[3g-g]

The Irish can now have the Three experience, will it be a case of god help them or will the Irish 3 network be brilliant? Would be good to hear from anyone on the other side of the Irish sea!


3 - the video mobile network operator wholly owned by Hutchison Whampoa Group - has switched on its video mobile network in Ireland. The mobile operator claims that while its video network is available to six in ten of the country's population, its standard voice and text service can be accessed by almost everyone.

Price plans start at €25 a month for voice and text services.

Said 3 chief exec Bob Fuller: "3 was Europe's first video mobile network and we're the largest 3G network in Europe. Our VideoTalk price plans offer a package of voice, content and video services at an unrivalled and sustainable price.

"3 has upset the status quo in every market where it has launched in Europe and we will do the same in Ireland by challenging the old networks and bringing great value and new levels of service to customers."

Yesterday, Eircom, the former Irish telco monopoly re-entered the lucrative Irish mobile market after coughing up €420m for Ireland's third mobile operator Meteor. The mobile sector in Ireland is dominated by Vodafone and O2, which account for nine in ten users. Eircom sold its previous mobile network, Eircell, to Vodafone in 2001.

The original article here. (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/07/26/3g_ireland/)

[gorilla]

Not quite 3 Ireland as I'm in the north, but it's interesting to note the roaming charges. I also noted that for 3 Ireland customers roaming in the UK they would be using the 3 UK network and the T-Mobile network. Is this just because the network is only launched and 3 Ireland haven't negotiated any other agreements yet or is this a sign of things to come for 3 UK customers (by that I mean instead of piggy backing on O2 we will be using T-Mobile)?

[Ben]

Now there's a curious choice - they do indeed only seem to be supplying their own 3G network for roaming in the UK, with the T-Mobile network as the alternative. I'm sure someone will come up with many reasons why this could be the case, though it seems more than a bit weird to me!

http://www.3ireland.ie/ireland/iexplore/icoverage/intCountry.omp?cid=1116413535699

[solo12002]

Theres also the issue of charges, I am also in the North, and feel we shoule pay the same changes in the south as we do in the north, ie no roaming charges, I also not laclk of pay as you go?