3 Mobile Network in Ireland

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newgirl

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Does anyone know when 3 are going to be launching here? Their website says they will be offering services later this year.
 
I heard October 2005 a while back... I don't really know. Apparently there prices in the UK are very good for the normal voice and text services.
 
I have seen billboards and the TV ads have started so it cant be long. They are well established in UK and Italy and secured a decent market share initially with extremely low tariffs. Down the line they hope their 3G content will be a big seller.
 
Great! They don't have a pay as you go plan yet, but a forth operator is badly needed none the less. Yesterday Meteor got some real marketing muscle (from Eircom), and there's still a fifth licence up for grabs (hopefuly it will be sold soon to either O'Brien or Smart). Its time for some real competition.
 
On first impression doing some very quick sums, I am very disappointed in the costs - Meteor is still cheaper UNLESS you are going to be using Peak calls. For me in an office where 99% of calls are offpeak, 3 is no good. Interesting to see if they bring in a pay as u go..they have one in the UK.

Also, they appear to offer roaming in only 10 countries at present! Weird considering they have roaming agreements with 150 countries according to their UK site - maybe someone with some tech knowledge could explain why the same agreements would not automatically cover them for Irish customers?
 
I'm also a little disappointed in the offers. Works out more expensive than vodafone for me with the sums I've done. Plus it doesn't work in any of the countries I'll be in over the next few months.

I'd been waiting to see what 3 was like before I upgraded my phone with vodafone but 3 only gives a choice of 4 or 5 phones - none of which I'm interested in.
 
Kildrought said:
CGorman, I reckon eircom/meteor will take up the remaining 3G licence.
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You're proably right. But Eircom will be under pressure to find more cash, althought they could get the cash, it would damage cash flow (assuming they don't just issue more shares... and possibly dilute his holiness the almighty Sir Anthony O'Reillys stake... but of course he has the cash to retain his stake...)

Anyways it would be much better for competition if another company could be enticed into the market.
 
podgerodge said:
On first impression doing some very quick sums, I am very disappointed in the costs - Meteor is still cheaper UNLESS you are going to be using Peak calls. For me in an office where 99% of calls are offpeak, 3 is no good. Interesting to see if they bring in a pay as u go..they have one in the UK.
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The fact that video downloads are included at no extra cost is a bonus if you intend using these services, which is after all one of the things what 3G is all about - that and better call quality, which is harder to sell but very important. The calls should be extra clear now as they have just launched and so will have few customers!

I like the "no nonsense" single pricing and the fact that they will replace your handset within a year if it develops a fault with "normal use". Vodafone's Perfect Fit price plan is a similar attempt to get rid confusing price plans, but can work out at bad value depending on how you use it. (I.e. if you stick to near the amount of minutes you pay for in advance, it works out; if you go over, you are penalised.) I have not worked out if 3 is going to be better value yet as it depends on type of usage.

Incidentally, I thought that video calls were the same as voice calls (which 3 heralds) on Vodafone 3G also? Anyone know?

I see also that 3 have gone back to the bad old days of having to pay for voicemail calls. :(

Bottom line for me is that it is great so see some extra competition, and also some classier looking 3G handsets. The fact that Vodafone and O2 sit on new handsets for [6] months longer testing them than their UK & European counterparts always annoyed me. Maybe 3 will be quicker at coming out with new models.

podgerodge said:
Also, they appear to offer roaming in only 10 countries at present! Weird considering they have roaming agreements with 150 countries according to their UK site - maybe someone with some tech knowledge could explain why the same agreements would not automatically cover them for Irish customers?
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They are probably only offering roaming to countries with WCMDA (3G) coverage. I am sure that most of the handsets also support 2.5G so it is probably a matter of testing in different markets in order to have global support for 3G/2.5G switchover. My Vodafone 3G Sony Ericsson V800 has a "Preferred Network" menu where I can choose "3G and 2G" or "2G only". The latter is needed in some cases where the 3 coverage exists but is very poor - the phone would keep trying to connect to the 3G service and gives me no coverage.
 
MonsieurBond said:
They are probably only offering roaming to countries with WCMDA (3G) coverage. I am sure that most of the handsets also support 2.5G so it is probably a matter of testing in different markets in order to have global support for 3G/2.5G switchover. My Vodafone 3G Sony Ericsson V800 has a "Preferred Network" menu where I can choose "3G and 2G" or "2G only". The latter is needed in some cases where the 3 coverage exists but is very poor - the phone would keep trying to connect to the 3G service and gives me no coverage.
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Thanks M. Bond. So you think the phones may pick up a 2G network anyway? Or is there no chance until 3Ireland offer roaming officially?
 
podgerodge said:
Thanks M. Bond. So you think the phones may pick up a 2G network anyway?
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Yes. They have a 2G roaming agreement with Vodafone, in order to give country-wide coverage.

podgerodge said:
Or is there no chance until 3Ireland offer roaming officially?
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I'm sure the short roaming list is commercial rather than technically created. Over time, I would imagine the list of countries you can roam in will grow.
 
I have just changed over to 3, and personally I think their traiffs are great. I was paying anywhere between €30 and €50 with O2 bill pay and for that I was getting around 120-150 minutes, and that was with 3c weekend calls. With 3 I will get 200 minutes anytime to any network for €25, there is no comparison. The only hitch is that I will have to use an 083 number until they can transfer my old number across.
 
Spam deleted. See here. Further spamming will result in further deletions and bans. ClubMan.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
More spam from the same IP address deleted. This is the latest in about a dozen incidents yesterday and today and Brendan had previously warned the initial instigator to cease and desist. If Euphony agents use multiple registrations and spamming like this as a matter of course to generate business then I personally would be very reluctant to deal with the company at all. Oddly enough, in spite of the great claims that gav1876/julier/julie05 make for Euphony they (in all likelyhood s/he) is connecting via an eircom IP address! In the past we have reported spamming to the relevant service providers and even the Gardaí who have investigated matters and we will not hesitate in doing so again if this proves necessary. :mad:

ClubMan.
 
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