently sitting here with a full 7/7 signal stregnth which is rather good considering they dont have any transmiters near me and i know orange and t-mobile do have some at uni campus and uni halls to boost there signals.

Anyway im drifting way off topic ;-)
I dont see why there is so many networks in this country, it would be so much simpler if everyone used the same and pooled into the resources, alot like the way gas / electric works i guess would be good.

K

[dilli-theclaw]

Originally Posted by Russ D

No, only when you go out of a 3 area. It then picks up an o2 signal and uses that until it finds it's own network again.

If it EVER finds a 3 signal

My 3 phone has never yet had a 3 signal where I live..... Still I only got it for the free mins so I'm not fussed.

[Xaccers]

I got a 6650 on voda, I can switch between GSM and 3G as I please

[John Smiths]

Is the CS even worse for online o2, than standard o2? Basically i'm currently on a high-street tariff, but when my contract runs out in the summer i may get an online tariff as the inclusive mins and txt are sooo much better...

[Tezcatlipoca]

Originally Posted by John Smiths

Is the CS even worse for online o2, than standard o2? Basically i'm currently on a high-street tariff, but when my contract runs out in the summer i may get an online tariff as the inclusive mins and txt are sooo much better...

Yep. (IMO )

I found the website help & the email CS is pretty useless. You'll email about something, & then when you finally get a reply a week later, it's just some crap automated thing that answers completely the wrong question.

The O2 online phone CS is a bit better, although you have to ring a premium rate number to get it.

Oh, & when I cancelled my O2 online contract last year, they kept screwing things up & "forgetting" to cancel it. Eventually got it sorted, after a couple of months.

[JMcB]

I've been with Orange pay as you go for years, with no problems. I was happy to see that Orange and T-Mobile merged giving me better network coverage.

To cut a log story short, My phone got broke (Turned into a BRICK)

I was looking around for a new phone, thinking I phone or blackberry and i seen the Blackberry Curve 8520 on the Virgin Mobile website for £10 p/m

SO i got it....and this is my question:

Do Virgin mobile run over the T-Mobile network and if so will this be helped by the merger of T-Mobile and Orange....Because my reception is Crap

[dilli-theclaw]

Virgin use T-Mobile yup.

But *and I'm sure I'll be corrected if I'm wrong* I don't think they (virgin mobile) can use the orange part of the network yet.

[JMcB]

Originally Posted by dilligaf1701

Virgin use T-Mobile yup.

But *and I'm sure I'll be corrected if I'm wrong* I don't think they (virgin mobile) can use the orange part of the network yet.

Lets hope it comes soon then as i have Dam all access in work and now i'll have to do some work

[joglynne]

Virgin Mobile UK

Virgin Mobile UK operates on theEverything Everywhere network under a MVNO agreement, which was most recently renegotiated in December 2010

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everything_Everywhere

Everything Everywhere = is a 50-50 joint venture between Deutsche Telekom and France Télécom and was formed in 2010 through the merger of their respective T-Mobile (UK) and Orange U.K. businesses.

[dilli-theclaw]

Originally Posted by joglynne

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everything_Everywhere

Everything Everywhere = is a 50-50 joint venture between Deutsche Telekom and France Télécom and was formed in 2010 through the merger of their respective T-Mobile (UK) and Orange U.K. businesses.

Have they actually done it yet?

The virgin site states "summer" for it to all go through.

"
We’re part of the most powerful mobile network in the UK.

We know how annoying it is when you’re cut off in the middle of a call. Luckily, our mobile customers enjoy coverage here, there and just about anywhere.
We’ve always used the T-Mobile network, which covers over 99% of the UK population to provide our service. But from this summer, we’ll use the Everything Everywhere network (the company formed by Orange and T-Mobile). So in some areas where the coverage would otherwise dip, you’ll automatically be able to use either the T-Mobile or the Orange network at the same great Virgin Mobile rates. You're covered.
"


http://www.virginmediapeople.com/pri...e/default.aspx

[joglynne]

I'm not sure, Wiki isn't always the most accurate source of information but it was the only place I could find that even touched on a connection date. I know it was pretty soon after the merger that we got the option to use both networks (I'm on T-Mobile) so hoped that Virgin had use of the combined network as promptly as we did.