Think about why other companies do.

You're living in the past! I've got two phones on 3 both with the direct
1400 tariff. One half price for the full 18 months and the other for 12
(both 18 month contracts). Both handsets were free but have just received
£75 back via quidco.

The network coverage is excellent and is certainly better than Orange in the
SW. Customer service is great and very polite. I certainly would recommend
them in 2006!

Mark

Says an Orange stooge.

After the last 2 years of Orange - had been with them more than 8 - moving
to 3 was a breath of fresh air. The only complaint I had was the walled
garden and now that is gone!

France Telecom have royally fu@ked Orange up.

1) I would highly recommend 3,I am now on my 2nd 18months contract now with
an N73 as Phones4U gave me £100 cash to do a new contract in effect buying
me out of the remaining contract period.
2) Web is now open with free searching done by Yahoo, with a very competitve
£5 add-on for 30Mb of browsing.
3)pop3 is not generally available, only via their wireless web 56 (£15) and
above. BUT just use their 'Mobile Mail' add-on, its only £2.50 and relays
your home email to your mobile in near real time, works a treat!! and if you
send an email from the phone it goes via your ISP so addresswise it looks
like you sent it from your PC. This is supplied to 3 by an American company
called Seven - 'Always on Email'. Their technical support for 3 is UK based
and very helpful.
4)Customer service is excellent - so willing to help and polite. Based in
Mumbai but don't let that put you off. They even answer promptly, more than
can be said for a certain 'French owned' competitor.
5)Free MSN messenger (6000 messages a month fair use)
6)My3, which allows near realtime account status summaries on your mobile -
Voice mins, Video mins, sms, mms, and down to the Kb for data(what other
network gives such clear contract usage status??), even bill history.
7)Even watch ITV1 on your handset, get free ITN video news summaries, free 3
day video weather etc

Setting up a new network and ironing out problems takes time, but although
they may have had some faults in the past I really feel they have really got
their act together and the existing networks had better keep a close eye!

Steve

Trouble is you can use that allowance in a very short period of time. I
prefer using the orange or tmobile
one day for £1 . At least if something goes wrong you don't lose more than
the credit in your account which
i keep as low as possible