In 2010 Everthing Everywhere started to allow their users to share the T-Mobile and Orange signals. At first it was just voice sharing and then in 2011 they allowed data sharing. It always seemed to be a bit hit and miss. My phone would jump to the other network and stick to it, leaving me stuck on “g” instead of “3g” or “H”.
Well today Everything Everywhere have announced that they are moving into the final phase of the signal sharing scheme. The key points of the scheme are:
- Final stage marks completion of T-Mobile and Orange signal sharing project
- Smartphones, tablets and dongles seamlessly switch 3G signal from either Orange or T-Mobile network to ensure customers get fast 3G in even more places
- Smart Signal Share is part of the £1.5bn network evolution project, with £1.4m being invested every day
Recently I have noticed that my phone has jumped to the shared “T-Mobile Orange” network if I have been in a grey area. Previously I had to force the change in the settings or turn my phone off and back on again to get on the shared network.
This latest change seems to have made the whole process fairly seamless. The only problem for me is getting back onto the faster T-Mobile signal. I have to manually force this. I guess this sort of bug is what is being ironed out in the final phase.
How has your experience of the network sharing been? Let us know below. I would love to know if I just live in one huge grey area or not.
The press release from Everything Everywhere is here.
Everything Everywhere, the UK’s biggest communications company, has completed the final stage of the ‘big switch-on’ – Orange and T-Mobile’s signal sharing project. Smart Signal Sharing will mean that if a customer’s smartphone, tablet or dongle 3G signal starts to fade, it will automatically and seamlessly prioritise signal from the other network. This means customers will get access to fast, uninterrupted 3G in more places, more of the time.
Olaf Swantee, CEO of Everything Everywhere, said: “Smart Signal Sharing marks the completion of the Orange and T-Mobile signal integration project, which provides our 27.5million customers with the widest 2G and 3G coverage available in Britain today. The launch is yet another proofpoint to our commitment to provide our customers with the best network in the UK – now and in the future.
Our continued investment into the network, including the launch of 50% faster 3G speeds through HSPA+, allows our customers to access the internet, social networks or download emails faster in more places than ever before.”
The final stage of the switch on ensures that if a customer’s 3G signal drops to a point at which performance may be impacted – around one bar of signal – their device will automatically switch to available 3G signal on either network.
If no 3G coverage is available, all Orange and T-Mobile devices will seamlessly switch to 2G signal and back on to 3G when either network comes back into range – even if a customer is downloading a page on the internet.Smart Signal Sharing has been rolled out to all Orange and T-Mobile customers. Customer charges remain the same when using the other network’s signal.
In November 2011, Everything Everywhere announced an investment of £1.5bn into the network, shortly followed by the announcement of the roll out of HSPA+ 21, or 3.5G, which now reaches 95% of the UK population.
Subject to regulatory approval from Ofcom, Everything Everywhere is ready and able to begin the roll out of 4G on a small scale by the end of the year.
The Big Switch On
The first stage of Everything Everywhere’s Big Switch On launched in October 2010, and allowed Orange and T-Mobile customers to share 2G signal to make calls and send texts in more places. 3G sharing was then introduced in October 2011. Since then, over nine million Orange and T-Mobile customers have benefited, resulting in 190 million calls and over 300 million GB of data being used.How does it all work?
If a customer’s signal drops to a point at which performance may be impacted – around one bar of signal – their device will automatically switch to the available signal on either network. If no 3G coverage is available, all Orange and T-Mobile devices will switch to 2G signal and back on to 3G when either network comes back into range, even if a customer is downloading a page on the internet.
Source – Everthing Everywhere
it’s driving me and the mrs nuts at the moment in london. constantly on t-mob orange and losing data connection. half the time i’m on gprs. spoke to t-mob to try and switch the signal sharing off and they can’t do it any more so i’m stuck with a crappy signal. the wife’s contract is up in 2 weeks, she may be leaving t-mob! i left orange cos they got rubbish and sadly i think they are now infecting what was great service at t-mob.
Sounds like you are having a worse time of it than I am. Hope they improve things soon. I have to force myself back onto the t-mobile signal most days.
hi james, yep it’s getting a wee bit frustrating, especially as i can’t seem to force mine back to t-mob at home. just goes back to crappy orange every time and i used to have full t-mob 3g signal – grrrrrr!
definitely sounds like grounds to leave them.
Always have problems switching back from G to 3G or H. It just doesnt work! It takes into consideration voice signal only and if this is OK on 2G will not switch to 3G/H! Drives u mad!!
Yeah same here. I really hope they fix it.
my htc drops signal each time it switches, dropping calls in the process – I got a grey area in my living room on my sofa would you believe!!!! – its constantly switching back and forth. Surely they can just integrate both signals and call it tmorange and have permanent signal (especially spending all that money)
“Grey area in my living room” does not sound good. Yes the idea of tmorange is a great one.
my defy used to switch over fine,never seen the desire on orange