Posted by Bonovox
Analysis firm CCS Insight said the move will see Three become a leading European operator
Three will acquire O2 to establish itself as a leading European operator next year, according to analysis firm CCS Insight.
The firm said O2 parent company Telefonica will take advantage of “favourable regulatory conditions” in the EU to sell its mobile business in the UK to reduce its debts.
Three acquired O2 Ireland this year as well as Orange in Austria.
CCS Insight also predicted that public wi-fi usage in the UK will peak in 2015 as the technology is made “less relevant” by the strong uptake of 4G.
With EE reporting that 43% of its customers use less public Wi-Fi after signing up to 4G services, this trend will continue as 4G becomes the norm for consumers, the firm said. The UK is set to become one of Europe’s most competitive markets for LTE, it added.
Yahoo is predicted to acquire Flipboard and Pinterest to bolster its mobile presence next year, while Twitter is expected to buy Snapchat.
Looking further, France Telekom and Deutsche Telekom are expected to merge completely (they make up EE in the UK) by 2015. “The move [will set] a precedent for other major mergers in European telecoms to challenge the likes of Verizon and China Mobile on the global stage,” the analysis firm said.
CCS Insight CEO and founder Shaun Collins said: “2013 has been a year of massive shake ups within the technology and telecoms sector. Nokia – Microsoft, Verizon – Vodafone and of course; Blackberry. Looking to the years ahead we expect this trend to continue. With various telecoms and technology giants under financial strain, the next few years should see yet more consolidation in this industry.”
www.mobilenewscwp.co.uk/2013/11/15/three-predicted-to-buy-o2-in-2014/
Posted by PowerLee
If 3 did buy O2 would this have any effect on the Cornerstone project between O2 & Vodafone?
O2 webmail shut down this week, looks like mobile data is now cut off when you go over your limit instead of being slowed down.
Would be nice if it did happen that 3 & O2 shared there network coverage.
How would this affect Gif Gaf & also Tesco mobile who both use the O2 network.
Posted by goldenface
I hope Three doesn' put price up to pay for it. They're hard to beat and I never fancied O2.
Posted by Bonovox
It's already happened in Ireland but it would give them extra coverage and capacity. Although again there'll be less competition. I doubt Three would rid of the unlimited data as they know they would lose customers.
Posted by goldenface
Yeah, unlimited data and no extra cost 4G is a pretty strong selling point. They would be stupid to do so.
Posted by XperiaJunkie
I work for O2 but in a franchise store. There are more franchise stores than retail around 70/30 split, if 3 do buy O2 it will be interesting to she what the do with the franchise stores.
Posted by Bonovox
There's an O2 franchise store near me in Northfield,Birmingham. Very small store & slightly off topic there is a black guy in there named Elvis
Anyway,Three is a very future proof network & growing all the time.[ This Message was edited by: Bonovox on 2013-11-15 19:32 ]
Posted by XperiaJunkie
Until around 2 and a half years ago I worked for three for over 5 years in a flagship store at the beginning they were a company on the rise no doubt about it but in 2011 they made some very strange moves with retail stores causing the CEO Kevin Russell to leave the company and move to Australia, Marc Allera who is now a director with EE and Ian Parpworth who is now with O2 left in a matter of weeks of each other as the parent company Hutchinson Wampoa were looking to sell 3uk to Vodafone. A lot of staff including myself didn't lile the position that 3 was heading in and decided to leave i still have friends that work for the company but have basically said the company is definitely not what it used to be and more and more staff are leaving. On face value 3 looks a very capable company butvif you scratch benith the surface they are a lot of people in very important roles that dont know what they are doing.
[ This Message was edited by: XperiaJunkie on 2013-11-15 22:30 ]
Posted by Bonovox
Seems crazy when you think that cos I rarely have an issue with Three at all. They always seem to be reliable in every way
Posted by Miss UK
I switched to three very recently I'm enjoying
Knowing that I can use as much data as I can lol
If 3 bought O2 then it might mean better coverage won't it
For 4g? As far as I know three only have 30% coverage for 4g
As required from EE which own more
Posted by Bonovox
Three haven't switched on 4G yet so nobody knows their 4G coverage. EE sold some spectrum as part of a deal with Ofcom but still no 4G till December.
Posted by XperiaJunkie
I have no problem with 3 as a network infact they are fantastic its just the actuall company set up that seems to have lost its way over the last few years and maybe they now starting to turn that around again (fingers crossed) but yeah your right the network is spot on.
Posted by Miss UK
I read on there site that there bringing it to London, Birmingham and generally areas near me so that good
im still waiting for my phone number to transfer from EE to 3 "24 hours" my arse I guess they don't work at the weeknd and it will be go through Monday
now gotta have 2 phones on the go like im cheating
Posted by Bonovox
That's the few cities they'll be first kicking off 4G as far as I know. I rarely have issues with Three even Indian customer services have been good with me. I still worry a bit when a new service kicks off as it always has teething problems. Am forever hearing EE complaints. XperiaJunkie how is 4G going so far on O2?? Have not heard much in the news of complaints yet.
_________________
Don't be an iSheep,follow the exclusive sheep!!
Samsung Galaxy Note III
[ This Message was edited by: Bonovox on 2013-11-16 23:58 ]
Posted by Del
On 2013-11-16 23:01:01, Miss UK wrote:
I read on there site that there bringing it to London, Birmingham and generally areas near me so that good
im still waiting for my phone number to transfer from EE to 3 "24 hours" my arse I guess they don't work at the weeknd and it will be go through Monday
now gotta have 2 phones on the go like im cheating
Hi @Miss UK when did you ask for your PAC code? And how long did it take EE to give you one?
I'm seriously thinking, wanting lol to move to three but I use my EE number for work and I need my number ported as fast as possible lol
Posted by XperiaJunkie
@Bono here in Newcastle 4G launches on the 19th of this month there has been a fair bit of network down time to be honest with a fair amount of customers complaining about lack of service. This has been the norm in every city that has 4G the transition was never going to be faultless but we didn't expect this much downtime for example in my postcode customers including myself have been without a decent service by that I mean getting dropped calls and virtually non existing 3G for around 3 weeks. So as you can imagine working at an O2 store lately hasn't been much fun fingers crossed it all gets sorted on the 19th.
[ This Message was edited by: XperiaJunkie on 2013-11-17 10:16 ]
Posted by Bonovox
Oh yeah can imagine people coming in complaining bur what can you do?? Maybe networks should have not switched on 4G till the coverage was wider. @Del normally 24 hours these days for porting numbers but do it on a week day as you can wait all weekend if you do it on a Friday. It's also down to T Mobile how fast they release the number.
Posted by XperiaJunkie
A PAC code is normally a 1 working day transfer from the day your new network receives it however the cut off point is 4pm that day then its the next working day after that. Weekends and bank holidays dont count so @MissUK unless your PAC code was received before 4pm on Thursday it will be Monday before it transfers. Hope this helps
Posted by Bonovox
When I moved my number to Three a while ago it took 48 in total. It also depends on other networks as with Three I had it transfered next day they are quick.
Posted by Del
Cheers guys
I just need to find the time to do this lol
Posted by Bonovox
Just think back to the days when it used to take 28 days transferring your number. Don't know why they don't do it here but transferring your number in Ireland can take 2 hours
Posted by Miss UK
Move to 3 early in the week if you can cos they stand around eating biscuits at the weekend
I got my Sim Friday sent the Request to move from EE to 3 via there online form late afternoon
and they only sorted it out after 5pm as of yesterday (Monday) lol
they do update you of the process so you will get a date and time of when you will be
transferred
EDIT Ps. I Phoned Orange within 30 days to give them notice the poor Irish woman couldn't match "3's"
£12.90p Sim Only plan and rather then try and push me onto something else she just gave me my PAC Code
there and then over the phone
just remember you need to give them 30 days notice to get your pac code and you can move
[ This Message was edited by: Miss UK on 2013-11-19 00:37 ]
Posted by Bonovox
Orange network and an Irish customer service agent?? They're all in India. I had my number transfered to Three in 24 hours in all but sometimes the other network can drag their feet releasing the number.
Posted by Miss UK
Orange have a varied CS team there not all from just
Say India lol ... I've spoken to loads of English staff throughout
The time I was with them
They did take there time transferring me, I'm sure when I moved
From O2 to Vodafone some years ago it took less time even!
Oh well I'm done now
What's the scoop on Virgin Media's data I noticed they have
A unlimited everything £15 sim only plan too however they
Don't support the iPhone and never have lol
Is the data really unlimited or is there a cap?
Anyone used there service
Posted by Bonovox
It was more than likely their retentions team in Bristol as that's where Orange are based. Regarding Virgin they do unlimited data on contracts but they were ridiculed earlier this year for capping speeds to 2mbps. I have a friend Lisa who works for them
[ This Message was edited by: Bonovox on 2013-11-19 04:31 ]
Posted by Del
@Miss UK thanks for that
I've already spoken to T-Mobile about there tariffs and dodgy network service where I live now and I was offered 2000mins, unlimited data and texts on a sim only plan for 12 months for £19.50 pm which isn't that bad I suppose but when I spoke to an engineer on the same call about there service he told me to either buy a a signal booster for £105 
or leave lol I don't think they want to keep their customers.
Posted by Miss UK
Probably was Bono the thing with Orange is you dunno
Which department u sometimes go to there options are pretty
Annoying lol
Those speeds aren't good then on Virgin :|
@ del, how much for a signal booster? Vodafone sold me
One of those for £20 when I was with them I still have it somewhere!
You should just get your PAC and come to 3 that £15 30 day plan would be good
For you it also has tethering
I got round to setting up my online 3 account this morning
Make sure ur phones are set to your current phone ppl
So you will get the 4g settings
I noticed that when it put my 3 sim in my iPhone the 4G
Toggle disappeared lol I'm like woot
Posted by Bonovox
I am on the One plan now with tethering and using it on my pc is fast and reliable
I have a full 5 bar signal on Three in my house Telling someone to get a home signal booster is appalling 
I have NEVER once had bad service from Three & they have always called me back when they say they will,are friendly & if you are calm and speak CLEARLY your ok with them. But still sometimes they do sound like robots and like they are reading off a script. Coverage for me has been great most places & as I said the network is rarely down unlike O2 & when it is it has never been for long. Only once was the mast in my area down for about 4 days but they were upgrading it so my signal dropped but they always informed me!!!!!! Great network Three!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by Bonovox
http://www.three.co.uk/Discover/Built_for_internetting?site=d
@MissUK aswell as Birmingham it says Dudley and surrounding areas too in December I look forward to using 4G on my pc tethering [ This Message was edited by: Bonovox on 2013-11-19 20:29 ]
Posted by Bonovox
http://google.com/newsstand/s/CBIw2rmO6A0
Virgin now offer I phones
Posted by Miss UK
That's kewl I'm wondering what's it's gonna show up as on my iPhone
LTE or 4g
Virgin mobile do take the biscuit with a iPhone dunno why it's taken
Them decades to get them but still there not as good as three anyway
Not for phones anyway but perhaps tv / phone / broadband
Posted by Bonovox
Bit of a glitch today. Am on the One Plan which includes tethering but for some reason tethering was blocked. Called Three and network technical department called me back to say for some reason the system showed a block on my account for tethering which they have now opened. Just a glitch in their systems but they again called me back to solve the issue as always. But at least it does show their system works for blocking tethering where it's not allowed.
Posted by Bonovox
Three fixed my tethering issue works now