Mobile phone network

[tambrown]

Evening all,

I am looking for opinions on the best mobile network to go for, obvious requirement is best signal in the most areas where we love to walk. I am currently on Vodafone but wondering if any of the others are better.

All opinions appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Tam

[rockhopper]

I'm on O2 but often don't get a signal. I also carry a cheap vodafone phone as occasionally it gets a signal when O2 doesn't. That said, I often can't get a signal for hours or even one day to the next if away camping.

[geefre]

Same here, O2 does not work really well. Although I was able to get 2G signal on Ben Lui, but usually there is low connectivity or no at all.

Worth reminding that GPS works very well without phone network connection as long as you have maps stored on the phone itself (on-line maps obviously can't get downloaded without internet on the phone, although GPX points still work).

[tenohfive]

I also carry a cheap vodafone phone as occasionally it gets a signal when O2 doesn't.

Think that's the best answer. Voda and O2 are the two I'd go for, costs £10 (or less if you have an old phone knocking about) to get a cheap phone that'll last days on standby.

If using it for mapping then it's worth getting the paid content for Viewranger that's stored on the phone, all UK national parks can be had in 1:50000 for a tenner if you shop about. It's less faff than saving OpenCycleMaps onto the phone for offline use.

[stevesey]

It's less faff than saving OpenCycleMaps onto the phone for offline use.

It's not that much of a faff - every time I go somewhere new I kick of a download of the whole area (+ some more). Minute or so to set up - then leave the phone for 10mins to complete the download over WiFi - job done.

[rockhopper]

stevesey - you're quoting me above as making a statement about less faff and maps etc but afraid it wasn't me as I don't have maps on my phone.....my O2 phone is at least 6 years old, doesn't have any "G", have to press buttons sequentially to type texts which take ages, has a basic 2mb camera, definitely no gps but I can occasionally make a phone call on it I'm a bit old school as I only really use it for phone calls

[gammy leg walker]

I'm a bit old school as I only really use it for phone calls

And all this time there was me thinking that's what a phone was for Neil.

[tambrown]

Looks like Vodafone is getting the best reviews, I think I will just go with that. Thanks for all the comments.

[AJNicholls]

I also take 2 phones with me, on different networks.

EE is bad in every mountainous area I've been to. Vodafone is reasonable most of the time.

But even with 2 phones there have been times I've been out of contact with civilisation for a while.

[Andy82]

I'm with Orange and I hardly get a signal in my house!!!

[Fife Flyer]

I'm a bit old school as I only really use it for phone calls

Hurray
I am not the only one, I do have a newish phone Galaxy S2, but being old school use the phone for phoning & texting - I have a camera for taking photo's

By the way also on O2 & to be honest it is completely random as to whether you get a signal in the hills

[stevesey]

stevesey - you're quoting me above as making a statement about less faff and maps etc but afraid it wasn't me as I don't have maps on my phone.....my O2 phone is at least 6 years old, doesn't have any "G", have to press buttons sequentially to type texts which take ages, has a basic 2mb camera, definitely no gps but I can occasionally make a phone call on it I'm a bit old school as I only really use it for phone calls

Ops was supposed to the quoting tenohfive - got messed up when I deleted the bits I didn't want!!

[mrssanta]

to me it is a good thing not to have a signal on the hill - nobody can "get" me. I don't want to be in contact with people when I am up a hill.
it is possible to register your phone for the 999 text service for an emergency in the hills, you don't need much signal for that.

[tenohfive]

It's less faff than saving OpenCycleMaps onto the phone for offline use.

It's not that much of a faff - every time I go somewhere new I kick of a download of the whole area (+ some more). Minute or so to set up - then leave the phone for 10mins to complete the download over WiFi - job done.

I've used it for the hills where I live and it didn't seem to always work properly - there were still times where (despite being inside the map area) it starts loading the map over a data connection. I'll have to go back and double check I've done it correctly but I don't have complete confidence in the OSM maps being stored offline. I'll try it again later and see what happens.

When using it because I'm 'directionally challenged' in the Cairngorms I don't want to chance it not having saved properly. It's still worth having (OSM shows paths that aren't on OS maps, and vice versa) but at £10 for 1:50000 mapping covering all UK national parks I can't see any compelling reason not to have them.

[stevesey]

I've also seen Veiwranger flash "downloading" even when browsing a saved map area (not sure why - might be checking for updates). I have noticed that even with data and wifi turned off this still flashes up (very very quickly) and with both turned off (i.e. airplane mode to save battery) I can still browse to anywhere I like on a saved map (so I'm not too worried about it).

Equally £10 is not a lot of money for that extra backup of some 1:50000 maps.