To 4G or not to 4G?

Papa Lazarou · Nov 27, 2013

Hi,

My current phone contract is up now, and I'm in a bit of a quandry. Not specifically about which handset to got for (although I do have some research to do) but whether to go to 4G.

I popped into a branch of Carphone Warehouse yesterday lunchtime, and the bloke there was keen to sell me a 4G plan on EE. He showed me a speedtest on his phone (on 4G) and he got 48 download and something like 20 upload, which is faster than my broadband at home.

However, I asked him to check the 4G coverage, and it seems that there is no 4G south of about Crawley in Sussex, with perhaps a little patch in Horsham and the same in central Brighton.

So, I have a quandry. Do I stick with my current phone, on a cheap 3G basis (and not tied in for 24 months) in the hope that 4G finally reaches Sussex, or get a new handset now (and get tied in to a couple of years).

I have looked online and there's seemingly no info on when 4G will reach specific areas, just that EE, O2 and Vodafone are all now in the market.

Thoughts the wise people of NSC?

Bozza · Nov 27, 2013

I've got no real interest in 4G at all. In most places where I use my phone, I have no real issue with the speed of connection. Most of what I use my phone for doesn't need blistering speeds - email, web, twitter, tapatalk are not that bandwidth intensive at all. I also don't seem to have any issue using Spotify or grabbing music from iTunes Match when I want to with minimal delay.

In the near future, if I got 4G for free then fine but I certainly wouldn't be paying any extra for it.

Arthur · Nov 27, 2013

Papa Lazarou said:
Hi,

My current phone contract is up now, and I'm in a bit of a quandry. Not specifically about which handset to got for (although I do have some research to do) but whether to go to 4G.

I popped into a branch of Carphone Warehouse yesterday lunchtime, and the bloke there was keen to sell me a 4G plan on EE. He showed me a speedtest on his phone (on 4G) and he got 48 download and something like 20 upload, which is faster than my broadband at home.

However, I asked him to check the 4G coverage, and it seems that there is no 4G south of about Crawley in Sussex, with perhaps a little patch in Horsham and the same in central Brighton.

So, I have a quandry. Do I stick with my current phone, on a cheap 3G basis (and not tied in for 24 months) in the hope that 4G finally reaches Sussex, or get a new handset now (and get tied in to a couple of years).

I have looked online and there's seemingly no info on when 4G will reach specific areas, just that EE, O2 and Vodafone are all now in the market.

Thoughts the wise people of NSC?

It's ****ing amazing..........when you get coverage. Central London is good. Croydon is also very fast. Never had the need to go to Crawley so can't speak of that but ever where else in Sussex I've been it's non existent.

I assume it will improve over time but if you are predominately in Sussex then I'd say hold off for the time being.

Papa Lazarou · Nov 27, 2013

Arthur said:
It's ****ing amazing..........when you get coverage. Central London is good. Croydon is also very fast. Never had the need to go to Crawley so can't speak of that but ever where else in Sussex I've been it's non existent.

I assume it will improve over time but if you are predominately in Sussex then I'd say hold off for the time being.

Thanks.

Papa Lazarou · Nov 27, 2013

Bozza said:
I've got no real interest in 4G at all. In most places where I use my phone, I have no real issue with the speed of connection. Most of what I use my phone for doesn't need blistering speeds - email, web, twitter, tapatalk are not that bandwidth intensive at all. I also don't seem to have any issue using Spotify or grabbing music from iTunes Match when I want to with minimal delay.

In the near future, if I got 4G for free then fine but I certainly wouldn't be paying any extra for it.

Thanks.

hybrid_x · Nov 27, 2013

http://www.activistpost.com/2013/09/first-study-on-4glte-cell-phone.html

spongy · Nov 27, 2013

If you have no issues and still like your handset then I'd keep the phone and reduce the contract cost, because why should you pay for a contract that includes buying the phone in it when the contract period is up?

I'd consider dropping to a PAYG with the same number and when 4G is rolled out properly you can either upgrade or get a new contract, as a new customer you may get a better deal as all the providers clamour for your business.

Titanic · Nov 27, 2013

The best thing about 4G is that it has freed up 3G especially in City / Central London so it actually works most of the time!

The Large One · Nov 27, 2013

According to the person who sold me my phone package thingy, Brighton is getting 4G at the end of December. This December.

He'd better not be fibbing.

It's costing me £23 a month. I don't think that's too bad - is it?

leigull · Nov 27, 2013

The Large One said:
According to the person who sold me my phone package thingy, Brighton is getting 4G at the end of December. This December.

He'd better not be fibbing.

It's costing me £23 a month. I don't think that's too bad - is it?

Is that £23 just for 4G, or £23 for your whole contract? I don't really know how 4G is activated and if you have to get it as an additional part of your mobile contract

Bad Ash · Nov 27, 2013

Given that my street isn't fiber enabled and doesn't have cable despite being a fairly new estate (I don't understand why Virgin don't install their cables in all new estates) I'd like to use 4G as home broadband, but I'd guess that most contracts have data limits and/or don't allow tethering, so it's probably not an option.

KNC · Nov 27, 2013

3 are rolling out 4g from December in London and other major conurbations.
Brighton is on the 2014 list.
The reason I mention 3, is that they will not be charging a premium for 4g.
Obviously, your phone has to be 4g ready.

piersa · Nov 27, 2013

The Large One said:
According to the person who sold me my phone package thingy, Brighton is getting 4G at the end of December. This December.

He'd better not be fibbing.

It's costing me £23 a month. I don't think that's too bad - is it?

You have been sold a turkey. Will not be here until 2015 realistically. Buy a 4g compatible phone on a 3g contract and upgrade when 4g becomes available.

HawkTheSeagull · Nov 27, 2013

KNC said:
3 are rolling out 4g from December in London and other major conurbations.
Brighton is on the 2014 list.
The reason I mention 3, is that they will not be charging a premium for 4g.
Obviously, your phone has to be 4g ready.

Only network not to charge extra, that and they claim their 3G is currently closest to 4G too - 3.9G if you like.

The Large One · Nov 27, 2013

leigull said:
Is that £23 just for 4G, or £23 for your whole contract? I don't really know how 4G is activated and if you have to get it as an additional part of your mobile contract

Whole contract. I binned my previous contract and got a new one. I get unlimited calls and texts, and 2GB of data thingy... something or other.

It's a 4G phone. It's just that that part of it has no purpose in Brighton at present, so will only pick up the highest quality signal for that given area, but when you go to a 4G zone...

https://explore.ee.co.uk/coverage-checker/?wt.mc_id=ON_EE_V_coverage-checker&wt.tsrc=Vanity

... it automatically picks up the 4G signal.

The Large One · Nov 27, 2013

piersa said:
You have been sold a turkey. Will not be here until 2015 realistically. Buy a 4g compatible phone on a 3g contract and upgrade when 4g becomes available.

There was a three quid price difference, and I go to London fairly often anyway.

And there is one little pocket of 4G in Brighton already - at Falmer.

leigull · Nov 27, 2013

The Large One said:
Whole contract. I binned my previous contract and got a new one. I get unlimited calls and texts, and 2GB of data thingy... something or other.

It's a 4G phone. It's just that that part of it has no purpose in Brighton at present, so will only pick up the highest quality signal for that given area, but when you go to a 4G zone...

https://explore.ee.co.uk/coverage-checker/?wt.mc_id=ON_EE_V_coverage-checker&wt.tsrc=Vanity

... it automatically picks up the 4G signal.

Ta. I have a 4G phone but wasn't sure if I needed to upgrade my contract to allow for 4G access when I'm in a suitable area, or if it would just connect to 4G if it's available without having to do anything.

Arthur · Nov 27, 2013

HawkTheSeagull said:
Only network not to charge extra, that and they claim their 3G is currently closest to 4G too - 3.9G if you like.

No extra charge with EE. I was 9 months into a 24 month contract with T-Mobile. I just had to agree to sign up to a new 18 months contract with EE (same company I know) and I got a better deal with 4G.

KNC · Nov 27, 2013

Incidentally Papa, 3 is 'all you can eat' data. I think the best deal at the moment is £37.
I've just checked my speed on 3G, on quite a low signal and it was almost 9 mb. Pretty good.

Westdene Seagull · Nov 27, 2013

My first question is what do you use your phone for ? If it's little more than calls, texts, email and a little browsing then why bother paying more ?

I'll compare it to the question a regularly get asked "My PC is old now what one should I get to replace it ?". Almost always the answer is "What do you use it for ?" They say "Email, internet browsing and a bit of Word / Excel." Next question is "So does your current PC do all of that OK ?". Answer nearly always is "Yes". So why upgrade ??

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