Mobile network providers - why so difficult?
Discussion
EE's network near us is now so bad I can't use my mobile in half the house reliably (twice I've been notified of voicemails today 30-60 minutes after the caller left their message), and our current provider (Plusnet) doesn't offer WiFi calling, plus their customer service obviously no longer cares as they're about to start migrating customers onto EE.
...so I need a new provider, clearly.
Criteria are:-
- WiFi calling (which eliminates most subcontract MVNOs, but not all)
- Telephone customer service (appears to be a problem for many - too expensive to go employing flesh and blood people, it would seem)
- (Ideally) O2 network, as that's the only decent one around here
- (Ideally) Free roaming
- (Preferably) <<£20/mth for a cheap-and-simple SIM without masses of data I'm not going to use.
Yet I'm stuck. WiFi calling appears to still be the preserve of the main operators (all of whom offer deals starting at about £20/mth!
), plus a few MVNOs with Three (bloody awful coverage here, so no point), EE (see first paragraph) or Vodafone (worse than EE, worst service of the MNOs). Exceptions are Sky (no telephone call centres - want you to "use the community" 
) and Virgin (not touching that brand with a barge-pole).
Surely a cheap and simple deal with WiFi calling and a human to speak to isn't THAT difficult an ask?
Who/what am I missing? Was pretty happy with Plusnet and their (previously decent) customer service for 5 years, but something (EE's winding back on service/signal?) has f
ked that one up for me.
...so I need a new provider, clearly.
Criteria are:-
- WiFi calling (which eliminates most subcontract MVNOs, but not all)
- Telephone customer service (appears to be a problem for many - too expensive to go employing flesh and blood people, it would seem)
- (Ideally) O2 network, as that's the only decent one around here
- (Ideally) Free roaming
- (Preferably) <<£20/mth for a cheap-and-simple SIM without masses of data I'm not going to use.
Yet I'm stuck. WiFi calling appears to still be the preserve of the main operators (all of whom offer deals starting at about £20/mth!
), plus a few MVNOs with Three (bloody awful coverage here, so no point), EE (see first paragraph) or Vodafone (worse than EE, worst service of the MNOs). Exceptions are Sky (no telephone call centres - want you to "use the community" ) and Virgin (not touching that brand with a barge-pole).Surely a cheap and simple deal with WiFi calling and a human to speak to isn't THAT difficult an ask?
Who/what am I missing? Was pretty happy with Plusnet and their (previously decent) customer service for 5 years, but something (EE's winding back on service/signal?) has f
ked that one up for me.Condi said:
Wifi calling is phone-dependent, is it not, not internet provider dependent?
Pretty sure if you enable wifi calling on your phone it will work. Certainly does on an EE network Samsung connected to Plusnet internet.
My phone is capable and enabled but it doesn't work. AIUI the provider has to enable it, so I think you're mistaken somehow.Pretty sure if you enable wifi calling on your phone it will work. Certainly does on an EE network Samsung connected to Plusnet internet.
Tycho - thanks...that's the only option I can see. Lack of CS and pushing you into 12mth contracts concerns me a little though...and I wasn't impressed with them when we had satellite TV.
PS - use less than 4Gb a month, so anything 10 and over is just plain overkill.
If you can live with a Vodafone MVNO, Talkmobile offer 5g and Wifi calling, and aren't bad to deal with. They no longer offer free EU roaming, but there's very few still do.
Tesco mobile are an O2 mvno that offer 5g and Wifi calling, not used them myself. They do still offer EU roaming.
Tesco mobile are an O2 mvno that offer 5g and Wifi calling, not used them myself. They do still offer EU roaming.
Edited by shtu on Monday 17th April 22:46
havoc said:
My phone is capable and enabled but it doesn't work. AIUI the provider has to enable it, so I think you're mistaken somehow.
It's nothing to do with the internet provider (PlusNet in your case).If the phone supports it then EE supports it. Maybe a phone/settings issue.
https://ee.co.uk/help/help-new/getting-started-and...
Lebara?
Uses Vodafone, has wifi calling and also EU roaming included.
Cheap too, especially if you search SIM only through MSE:
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/cheap-mobile-fin...
Lyca use O2, but don't have wifi calling or good customer service reviews. EU roaming included though.
All these are rolling monthly contracts so you can port in and out if no good for you?
Uses Vodafone, has wifi calling and also EU roaming included.
Cheap too, especially if you search SIM only through MSE:
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/cheap-mobile-fin...
Lyca use O2, but don't have wifi calling or good customer service reviews. EU roaming included though.
All these are rolling monthly contracts so you can port in and out if no good for you?
Edited by superpp on Tuesday 18th April 08:35
Edited by superpp on Tuesday 18th April 08:36
Funk said:
Condi said:
Wifi calling is phone-dependent, is it not, not internet provider dependent?
Pretty sure if you enable wifi calling on your phone it will work. Certainly does on an EE network Samsung connected to Plusnet internet.
Correct.Pretty sure if you enable wifi calling on your phone it will work. Certainly does on an EE network Samsung connected to Plusnet internet.
Funk said:
Correct.
Not correct. I speak from recent experience. I tried switching from EE to O2, who do offer wifi calling, but for reasons which they will not tell me I failed their credit check (never, ever, failed before - no loans, no overdue stuff) - anyway I then went to Tesco (who use O2) who say they offer wifi calling, but the sims didnt open up the wifi calling button in either of our phones. After a week of continuous calls with Tesco, they admitted that they are still "working tirelessly" to provide wifi calling but not yet available.
After asking EE for pac numbers, I got a text offering to match the Tesco / O2 rates. That halved my monthly payments, so took it.
Also be aware that even EE do not allow wifi calling on pre paid sims, only on monthly contracts. Never tried Virgin, but I used to be with 3, and their only wifi calling was via a specific app (Three together) also for texts, which was a pain.
I also put a USA T- Mobile sim in my phone whilst in the States last month, and that didn't provide wifi calling - although it was a prepaid sim.
DuncsGTi said:
Tesco mobile runs on the 02 network and recently enabled WiFi calling. Just another option for you
Edit to add, free roaming at present too, they keep saying its going to end then pushing it further and further back. I think I used about 50Gb last week in France at no extra charge
Interesting - I just sacked Tesco because they couldnt offer wifi calling - last week.Edit to add, free roaming at present too, they keep saying its going to end then pushing it further and further back. I think I used about 50Gb last week in France at no extra charge
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