T-Mobile: on er Orange

Well it's been a while with T-Mobile on our SIM Only real world, real life test. It’s also been an interesting period too for the network as they have started to merge behind the scenes with Orange. Only recently has this coming together been visible on the high street as well. Not in a traditional sense though, the two brands are continuing to exist side by side. Instead of sharing shops, they are sharing networks.

They are both shouting about this too. In the capital they have run ads alongside each other in characteristic Pink and Black & Orange across nearly every tube train I have got in. In the national press they also run playful ads to tell us that Orange users are welcome on T-Mobile and vice versa. They are hardly holding back this new feature in fear of use.

Let's clarify though that it's only their 'Talk n Text' networks that are being shared (original 2G basically) and not what all of us are now interested in: 3G and its higher data speeds. Surely in this age, all of the 'original four' networks have nailed their basic 2G coverage? They've had long enough. You'd of thought especially in London that I'd be picking up full bars with my ears alone.

Astonishingly though in the case of T-Mobile this is not the case. I've noticed in Central and West London my signal disappear altogether when inside buildings. Other times I've come out of the Tube and not gained any for 10 minutes. This reminded me of being back in the bad old days of O2 before I moved to Three. This is obviously a very personal experience, but in the age where we all worry about 3G signal, its worth remembering that people still struggle to get any whatsoever.

So for T-Mobile and Orange, it's good they are merging like this. Just think of all those disgruntled users that will of signed up for a 24 month Orange contract, yet can't get a whiff of signal in their own house. At least now they have a chance of making calls over T-Mobile.

Sharing: Good for T-Mobile

How have I found it? Well initially: mixed. I had hoped that I wouldn't need it at all, as T-Mobile has historically been regarded as pretty good in London and the South East if not that great outside of it.

My hopes have been dashed though whenever in W12 or inside big steel concrete buildings. At this point 3G became a distant memory and a whiff of 'T-Mobile Orange' is a joy to behold. One issue though has been the phone struggling to know when it should be on one network or the other. As I’ve described before, this was a nightmare in the days of Three not having enough of its own network and landing you on O2. The phone would cling onto Three for as long as possible, dropping your call when really you should of been passed to O2.

So at times I'd find myself stuck on T-Mobile Orange without data or GPRS at best when I could of been back on T-Mobiles 3G. Frustrating.

This was though admittedly in the early days. Now I find it less obviously annoying and if I do end up on Orange's network it is only for as long as required. Still, at least I can still make calls and texts.

Calling and texting though, on an iPhone, its just so old skool isn't it? Our expectations are higher than that now with our iPad's and iPhone's.

Now if you swathe me in endless 3G sharing from Orange and T-Mobile, I'll take notice. Boy expectations will be big however: I'll also expect never to go without 3G.

I do wonder how often Orange's users are moving over to T-Mobile though? I'm sure we will find out when I move on to test Orange as the next network for the iPhone SIM Only blog...