My SIM contract with Three runs out in October, could I come to PN Mobile?

[#1]

Above.

At the moment I'm paying £20 a month for unlimited everything, minutes, texts and data, and if I stream on Amazon Prime and Netflix on my phone it doesn't eat my data allowance.

Would PN be able to offer a similar deal for the equivalent or cheaper price? My other option would be GiffGaff, they do Unlimited minutes and texts and 20 Gig for a tenner a month.

Would you guys be able to price match?

[#2 · Accepted solution]

Good afternoon,

Plus Net mobile already do 20GB data U/L minutes and texts 22GB if you are a broadband customer 30 day rolling contract for £10

The drawback is PN do not offer 5 digit short text messages if you need them.

I'm on the 20GB tariff and find it very good value  and coverage is good better than Three as my spare phone is Three

My advice is give it a try 

HD

[#3]

"My other option would be GiffGaff"

If you are happy with the Three network, a provider owned by them is offering Unlimited data, minutes, texts for £18/month on a limited offer, for 12 months.

[#4]

Thanks but I'll go with GiffGaff, my SIM's come yesterday, just got to wait till September 11th, give 30 days notice to Three, and then set up and activate the GiffGaff SIM.

The beauty of GiffGaff is that in the possible event it turns out to be total bobbins (I love that word), I can ditch it with no penalty as you're not tied in for 2 years like on contracts.

[#5]

Hey we have the same situation almost ...

I've been a loyal 3 customer (since Rabbit phones!) but their inability to support eSims (and giving me a runaround) has made me look for alternatives.    I'll summarise what I found.   BTW I'm a Systems and Telecoms person

- The Three unlimited plan is difficult to beat because it is unlimited and there are no speed caps

- In rural areas Three reception can be awful, its certainly MUCH worse then EE  (i.e plusnet)

- Three support WiFi calling and PlusNet does not

- If you live in an Urban environment Three support 5G, if you live or spend time in rural there is no 5G, and wont be for a decade  (my view)

- Gigaff used to have some severe speed caps on data, pls check if you intend to goto them!

- In practice most of us do not need Unlimited data.   Whilst unlimited data is comforting, you can use your Android Phone (or Apple) to check on your monthly SIM based data usage and check if the 10 and 15GB plans from PlusNet work

- In practice VERY FEW PEOPLE use 15GB or more of data monthly, do check your own situation.

- 1pm  mobile are a MVNO also using EE and they support WiFi calling but also an annoying habit of charging 1p for every call or SMS.   Depending on your calls and texts per month this could be more than just annoying and cost you monies

- If you are a traveller then check your carriers charges for call and data roaming to EU / non EU destination which typically kick in Jan 2022

- If you want to stick with 3 but at a reduced cost for defined ie. not unlimited data plans then use Smarty

OVERALL

I am going to give Plusnet a go.  On their 1 month rolling contract.    If it does not work I will simply cancel.  But I think although it's not unlimited data and no Wifi calling, the merits are a lower cost than Three, and for me voting with my feet because of their poor service to me.

Using EE as a carrier guarantees me much better 4G speeds over the whole of the UK (than three) including important to me rural areas.

[#6]

"Using EE as a carrier guarantees me much better 4G speeds over the whole of the UK (than three) including important to me rural areas."

Does it though? PN are also an MVNO of EE services, but they do not have access to all of the frequency bands.

I take it you know about the lack of short codes?

[#7]

---

@_m wrote:

Using EE as a carrier guarantees me much better 4G speeds over the whole of the UK (than three) including important to me rural areas.

---

Just tested my Three phone data          Download 9.7 Bursting to 10.5

                                                               Upload    1.7  Bursting to 1.8

                        Plusnet  phone data       Download 21.2 Bursting to 26.6

                                                               Upload      5.8   Bursting to 6.9

I use the Plusnet data as a Hotspot when I'm on holiday with no problems 

HD

[#8]

Well I had a very heated conversation with Three last Friday afternoon and ordered them to terminate the contract 9 weeks early, preferably with NO early termination fees as IMO the service is NOT fit for purpose, the signal in most parts of Sheffield was terrible, the mobile data didn't work unless I was connected to WiFi.

I now can't use my mobile till I get a new SIM, which will hopefully be tomorrow as I've ordered 2 new ones, from Smarty (which I won't be using as I am reliably informed it's on Three's Network) and GiffGaff, both of which are on 30 day rolling contracts which can be terminated without penalty at any time.

I also just tried to buy a PN Mobile SIM online earlier this afternoon but for some reason my card failed so I'll have to do it over the Dog and Bone.

[#9]

I'm currently transitioning from 3 to PN because of loss of 4G and inside coverage in my area. They may be excellent for some but not all

[#10]

@LooneyTunes8 I have 2 new SIMs coming to the Flat today, from GiffGaff and Smarty, which I'll pick up tomorrow.

[#11]

---

@LooneyTunes8 wrote:

I'm currently transitioning from 3 to PN because of loss of 4G and inside coverage in my area. They may be excellent for some but not all

---

I couldn't get on with 3 either. Not only do they have a very extensive set of terms and conditions which gives them immediate ownership of anything you send (photos, texts, videos etc) they also don't work for dual sim devices unless you use them as the main account - if you use them as the 2nd / non primary most devices will drop that sim into 2G mode - and 3 will disconnect those as they don't want the cost of supporting them via other networks hardware.

Look at another networks terms and they're far simpler. 3 are incredibly aggressive.

[#12]

@7up Yes, overall I don't know why I stayed loyal, 4 years, with aggressively changing my contract to one of the same but more expensive and very little choice in the matter. Today is my switch date to PN and I hope they don't let me down in the same way.

[#13]

@MrAllen2021 I looked at Smarty and it looks very attractive until I saw they piggyback 3 and 3 show Smarty as a choice on their website

[#14]

Regarding Three reception.    As per another poster, I too can confirm that in our rural location we are down from 4G signal to H+

In 2021!   This is ridiculous.     We live in Warwickshire.

What makes this most galling is that I can physically see the transmitter.  It is literally line of sight every time I look out of my window, unobstructed.    Just what is Three playing at?

I feel I need to at least try another vendor, with Plusnet since they offer a 30 day contract, apart from the admin   (which I suppose will be considerable to keep the number )   it is surely worth a go

[#15]

To clarify about short code messages.   I understand that PlusNet DOES SUPPORT RECEIPT of these messages, but sometimes you need to reply to these and that this is not supported.

Personally Replying to a short code message happens so infrequently   (Bank fraud purchase confirmation about 12 months ago is last I can remember) that I don't believe this is a deal breaker.

I will do further analysis and publish a chart and send a link when I have all the facts to hand.