Three most complained about operator according to ofcom survey

pctech · Apr 21, 2011, 17:57:32

http://www.mobilenewscwp.co.uk/2011/04/most-complained-about-operators-revealed-by-ofcom/

Glenn · Apr 24, 2011, 12:16:32

That is quite an achievement, as they only have 3 - 4 million customers

Niall · Apr 25, 2011, 07:14:16

All that really tells you is who complain to them. I bet it would be very different if you saw each companies records.

pctech · Apr 25, 2011, 10:57:20

Indeed Niall.

But experience of being a mod on a mobile phone related site tells me the problem is probably far worse because Three's complaints board on the site has the most activity.

I do also wonder about the business terms they have with their Customer Service outsourcing provider and how the outsourcing company treats its employees because they often sound desparate from what people have told me to prevrnt you leaving.

Niall · Apr 25, 2011, 12:38:44

I didn't have any problems really with 3, and I regretted leaving them the instant Vodafone started messing up my billing. Still, they have an AWFUL website. It's so slow loading it's ridiculous, and often you can't (or couldn't when I was with them) reach certain parts of the site allowing you to amend your package, for example. Even paying your bill through the phone, which obviously linked to the site was often difficult and didn't work properly, or at all. Sometimes you had to try 5 or 6 times for the page to load.

The one good thing was that I always seemed to get a slightly stronger signal with them, than Vodafone. I honestly don't understand why the coverage is so poor around Wrexham. As I sit here at my desk, about three quarters of a mile from the nearest mast, I have a 2 bar signal. If I'm at work, which is about a third of a mile from the mast, I get a full signal. Unless it's cloudy, then it drops in and out. I don't know if that mast is seriously under powered, or what's wrong with it. All I do know is that the coverage is dreadful at times, and if you walk into pretty much any building in the town centre, you instantly lose your signal, which is why I always have wireless on now, to look for hotspots or unsecured networks.

There's also a mast up in Rhos and I kid you not, as it's an old mining town, the hills are full of something that interferes with the signal. I can stand, literally 40ft from the mast up there and not get a signal.

Gary · Apr 26, 2011, 10:53:08

Quote from: Niall on Apr 25, 2011, 12:38:44
I didn't have any problems really with 3, and I regretted leaving them the instant Vodafone started messing up my billing. Still, they have an AWFUL website. It's so slow loading it's ridiculous, and often you can't (or couldn't when I was with them) reach certain parts of the site allowing you to amend your package, for example. Even paying your bill through the phone, which obviously linked to the site was often difficult and didn't work properly, or at all. Sometimes you had to try 5 or 6 times for the page to load.

The one good thing was that I always seemed to get a slightly stronger signal with them, than Vodafone. I honestly don't understand why the coverage is so poor around Wrexham. As I sit here at my desk, about three quarters of a mile from the nearest mast, I have a 2 bar signal. If I'm at work, which is about a third of a mile from the mast, I get a full signal. Unless it's cloudy, then it drops in and out. I don't know if that mast is seriously under powered, or what's wrong with it. All I do know is that the coverage is dreadful at times, and if you walk into pretty much any building in the town centre, you instantly lose your signal, which is why I always have wireless on now, to look for hotspots or unsecured networks.

There's also a mast up in Rhos and I kid you not, as it's an old mining town, the hills are full of something that interferes with the signal. I can stand, literally 40ft from the mast up there and not get a signal.

Are you sure its not your phone Niall? I'm quite a long way from my phone mast for O2 and still get a good signal, no 3G though

Simon · Apr 26, 2011, 11:07:56

I've found that being on the edge of a 3G signal actually impairs the phone signal. When I'm in town, 3G is fine, but at home, it's weak, and I get a better phone signal by switching 3G off.

Gary · Apr 26, 2011, 11:37:37

Quote from: Simon on Apr 26, 2011, 11:07:56
I've found that being on the edge of a 3G signal actually impairs the phone signal. When I'm in town, 3G is fine, but at home, it's weak, and I get a better phone signal by switching 3G off.

I'm not on the edge Simon, its more 3G black hole

so it does not seem to effect signal thankfully, at my last house it was like yours, on the edge and I just turned it off in the end.

Niall · Apr 26, 2011, 18:42:27

I wouldn't have thought it's the phone. It's the iphone 3GS and a mate has the same phone with a better signal. If the shambles of a company that is Vodafone invested properly in coverage, it'd be a whole lot better. I think they need a mast in a more central location around Wrexham, to get some overlap.

Glenn · Apr 26, 2011, 18:47:54

Ericsson will be the people moving or erecting new masts, around 400 Vodafone engineers are moving under the Ericsson umbrella

pctech · Apr 27, 2011, 14:38:29

Niall what network is your mate on?

Niall · Apr 30, 2011, 10:09:32

I'm not sure, but I was in town the night before last with another mate and he has the iphone 4. He had a full 3G signal on it, using 3. I had no signal, not even the emergency one.

I did however notice that, if I go to settings and turn off and on the wireless setting, it then picks up a network, so I'm wondering if it is actually the phone itself causing this problem. Oh, and I should add that if you try to use the phone then, it once again loses the signal.

pctech · Apr 30, 2011, 17:35:02

Might be worth visiting an Apple shop and asking.