o2 or Vodafone in UK?

**GDL1** · 10-17-2009, 04:13 PM

Looking to get my first BB next week here in UK and wonder what carrier i should go with. Been with o2 for years now but wonder who's best. Vodafone deals i have seen say they give unlimited mobile internet and blackberry internet solution and i have seen some threads saying with o2 some apps incur data charges.

Can anyone help?

Many thanks
G

**Navlelo** · 10-17-2009, 04:18 PM

Vodafone for price and tariffs, O2 for customer service and yes bb data plans only include data that goes through bis and using o2's own mobile network will incur additional fees, whereas Vodafone data plan covers both. I think T-Mobile covers both too but not so sure.

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**GDL1** · 10-17-2009, 05:51 PM

I was swaying towards vodafone. Guess only slight downside is my partner and couple of folk i know are 02 so calls to them would be free but for all i'd use my minutes would cover that anyway whereas data would cost more probably.

Cheers for the reply.

**crackberryace** · 10-17-2009, 09:48 PM

ANYONE BUT O2, their customer service is ok with uk call centres but as soon as you go to upgrade to a new blackberry it's as if you've come into their house and pissed on their kids at christmas, they want to charge you a fortune for a soon to be extinct handset, and there's no change in their call centers or instore, whereas my experience with voda has always been good!

**Rapid Dr3am** · 10-18-2009, 03:52 AM

Having been an o2 customer for far too long, I would say Vodafone.

I gave them one last chance this time, and they sent me the wrong phone and then disconnected it, whilst telling me I had returned it and they had ordered it in both their systems.

Their CS is ****e and you should go elsewhere, as will I come renewal time.

Sara_cakes · 10-18-2009, 09:49 AM

Vodafone don't do EDGE though...

**boydude** · 10-18-2009, 04:18 PM

im on o2 here, no complaints here. been with em for years and years.

**perniciousviper** · 10-18-2009, 04:24 PM

Why no mention of Orange? Have an 8520 with them on PAYG and data is only £5 a month. On a contract it will certainly be a better deal than that.
Worth checking out their prices as well as the others mentioned.

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**perniciousviper** · 10-18-2009, 04:26 PM

Oh, and Orange offers EDGE too btw.

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**Pete6** · 10-18-2009, 04:38 PM

I'm on O2 with SIMplicity and I have only ever seen EDGE in central London and, surprise, Slough where O2 have their HQ.

O2 answer the phone OK but seem to talk a lot and say well, you know, not a lot.

If I can find someone to give me EDGE in Reading, then I'll go with them.

**kjs1977** · 10-18-2009, 04:40 PM

I've been with O2 for many years, not had any problems with them, you're probably better getting a new contract with O2 if it's due to expire, not as an existing customer, but as a 'new' customer, better deals can be found, and don't forget you don't need to go directly to O2 for the upgrade, you can go to places like Carphone Warehouse (including mobiles.co.uk, I got my Bold and £130 auto cashback with them) obviously there are many other internet sites you can check out.

**BBThemes** · 10-18-2009, 05:39 PM

right, so im gonna try not to be biased, as i work for vf, but i have had phones with o2 as well, so im not just guessing it all

o2 customer service (for me at least) was very poor, said `yes sir thats done` and next month your chasing it up again, not good, reason i left actually

vf customer service, as i said im a bit biased, but if you call in the day seems very good, as thats the only time iv ever needed to call, however id say read all comments for a solid opinion

as for getting a phone with them, well the 2 major things are signal and price (in that order too!) and yes vf dont do edge, but they do 3g which is higher than edge, although this depends which bb you get.

as someone quoted the 8520, on vf its 300 mins, ultd txts, data and BIS for £25 a month, over 24 months, free phone with 2gb card.

dont forget you can also now get vf from carphone now as well as p4u

Sara_cakes · 10-18-2009, 05:48 PM

Well I'm with Orange and I'm happy with them. I had a problem once with my BB not sending out emails with attachments, called their Blackberry team and they sorted it out really quickly.

For Blackberrys, I would only use Orange or O2 really :/ but thats my personal opinion. I have a friend using Vodafone with her BB and she's happy.

**BBThemes** · 10-18-2009, 05:55 PM

Originally Posted by Sara_cakes

For Blackberrys, I would only use Orange or O2 really

im curious why you say that? as over 60% of blackberrys in the UK are on vf!!
also, vf do offer a technical help forum that has employees on there too, no other uk network does this (o2 doesnt have employees helping customers, purely customer to customer)

**Navlelo** · 10-19-2009, 01:19 AM

Originally Posted by daveastra

right, so im gonna try not to be biased, as i work for vf, but i have had phones with o2 as well, so im not just guessing it all

o2 customer service (for me at least) was very poor, said `yes sir thats done` and next month your chasing it up again, not good, reason i left actually

vf customer service, as i said im a bit biased, but if you call in the day seems very good, as thats the only time iv ever needed to call, however id say read all comments for a solid opinion

as for getting a phone with them, well the 2 major things are signal and price (in that order too!) and yes vf dont do edge, but they do 3g which is higher than edge, although this depends which bb you get.

as someone quoted the 8520, on vf its 300 mins, ultd txts, data and BIS for £25 a month, over 24 months, free phone with 2gb card.

dont forget you can also now get vf from carphone now as well as p4u

What is Vodafone's HSDPANetwork like speedwise and is there good coverage for it.

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**deejayburnout** · 10-19-2009, 03:11 AM

I would say Vodafone

I have been with them all and for me they are far the best especially with customer services.

My wife is with O2 and they seem ok but my wife has problems with her handset and they cannot seem to fix it. They keep telling her to try various things but as I say she pays £5 a month for insurance and they should fix it not me. She pays around £35 for free texts and 500 mins.

She gets charged for data usage as well

I pay one flat rate at Vodafone and I get free texts free internet and BB emails and 600mins all for £30

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**Dirty.Numb.Angel.Boy** · 10-19-2009, 07:14 AM

Originally Posted by crackberryace

ANYONE BUT O2, their customer service is ok with uk call centres but as soon as you go to upgrade to a new blackberry it's as if you've come into their house and pissed on their kids at christmas, they want to charge you a fortune for a soon to be extinct handset, and there's no change in their call centers or instore, whereas my experience with voda has always been good!

I bet they don't recycle 5 year old Peter Kay jokes though eh?

**GDL1** · 10-19-2009, 03:24 PM

many thanks for all the replies folks. Been with o2 for years just with normal phones not BB's but upgrading with them has always been a ballache. I was after the 8900 but if edge isnt available and it doesnt have 3g that could lead to issues. Dont really fancy the bold just too big for me and dont know if i want to wait for the 9700 as i fear it may be outwith my budget. Also always wary of new handsets when they frst come out.

Tomorrows D day so i will shop around and see what deals i can get probably with orange or vodafone or if o2 will match what i can get elsewhere i may stay with them but i wont hold my breath!

Thanks again.

Edit Just seen a good deal with orange as well so again cheers for the advice

**Kimtins** · 10-31-2009, 07:41 AM

Hiya,

I was on O2 for years and years, went over to them from BT Cellnet lol. I had many personal upgrades and phones from them for calls and texts all is fine and if you push them a deal can be had. For a BlackBerry though when you need the data use I don't think Vodafone can be touched as soon as I went to work for myself I went over to VF with my contract and gota bold it works the coverage is spot on and the price is very good. Only had one problem since I had the Bold and the CS was first class, where on the whole the CS from O2 was a little poor when a problem happened with a phone. I am glad I am with Voda and once the 9700 is out I will be very nice to them indeed if they do me a deal lol

**Coffee Addict** · 11-23-2009, 10:23 AM

Just switched from O2 to vodafone today and got 9700 after 5 years with o2. Vodafone have good tariffs imo compared to O2 and better international roaming rates for Data.

**HairyHaggis** · 11-24-2009, 04:09 PM

I too am thinking about jumping ship to vodafone as i am on rolling tariff the now for O2.

BUT, i want the 9700 and it seems like thats the only way to go since o2 cant tell anyone when / if they getting the 9700

**Coffee Addict** · 11-25-2009, 04:19 AM

Originally Posted by HairyHaggis

I too am thinking about jumping ship to vodafone as i am on rolling tariff the now for O2.

BUT, i want the 9700 and it seems like thats the only way to go since o2 cant tell anyone when / if they getting the 9700

Hey, When i spoke to 02 retentions for PAC code, she mentioned that 9700 was in testing with them and should release sometime in December/January. Though, these type of comments should be taken with good dose of salt.

My number porting should be complete today and up until now Voda service has been immaculate. The phone was with me in less than 24hrs after ordering online.

**HairyHaggis** · 11-25-2009, 01:27 PM

Hi .. I agree pinch of salt as when I requested my PAC today and she asked why, and I said because I cant get a yes or no answer on the 9700 and I was fed up with it .... she said you and me both !! so Ive now to wait 48 hours on it being txt to me, then call teh vodafone guy back give him the code, and he will send the phone out to me for next day ... its laid aside, all credit checks etc passed, just waiting on my code.

It could have shipped today if I wanted a new number !

Simple, job done !

By O2 ... next is the wifes contract next month, and the companies 16 handsets in January !