[Closed] If I switched mobile provider to EE, would it be a really stupid idea?

I use my EE phone very very heavily and travel all over the country.

I can honestly say EE has been amazing compared to O2.

Was with O2 for years and switched to EE. Been very happy, get better coverage by a long way (never had coverage at home before).

Not had any problems that have needed me to speak to a service centre so can't comment on how helpful they are.

I'm switching from O2 ASAP to EE. I have had a nightmare with unlocking a phone. O2 have been hopeless and very ready to pass buck on.

I moved all our work handsets to EE a couple of years back - we have people working across the south west and EE is the only network which works in a lot of places down here.

My handset has just come out of contract with O2. Coverage is rubbish so I'll be porting it to EE too shortly.

Reliability has generally been pretty good. I think I've had to make one call to customer support in 3 years and that was following a mast outage locally which had all the networks down.

IMO yes, I found them terrible (long term T-Mobile customer and before that Orange). Have a look at Three, I have found them excelle t with "free" 4G. I do wonder what will happen now they have bought O2, hopefully they will upgrade O2 rather than degrade Three

Switched to EE from using the shambolic Vodafone who had plenty of coverage for voice but not data. Best thing I've done mobile wise, rarely not had service and it's usually 3G when I do. Even many part of rural Northumberland comes up with 4G with more and more spots all the time.

No, if something goes wrong they're utter scumbags. The way they've treated my girlfriend is disgusting, constantly lying and giving duff information. It's as if it's their policy to bullshit you so much you give up in the end.

Thanks all. A mix of opinions there 😉 The problem with Three is they don't have the coverage. The only network that does is EE. If I'm going to switch, I need to go with the one that can offer some kind of network service and accept I may/might have a crap customer experience.

I was hoping the three/02 tie-up would help but I don't think we're high on the list! It's annoying as a) there's a sodding great mast on Marcle hill and b) we have fibre in the next village but we're 2.3 miles from the exchange so no chance of decent internet speeds.

I had a play with 4G in London and have to say it was A LOT quicker than the 2meg we get here!

I moved from Vodafone to EE a few months ago when I switched jobs. Signal is patchy with most providers where we are (South East) and EE is pretty non-existant where I live. I work from home and use my mobile a lot, the thing that sold EE to me was the wifi calling, so with no cell signal the call routes through your broadband. In theory it's great but the reality for me was it's hopeless (more down to poor wifi strength from the router IMO). After several heated exchanges they sent me a signal booster which gives me full 3G (not 4G) signal throughout the house, but again routes through the broadband. Not much use to you if you have poor broadband I know, but info for others.

I wasn't that impressed with the customer service with EE, it took a lot of calls and threats to leave before they did anything useful. To be fair to them I'm happy now but it was harder than it should have been getting to that point. Their call routing on the support line is diabolical too, quite often you go through 5 layers of automation only to be told to wait for a human and then cut off.

I would suggest you get a PAYG SIM for a month or two to test the service where you are, depending on location a mile can make a big difference to signal strength.

No, if something goes wrong they're utter scumbags. The way they've treated my girlfriend is disgusting, constantly lying and giving duff information. It's as if it's their policy to bullshit you so much you give up in the end

If you've got a decent signal then 4G is very fast. I spent a few days at a customer site recently and had to tether my laptop to my phone, with 4G there was no discernible difference to being on broadband.

I think customer service is pretty awful with most providers no? When I was on Vodafone they were OK but that was a massive corporate account with our own dedicated team, I doubt I'd get that level of service as a private user.

I would suggest you get a PAYG SIM for a month or two to test the service where you are, depending on location a mile can make a big difference to signal strength.

That's a good idea.

Other points noted.. what is it with big companies and their inability to provide service to their customers. Oh I know it's so they can return more to their shareholders...

Their network is the best in the UK, but the support is a rip off and staffed by muppets. They send me a pre-expired sim, then charged me to call them to fix it!

[url= http://media.ofcom.org.uk/news/2015/ofcom-fines-EE/ ]EE were fined £1m recently for poor customer service[/url].

Three. I get unlimited 4g and 600 mins a month for 16 quid. None of the other networks got near that.

EE now has the biggest 4g and 3g coverage area by a substantial margin (90% 4G coverage compared to around 70% for o2 and Vodafone).

They are also the only network to do WiFi calling if you find yourself in an area of no signal... there's no app to muck about with - the phone just switches to Wifi and works as normal.

Three is definitely cheaper. EE has better coverage and will (allegedly) deliver 4G to our rural backwater first. Will get a PAYG sim and get a real world experience.

Their summer PAYG Sim is the way to try out their data claims. £10 for a 100Gb allows tethering too as they do with all their contracts.

http://shop.ee.co.uk/campaigns/summer-sim-from-ee

I've had some good customer service with EE and some bad. On a par with O2 in that respect in my experience but with the added bonus of actually providing a signal where I live & work.

I did the whole PAYG first then move to contract thing and it was a fairly straightforward process. My wife moved straight over from an O2 contract and had a few unnecessary headaches.

Al, we're in a similar position to you now in the 'Neverland' of shite broadband and virtually no 'phone signal.
We're both on O2 and have considered changing as our local pub has an EE booster. However EE were Orange and I swore on all that is holy that they would NEVER get another penny off me after the appalling customer service a few years ago. So I'm stuck now really. 'Tis the price we pay for being out in the sticks, ho hum.

EE...They are also the only network to do WiFi calling if you find yourself in an area of no signal... there's no app to muck about with - the phone just switches to Wifi and works as normal.

3 has a wifi calling app - but it's rubbish

Where are you now Watty?

Slight fly in the ointment, Apple usefully locks the phone to the first SIM you install. So I either have to unlock it or test it in on of the kids Android phones. Going to try one of those ^^ Drac linked to ta?

I use Skype off wifi abroad.. but having no app would be nice.

do you know if that also works overseas when you connect thru wifi so you can avoid roaming?

not unless you're running a VPN back to a UK IP address, and even then EE has tools to detect that and block the connection.

well, I have my own O2 phone (iphone) and a works EE (nokia somethingorother) and the EE phone reception is consistently betterer than O2

I've got ee payg sim. 4g/wifi pickup/£10 everything. No complaints so far. Doing this from piggybacking on the local café wifi. Sweet.

I almost miss the days of analogue.. no not really. If GiffGaff (on 02s network) had decent coverage, I'd stay with them. I like their model and the pricing is good but the coverage is average at best. Looking at Ofcoms coverage map and selecting any carrier OTHER than 02 we get green 3G and some 4G close by. Click on 02 and it's just a wasteland of no data and not much voice!

Ofcom coverage map seems out of date. I can 4G in Alnwick town centre, it's so fast that I switch off Wifi even where I can get a wifi signal.

EE have been great for me. Don't forget to go through quidco to get your costs down.

BT Mobile also use the EE network so worth checking their packages too.

I moved from Three to EE because, get this, the signal for Three in London was shite.. Yup I know 🙄 Couldn't get a signal in Canary Wharf of all places !!
Moved to EE 18mths ago and it's been excellent. Ok the Customer Services thing can be, can be, a bit tosh but overall I've called them twice in 18mths to get roaming tun off/on so simple requests actually.

4G here is way quicker than blinking, even at home on the coast it's a mix of 3G/4G depending what side of the river I'm standing on.

No brainer if you ask me.

As others really - no issue when things are working but a massive pia to deal with if there's a problem. Signal (especially data) is vastly better than vodafone that i moved from (NW / Manchester / everywhere I've ever been!)

Ordered a PAYG sim so will report back! Thanks all.

thanks, just5minutes - disappointing

Three reception in London for 3G is terrible.

Our nationwide company uses EE for their mobile phones, everybody complains about the crap reception.
Might be different in the big smoke but virtually none of our sites, which are usually out in the countryside have benefitted from moving from Vodafone.
if you can try on sim only then try before you commit.

Been with T Mobile (now EE) for a long time...In my opinion the coverage is better than O2.

Change to EE and you will find you can use your phone at Bryn Bettws cabins and also at Afan Lodge (a bit patchy). Those on O2 have to go for a drive 🙂

Edit: My nationwide company has just moved from O2 to EE, a few people complain the coverage is rubbish but with change, there are always going to be some places where you could get reception but now can't.

Piggybacking on the Cabin's wifi right now on Waterloo station. Just love this stuff. EE. Go for it I say.

I've just - today - swapped from Vodafone to EE. Only down to coverage issues, nothing else. Seamless changeover so far. I reckon there are probably as many horror stories for any one as any other, just depends if you get a cretin or not when you ring them.

An update for anyone still interested. 3G PAYG card turned up. Stuck it in an Android phone, risked a tenner top up. No signal in the house, GPRS at best outside. the 3G on Ofcom's coverage map would appear to be 'aspirational' at best 🙁

Amusingly when I stuck the 02 SIM back in I was offered a choice of carriers, both VF and 3UK were 3G signals apparently. This could be a very expensive testing process!

Was talking to the 'media poverty' people yesterday. They reckoned we need 4 business in our little hamlet to get any chance of a leased line or some such thing. I wonder if it matters if they're all from one house!

Don't go Vodafone it may pop up with 3G but it'll be slow and disappear if you take a step in either direction or even move your phone just slightly.

I have to agree with DRAC there, work phone is on Voda and it's horrendous. Even the supposed 4G is rubbish compared to 3G on my EE handset, let alone EE 4G.

Ive been with them for 2 years are due either renewal, upgrade or can leave if i want.

Think i'll stay with them. Never had cause to use their customer service much so can't comment, but when i have they've been fine. Even got an extra Gig of data out of them each month for a complaining.

Wifi calling is good also (only on certain handsets at the moment) and thats come in useful.

If you get a 4GEE extra account you can get faster 4G and use your mins and texts in Europe. (not data though).

I'm happy with them!

I've had to ring EE three times yesterday (my phone arrived on Friday), because I found that while coverage, including data coverage, is pretty decent in the area, there was no signal in the house.

First call - they suggested a couple of things on the handset to try, no to call them back if that didn't solve it (it didn't).

Second call - ok, we need to check if there are any issues in your postcode area.....sorry, that system is down, can you call us back in a couple of hours when it should be up and running again.

Third call - there are no faults or issues in your area, it's basically your house that's blocking the signal. Ok, what do we do about this? I'm sending you a signal booster which to plug into your wifi router. How much is that? Free.

So I'd have to say the three customer service people I spoke to yesterday were all pretty decent and seemed keen to resolve the problem. I know those signal boosters are supposed to cost £100+ , so if that solves it and costs me nothing I don't see anything to grumble about.

In my experience, EE signal and speed has been great wherever I've used it. However, their customer service or lack of it, is one of the worst I've ever experienced. When my contract came up for renewal, I took the decision to go with Three, knowing that coverage and speed wouldn't be as good, but I was no longer prepared to be an EE customer, and their inability even to get the simple things right.

Signal booster turned up yesterday, plugged it in, rang EE and it was working in 5 minutes. Job done.