Smartone-Vodafone vs. 3

[Traffic]

Hi All,

currently having a Smartone Vodafone contract, however thinking about changing to "3" due to iPhone launch (yes, it so much is integrated into my lifestyle now that I can't survive without - just like without blackberry before).

What is the downside of 3 versus Smartone?

[jr_citizen]

I'm in the same boat as you Traffic.

I do recall reading in these forums about a year people having problems with coverage from 3 in HK. It's a bit hard to search for "3" or "three" in the forums though! However, to further that, our office manager cannot get coverage from 3 at home... she lives in the NT but I cannot recall where.

I've found Smartones' coverage to be superb, both in HK and abroad. I travel quite a bit so roaming coverage has been important. However, we have a corporate account with Smartone and that service has been horrendous. I'm lucky in that we've been switching our service over to 3, so my number will be transferred on July 11th

One plus about 3 -- in the year since I recall seeing the threads about 3 here, I seem to recall hearing that they vastly improved their roaming fees to other countries where 3 operates.

If anyone has experience with 3 abroad, I'd be curious to know that too.

[beachball]

Hi All,
What is the downside of 3 versus Smartone?

Expensive data plans, for one. (Disclaimer: Speaking from has been available so far. Not sure whether there will be any special plans for the iPhone.)

[jr_citizen]

I found some threads:

http://www.geoexpat.com/forum/thread18701.html
This thread started just over a year ago, but is aptly titled "Feedback on 3 network". Nuff said.

http://www.geoexpat.com/forum/thread21000.html
This thread is about a year old. Only the first page has comments about 3.

http://www.geoexpat.com/forum/thread20073.html
This thread is also about a year old and makes some comparisons between 3 and Smartone.

[Traffic]

thanks for this feedback. one solution will be to wait for an unlocked 3G iPhong and use it in Vodafone (Vodafone has a unlimited 3G data plan for about 300 HKD/month).

[KnowItAll]

Traffic - as a E61 Qwerty phone user, I'm curious, what makes the iPhone so special? Only reason I'm curious is because you mentioned that you were a Blackberry user and I cannot imagine giving up a phone with an actual keyboard for a touchscreen version.

[jaykay]

Using 3, Voda and CSL regularly there is little to choose between them to be honest. They all have their pockets in HK where they are good and bad.

Pretty much comes down to plans and tariffs and what suits you at the end of the day.

[MovingIn07]

Traffic - as a E61 Qwerty phone user, I'm curious, what makes the iPhone so special? Only reason I'm curious is because you mentioned that you were a Blackberry user and I cannot imagine giving up a phone with an actual keyboard for a touchscreen version.

I have EXACTLY the same question.... (well hubby is E61, I have en erricson P1i which also has a keyboard, as well as a blackberry)

[beachball]

I have EXACTLY the same question.... (well hubby is E61, I have en erricson P1i which also has a keyboard, as well as a blackberry)

Me three :-)
Have played with the first version of the iPhone and quite liked it. UI was great and most things seemed to work very well. What prevented me from getting it was lack of 3G, closed nature of OS, strange limitations on messaging (no MMS and the idiosyncratic handling of SMS), and lack of keyboard. New version gets over the first couple of issues, but crucially leaves the last one unresolved.

[octarine]

I've played with an iPhone, but don't actually own one (I have the P1i too). The on-screen keyboard isn't really so bad, not much more difficult to use than the P1i's "dual key" thing. The difference with the iPhone is that it responds when you press the interface, there's no 3 second lag like you get on Series 60 (and to a lesser extent IME, UIQ).
3 will have to come up with some kind of decent data plan for the iPhone launch, because their current tariffs suck.
I'd get one unlocked on Vodafone if I had the choice.