<https://vodafoneandthree.uk/home>

On 14/06/2023 20:21, Andy Burns wrote:
>
> <https://vodafoneandthree.uk/home>

May not get past CMA:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-65842845

--

Fake news kills!

I may be contacted via the contact address given on my website:
www.macfh.co.uk

On Wednesday, 14 June 2023 at 21:02:44 UTC+1, Java Jive wrote:
> On 14/06/2023 20:21, Andy Burns wrote:
> >
> > <https://vodafoneandthree.uk/home>
>
> May not get past CMA:
>
> https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-65842845
>
> --
>
> Fake news kills!
>
> I may be contacted via the contact address given on my website:
> www.macfh.co.uk

Let's hope not, take-over / merger would result in the sort of gouging prices and more seriously T&C that occurs in the US.

It's already an oligoposie with just O2 of the MNO's resisting the urge to rip off subscribers when roaming the EU after Brexit.

Three of course reneged spectacularly on this
https://marcommnews.com/three-pledges-to-save-people-187-million-in-mobile-roaming-charges-after-brexit/
and also 321 (~1,000% increase) - a double whammy for their P&G customers and devaluing held credit (like mine!).

On 14/06/2023 at 20:21, Andy Burns wrote:
> <https://vodafoneandthree.uk/home>

How does reducing the number of carriers "increase competition"?
--
Wilf

Wilf <wilf@postingx.uk> wrote:
> On 14/06/2023 at 20:21, Andy Burns wrote:
>> <https://vodafoneandthree.uk/home>
>
> How does reducing the number of carriers "increase competition"?

Depends on what terms might be offered wholesale to virtual operations.
Most of the competition these days is at the MVNO level. I would expect the
competition authorities to look carefully at this aspect.

Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> wrote:
> Wilf <wilf@postingx.uk> wrote:
>> On 14/06/2023 at 20:21, Andy Burns wrote:
>>> <https://vodafoneandthree.uk/home>
>>
>> How does reducing the number of carriers "increase competition"?
>
> Depends on what terms might be offered wholesale to virtual operations.
> Most of the competition these days is at the MVNO level. I would expect the
> competition authorities to look carefully at this aspect.

Indeed. Three isn't particularly competitive, but the Three MVNOs are
pretty much all the most value for money options out there Giffgaff is a
notable exception. Not sure why anyone would pay extra for Three's
offerings.

On Wed, 14 Jun 2023 20:21:22 Andy Burns wrote:

><https://vodafoneandthree.uk/home>

It's a pity that Three can't first give me a decent signal here in the
suburbs of Reading! :-(

David

--
David Rance writing from Caversham, Reading, UK

On 15/06/2023 at 08:51, Chris wrote:
> Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> wrote:
>> Wilf <wilf@postingx.uk> wrote:
>>> On 14/06/2023 at 20:21, Andy Burns wrote:
>>>> <https://vodafoneandthree.uk/home>
>>>
>>> How does reducing the number of carriers "increase competition"?
>>
>> Depends on what terms might be offered wholesale to virtual operations.
>> Most of the competition these days is at the MVNO level. I would expect the
>> competition authorities to look carefully at this aspect.
>
> Indeed. Three isn't particularly competitive, but the Three MVNOs are
> pretty much all the most value for money options out there Giffgaff is a
> notable exception. Not sure why anyone would pay extra for Three's
> offerings.
>

Three often offers great deals via switching platforms such as uSwitch.
Voda, not so much. Three also has, in common with Voda, the
facility to roam across a good many non-EU countries for a fixed amount
per day, which I have always found very helpful. O2 and EE do not offer
anything like such good roaming options.
--
Wilf

On Thu 15/06/2023 11:21, Wilf wrote:
> On 15/06/2023 at 08:51, Chris wrote:
>> Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> Wilf <wilf@postingx.uk> wrote:
>>>> On 14/06/2023 at 20:21, Andy Burns wrote:
>>>>> <https://vodafoneandthree.uk/home>
>>>>
>>>> How does reducing the number of carriers "increase competition"?
>>>
>>> Depends on what terms might be offered wholesale to virtual operations.
>>> Most of the competition these days is at the MVNO level. I would
>>> expect the
>>> competition authorities to look carefully at this aspect.
>>
>> Indeed. Three isn't particularly competitive, but the Three MVNOs are
>> pretty much all the most value for money options out there Giffgaff is a
>> notable exception. Not sure why anyone would pay extra for Three's
>> offerings.
>>
>
> Three often offers great deals via switching platforms such as uSwitch.
>  Voda, not so much.    Three also has, in common with Voda, the
> facility to roam across a good many non-EU countries for a fixed amount
> per day, which I have always found very helpful.  O2 and EE do not offer
> anything like such good roaming options.

Yes, but GiffGaff does.

Wilf <wilf@postingx.uk> wrote:
> On 15/06/2023 at 08:51, Chris wrote:
>> Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> Wilf <wilf@postingx.uk> wrote:
>>>> On 14/06/2023 at 20:21, Andy Burns wrote:
>>>>> <https://vodafoneandthree.uk/home>
>>>>
>>>> How does reducing the number of carriers "increase competition"?
>>>
>>> Depends on what terms might be offered wholesale to virtual operations.
>>> Most of the competition these days is at the MVNO level. I would expect the
>>> competition authorities to look carefully at this aspect.
>>
>> Indeed. Three isn't particularly competitive, but the Three MVNOs are
>> pretty much all the most value for money options out there Giffgaff is a
>> notable exception. Not sure why anyone would pay extra for Three's
>> offerings.
>>
>
> Three often offers great deals via switching platforms such as uSwitch.
> Voda, not so much. Three also has, in common with Voda, the
> facility to roam across a good many non-EU countries for a fixed amount
> per day, which I have always found very helpful. O2 and EE do not offer
> anything like such good roaming options.

IDmobile still supports Roam like home and smarty is similar although only
12 GB.

Woody <harrogate3@ntlworld.com> wrote:
> On Thu 15/06/2023 11:21, Wilf wrote:
>> On 15/06/2023 at 08:51, Chris wrote:
>>> Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>> Wilf <wilf@postingx.uk> wrote:
>>>>> On 14/06/2023 at 20:21, Andy Burns wrote:
>>>>>> <https://vodafoneandthree.uk/home>
>>>>>
>>>>> How does reducing the number of carriers "increase competition"?
>>>>
>>>> Depends on what terms might be offered wholesale to virtual operations.
>>>> Most of the competition these days is at the MVNO level. I would
>>>> expect the
>>>> competition authorities to look carefully at this aspect.
>>>
>>> Indeed. Three isn't particularly competitive, but the Three MVNOs are
>>> pretty much all the most value for money options out there Giffgaff is a
>>> notable exception. Not sure why anyone would pay extra for Three's
>>> offerings.
>>>
>>
>> Three often offers great deals via switching platforms such as uSwitch.
>>  Voda, not so much.    Three also has, in common with Voda, the
>> facility to roam across a good many non-EU countries for a fixed amount
>> per day, which I have always found very helpful.  O2 and EE do not offer
>> anything like such good roaming options.
>
> Yes, but GiffGaff does.
>

Really? I just looked up India for GiffGaff and they want 20p/Mb. Vodafone
want £6.85 Mb on GiffGaff.
That £6.85 would get you a whole 34Mb on GiffGaff. (Unless I’ve misread the
GG site)

On 15/06/2023 16:28, Woody wrote:
>
>> Three often offers great deals via switching platforms such as
>> uSwitch.   Voda, not so much. Three also has, in common with Voda,
>> the facility to roam across a good many non-EU countries for a fixed
>> amount per day, which I have always found very helpful.  O2 and EE do
>> not offer anything like such good roaming options.
>
> Yes, but GiffGaff does.

No they don't. We're talking about *outside* the EU/Europe, as far as I
can see, GiffGaff offer nothing, it's all 1 quid min for calls, 20p/ Meg
for data

On 15/06/2023 10:44, David Rance wrote:
> On Wed, 14 Jun 2023 20:21:22 Andy Burns wrote:
>
>> <https://vodafoneandthree.uk/home>
>
> It's a pity that Three can't first give me a decent signal here in the
> suburbs of Reading! :-(
>
> David
>

I don't think anyone can. Not in the poorest areas where everyone just
tethers everything off their mobile anyway.

--
Brian Gregory (in England).

On Fri, 16 Jun 2023 00:00:50 Brian Gregory wrote:

>On 15/06/2023 10:44, David Rance wrote:
>> On Wed, 14 Jun 2023 20:21:22 Andy Burns wrote:
>>
>>> <https://vodafoneandthree.uk/home>
>> It's a pity that Three can't first give me a decent signal here in
>>the suburbs of Reading! :-(
>>
>
>I don't think anyone can. Not in the poorest areas where everyone just
>tethers everything off their mobile anyway.
>
It's more to do with the contours of the land. I live just at the bottom
of the hill where the BBC monitoring station is, er, was.

EE can give a decent signal. Three just hasn't bothered to improve
things. Why don't I change? Well, on a PAYG I don't spend more than £5
per month with Three.

David

--
David Rance writing from Caversham, Reading, UK

On Fri, 16 Jun 2023 09:13:04 +0100, David Rance
<david.rance@SPAMOFF.invalid> wrote:

>It's more to do with the contours of the land. I live just at the bottom
>of the hill where the BBC monitoring station is, er, was.

And what a fascinating place that was in the day. It must have been
almost 50 years ago now, but I had a friend who worked at the BBC
Monitoring Service when they were based in an old mansion at Caversham
Park. He arranged for me to have a tour of the operation there. It was
full of all kinds of equipment, mainly HF radios, where they listened
in and transcribed broadcasts from all over the world.

On Thursday, 15 June 2023 at 11:21:13 UTC+1, Wilf wrote:
> On 15/06/2023 at 08:51, Chris wrote:
> > Tweed <usenet...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >> Wilf <wi...@postingx.uk> wrote:
> >>> On 14/06/2023 at 20:21, Andy Burns wrote:
> >>>> <https://vodafoneandthree.uk/home>
> >>>
> >>> How does reducing the number of carriers "increase competition"?
> >>
> >> Depends on what terms might be offered wholesale to virtual operations..
> >> Most of the competition these days is at the MVNO level. I would expect the
> >> competition authorities to look carefully at this aspect.
> >
> > Indeed. Three isn't particularly competitive, but the Three MVNOs are
> > pretty much all the most value for money options out there Giffgaff is a
> > notable exception. Not sure why anyone would pay extra for Three's
> > offerings.
> >
> Three often offers great deals via switching platforms such as uSwitch.
> Voda, not so much. Three also has, in common with Voda, the
> facility to roam across a good many non-EU countries for a fixed amount
> per day, which I have always found very helpful. O2 and EE do not offer
> anything like such good roaming options.
> --
> Wilf

Well maybe not so many countries, but for £0 O2 didn't join the post Brexit feeding frenzy on EU roaming fees like 3 did (despite saying they would not), so IMO O2 offer better roaming options.