Mobile companies - which one?

Anyone here on Vodafone at the moment?

I am on 3 and since Voda took over they have been trying to convert me, but about a year ago I heard that their reception was not very good. I mentioned it to them and they said that it has since improved and they now have the 850mhz system in place making the signal as good as Telstra's 3.5G system. Is this true?

I use 3 mobile numbers and will be adding a 4th, so they have offered me a pretty decent deal.


grayzeee's picture

Posts: 2283

Date Joined: 09/07/09

I'm on vodafone  PAYG$49

Thu, 2012-01-05 05:29

I'm on vodafone  PAYG

$49 maxicap once a month - never use it all.         Its fine

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If I spent half as long fishing , as I do reading this bloody forum , I'd be twice the fisherman I am. 

Posts: 9358

Date Joined: 21/02/08

Fine as long as you don;t

Thu, 2012-01-05 05:46

Fine as long as you don;t leave the city ... or have to call their support!

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grayzeee's picture

Posts: 2283

Date Joined: 09/07/09

don't remember it dropping

Thu, 2012-01-05 06:29

don't remember it dropping out much at all down south or in broome unless in the sticks . But I have never had to call support so can't comment.

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If I spent half as long fishing , as I do reading this bloody forum , I'd be twice the fisherman I am. 

Posts: 74

Date Joined: 15/12/08

 im on vodafone, i get great

Thu, 2012-01-05 06:38

 im on vodafone, i get great reception throughout the city and at rottnest not sure about other areas, and customer support i found was better pretty average.

Posts: 9358

Date Joined: 21/02/08

Hmm come to think of it, I

Thu, 2012-01-05 06:47

Hmm come to think of it, I used to have dropouts at my house in Perth/6000 too. I remember one day it didn't work in the East Perth precinct either! Maybe better with the new 850mhz, but it was driving me nuts for awhile.

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joe amato's picture

Posts: 731

Date Joined: 21/12/08

wouldnt recomend voda phone at all

Thu, 2012-01-05 07:20

 i work for termico and they use voda phone,and the reception is lousy,even drops out in the cbd,we also have to report our jobs electronicly,i have also been a private phone user,same thing their coverage is well below average,im now with telstra on my mobile and you get coverage everywhere,wouldnt recomend optus aswel,telstra is the best imo

Posts: 2925

Date Joined: 27/12/06

Telstra

Thu, 2012-01-05 07:40

I use a couple of numbers work/personal. Telstra is head and shoulders above the rest with network strength/range and download speed(very important)
Voda phone Optus and 3 in my experience are certainly cheaper but don't offer the same quality

Paul_86's picture

Posts: 1449

Date Joined: 27/03/09

Definently wouldnt recomend

Thu, 2012-01-05 07:45

Definently wouldnt recomend voda phone!!! I know so many people who whinge about there bad reception. I was with vodaphone until about 6 months ago because i moved out to ellenbrook and couldnt get any reception in my house or much of that general area. I dont know who the best would be, but it aint vodaphone mate!

Feral's picture

Posts: 1508

Date Joined: 01/11/06

Telstra has the best coverage

Thu, 2012-01-05 07:48

Telstra has the best coverage by far down here in busso and the south west .. but they are expensive .. I use Optus for my main mobile around town but have a very cheap pre paid Telstra one in the 4x4 with a large aerial that I use in emergency ..

kempy's picture

Posts: 810

Date Joined: 28/05/09

Wouldnt go vodafone, telstra

Thu, 2012-01-05 08:00

Wouldnt go vodafone, telstra all the way never have problems with drops outs etc.

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Dinkum Auto Electrical A/C & Mechanical Unit 10/16 Kent way Malaga 0438755754 Also Mobile

Open 7 days except when we are fishn For all your auto electrical needs

alfred's picture

Posts: 3097

Date Joined: 12/01/07

Thanks for the comments

Thu, 2012-01-05 08:11

Thanks for the comments guys.  Hoping to hear from those that are currently on Voda since the new towers went up in the last  6 months and the 850mhz band.

Paul Jackson's picture

Posts: 106

Date Joined: 19/04/09

I have used "3" , Optus and

Thu, 2012-01-05 08:13

I have used "3" , Optus and Vodaphone over the past three years and now with Telstra who are light years ahead with coverage and data download etc. I live in th esticks and still get a full signal, can't remember the last time I lost signal or dropped a call, apart from up North.

Other half still uses "3" and poor if no coverage where we live, always dropping out etc - can't wait for the end of contract term.

I guess that you get what you pay for.

 

Cheers

Posts: 459

Date Joined: 20/01/11

Paul, you should enquire

Thu, 2012-01-05 08:18

Paul, you should enquire about 3 cancelling the contract. My mate was able to get out of his because he was getting unacceptable reception at his place of work by contacting the Ombudsman.

grayzeee's picture

Posts: 2283

Date Joined: 09/07/09

Well , I never realised they

Thu, 2012-01-05 08:36

Well , I never realised they were so bad! 

I pay 49 bucks and get 350 bucks worth of credit and 650 bucks worth of v2v credit. and 3 gb download data

what are telstra doing for their PAYG deals???

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If I spent half as long fishing , as I do reading this bloody forum , I'd be twice the fisherman I am. 

Posts: 440

Date Joined: 27/07/09

 Telstra for sure , used to

Thu, 2012-01-05 08:57

 Telstra for sure , used to be with 3 and it was shit no coverage anywere , i always thought telstra was a lot more expensive but its the same price, actually a bit cheaper for what you get, and also when you call up the help line you can speak with someone who can speak english 

allrounder's picture

Posts: 1853

Date Joined: 10/11/08

Here we go again

Thu, 2012-01-05 09:33

 Holden vs ford / patrol vs landcruiser.ect    If the patrol is vodaphone and the toyota is telstra then we all know the toyota is going to go places the patrol cant.lol.The patrol does cost a crap load less though so if it can go most places then why not get one.I use both telstra(private) and vodaphone(company) and around town not much differance it is only going bush you notice it.A fair bit comes down to the handset IMO.The money you save with vodaphone around town you could get a telstra prepaid to go away with and throw it in the bin when you get home and still be in front.

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So tell me have you got your info from years on the water or hours on the internet?

  • was sponsored by Atomic Lures and Shimano but they dropped me.Now sponsored by Fog Dog(The best fish coating out there) and raider lures.

UncutTriggerInWA's picture

Posts: 2692

Date Joined: 05/09/08

I don't agree

Thu, 2012-01-05 09:41

I have been around most providers over the years and despite hating to admit it, I swear by Telstra. I have a complete bundle including my Blackberry and laptop dongle. There are very few occasions where I cannot receive reception or emails even when fishing or travelling in remote areas. Vodafone were rubbish albeit they are reacting to some massive critisizm. Your right, for city slickers there are some cheap deals out there but I can't afford to take the risk of poor reception/drop-outs. I guess it's the old saying "you get what you pay for".

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Vince.
Work smart and fish often.
Member and die-hard supporter of the mighty West Coast Eagles.

allrounder's picture

Posts: 1853

Date Joined: 10/11/08

I personally use telstra

Thu, 2012-01-05 09:46

 but work uses vodaphone.As far as Alfreds situation is he will save a bucket laod with vodaphone.If he goes away on a holiday out of the ZONE as such he can get a telstra prepaid for the trip and still be miles ahead $ wise.If your work has you going bush then Telstra all the way if your work has you mainly in the city you can save big $ going elsewhere.

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So tell me have you got your info from years on the water or hours on the internet?

  • was sponsored by Atomic Lures and Shimano but they dropped me.Now sponsored by Fog Dog(The best fish coating out there) and raider lures.

Mick's picture

Posts: 501

Date Joined: 28/08/06

Telstra all the way. I do

Thu, 2012-01-05 09:35

Telstra all the way. I do alot of country work and travel and you cant beat their coverage. I have a few friends and family with 3/voda and they are constantly whinging about it.

Grayzee, I'm on a prepaid deal with Telstra. For $60 I get $900 worth of calls and 3gig of data. Very rarely need to top up and I use my phone alot. Also use my phone as my internet connection for my laptop - gotta love the iphones.

Cheers

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If the lord did not mean for us to eat fish and game, he wouldn't have made them outta meat

The speed of light is faster than the speed of sound. That's why so many people appear bright...until they speak.

allrounder's picture

Posts: 1853

Date Joined: 10/11/08

Thats a not bad deal Mick

Thu, 2012-01-05 09:50

 I think Telstra is having to compete a bit more on pricing as well in todays market.

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So tell me have you got your info from years on the water or hours on the internet?

  • was sponsored by Atomic Lures and Shimano but they dropped me.Now sponsored by Fog Dog(The best fish coating out there) and raider lures.

alfred's picture

Posts: 3097

Date Joined: 12/01/07

It looks like only allrounder

Thu, 2012-01-05 09:57

It looks like only allrounder and grayzeee are the only 2 to experience Voda's current services.  I am hoping to hear from some one that can confirm coverage from Two Rocks down to Margaret River is crap on the new 850mhz system.

 

Will have a look at Telstra's plans today.

allrounder's picture

Posts: 1853

Date Joined: 10/11/08

I would be happy to test the two side by side offshore

Thu, 2012-01-05 10:08

 Alfred if you could do something about the wind for me.

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So tell me have you got your info from years on the water or hours on the internet?

  • was sponsored by Atomic Lures and Shimano but they dropped me.Now sponsored by Fog Dog(The best fish coating out there) and raider lures.

uncle's picture

Posts: 9355

Date Joined: 10/02/07

yep

Fri, 2012-01-06 13:36

somebody do something with the wind

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all aggressive fish love bigjohnsjigs

Posts: 9358

Date Joined: 21/02/08

Back when I swapped from

Thu, 2012-01-05 09:58

Back when I swapped from Vodafone to Telstra, Telstra was actually cheaper for my use. Voda have obviously since sharpened their pencil with the infinity plans and all that, but they still suck.

There is a spreadsheet that shows the prices for every plan in aus, and lets youc ompare plans for your own useage.

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=1572741

I used to swap in an optus sim for exmouth or cervantes and jurien, and used their special data recharge.

Oh and seems their new 850mhz band aint all gold either:

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=1842480

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Bodie's picture

Posts: 3758

Date Joined: 05/11/07

Telstra all the way too Do

Thu, 2012-01-05 10:21

Telstra all the way too

 

Do manage our mobile fleet at work with some 150 mobiles on it. Did try Optus a couple years ago but since we work in remote locations, Pilbara, south west, even Sale in Victoria Telstra have the best coverage.

But from a personal phone perspective they would be dearer than most.

Posts: 132

Date Joined: 02/06/11

i was with telstra in the

Thu, 2012-01-05 12:06

i was with telstra in the past, very good, but we moved to vodaphone as it was cheaper, then vodaphone have now joined with three, however we all found the reception was nowhere near as good as with telstra. I normally use my mobile aroud perth, and reception is very poor in some places, and these are not far outer suburbs

we do have friends on various voda legacy plans that are very cheap, but even they admit their reception is patchy, but they only use their phoness for personal use, and put up with it... The new voda/three network is no improvement from what I am finding, and i'll be moving back to telstra this year, their new plans are quite competitive, and it you have a smartphone/iphone then good reception is a must to get good use of the extra features/data

Telstra -yes !!

 

 

Posts: 408

Date Joined: 23/11/09

Telstra

Thu, 2012-01-05 12:06

If your into fishing up north, theres quite a few places that are only covered by telstra. All others are just along for ballast.

coral bay is a good example. but there are a few others

 

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.

 

Posts: 8

Date Joined: 11/04/10

Vodafail

Thu, 2012-01-05 14:27

This is just my opinion....I had been with Vodafail for years both abroad and Oz and found it ok....untill about 18 months ago when they apparently made some upgrades (ahem) to their network.  Since these said upgrades myself and plenty of others had nothing but issues with reception.  There is even a dead spot as you drive across the narrows where you could spit to the CBD.  As has been previously stated you can't even get coverage within inner suburbs....got a mate who lives in Innaloo and he has no coverage.

I have switched to Telstra and have not had any issues....3g coverage even on the tracks up at 2 rocks !!  You may pay a little more but what good is $1000 of calls if you can't make any ????

roberta's picture

Posts: 2773

Date Joined: 08/07/08

Can't comment on

Thu, 2012-01-05 15:02

Vodaphone, but use 3 wireless broadband and in nearly 3 and half years with 3 for internet only had two and half hours of no coverage, but in Leeman have to get Telstra prepaid wireless broadband, very expensive compared to 3 for $50 8GB, for what I use its enough, don;t download movies etc.

 

Telstra won't leave them, mainly for country coverage, just renewed my contract for 12 months, have my own phone, so for $50 a month I get $440 worth of free calls/test and $50 ringing other Telstra people, plus 1GB  for internet, not that I will be using as have normal internet/laptop when travelling.

I've heard so many bad reports of most other mobile company coverages, that I stick with Telstra mobile.  I sometimes think its better the devil you now than the devil you don't know.

 

Alfred if you are looking for 100% cover in the city/country, go Telstra they are a bit more expensive but coverage is 99%

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Ginger Tablets Rock

 

joe amato's picture

Posts: 731

Date Joined: 21/12/08

im currently using vodaphone at work,still rubbish

Thu, 2012-01-05 16:30

 im curentlly using vodaphone at work,i have a mini computer tablet,i use to do my reporting ,ringing the office etc and i work for termico,i have had vodaphone dropout in the cbd,inner areas etc,temico is in the process of changing servers,and by my daily experiences voda phone cverage is below average,my personal phone is telstra and its 30 per month for 350 worth,better coverage,better service

carnarvonite's picture

Posts: 8627

Date Joined: 24/07/07

Northern coverage

Thu, 2012-01-05 16:38

If you have Vodaphone in Carnarvon your coverage runs out around the Carnarvon caravan park, nothing at all at the Caltex at the T junction and is non existant in Exmouth or was last time I was up there 6 months back.

Dale's picture

Posts: 7930

Date Joined: 13/09/05

Telstra 3G only, since I work

Thu, 2012-01-05 17:14

Telstra 3G only, since I work at a lot of different mines, Telstra is the only on that works at all of them, plus I dont mind Telstra either.

 

Cheers

Dale

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"Just because you are a Character, Doesn't mean you have Character."

Mr Wolf

 

 

alfred's picture

Posts: 3097

Date Joined: 12/01/07

Looks like Telstra might get

Thu, 2012-01-05 17:27

Looks like Telstra might get my business from the sound of things.  Going thru they plans now.

 

Thanks guys!

Dale's picture

Posts: 7930

Date Joined: 13/09/05

I'm on the $59 Freedon

Thu, 2012-01-05 17:32

I'm on the $59 Freedon connect plan and since I bring my own phone I get $800 worth of talk, unlimited text, which I hardly use anyway and 2GB of data a month so I see that as pretty good value.

 

Cheers

Dale

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"Just because you are a Character, Doesn't mean you have Character."

Mr Wolf

 

 

grayzeee's picture

Posts: 2283

Date Joined: 09/07/09

pretty conclusive evidence. 

Fri, 2012-01-06 06:47

pretty conclusive evidence.  May have to look into that then!

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If I spent half as long fishing , as I do reading this bloody forum , I'd be twice the fisherman I am. 

GrahamM's picture

Posts: 648

Date Joined: 19/01/09

How did you go ?I am

Fri, 2012-01-06 06:57

How did you go ?

I am currently with vodaphone and their service is improving but the coverage still isnt a touch on telstra. In some area's the coverage is better but i do still get a lot of call drop out and the downloads can be very frustrating. As for out of the metro the coverage is very unpredictable and i can get limited coverage with lots of black spots between moore river and mandurah so if you need these area's id go to telstra sad to say it because they are more expensive but more reliable with covering these area's

Cheers Graham

Posts: 181

Date Joined: 07/12/08

if you have any sort of smart

Fri, 2012-01-06 12:30

if you have any sort of smart phone or travel outsie metro area....only one choice telstra

telcos are all the same, a pita but at least telstra dont pass y onto some call centre in india have good coverage, and good download speed on the iphone

if u like drop outs slow speed and crap reception voda/optuse is the way to go, and no i dont have any affiliation to any telco

ive had the displeasure of using the other carriers and i keep going going back to telstra cause of the coverage