iPhone churn rate by network

[DBMandrake]

Just stumbled across some statistics in a study which polled iPhone users to see if they were unhappy with their current network and were planning to switch networks, and which network they planned to switch to:

http://today.yougov.co.uk/consumer/orange-iphone-dissatisfaction

Some interesting results to analyse there - of existing iPhone users, Orange customers were the ones most wanting to switch to a different network, (15%) followed by T-Mobile, then O2. Vodafone and 3 were joint equal on 9% as having the iPhone customers least wanting to ditch them and leave for another network.

However if you look at the statistics of which networks disgruntled users wanted to switch to, the picture is dramatically different - Vodafone came first, with O2 very close behind, and a long long way behind were Orange, 3, and T-Mobile in that order.

This stark contrast is interesting, because I think the percentage of customers wanting to switch on the left hand chart is an indication of actual customer satisfaction - the happier you are with your network, the less likely you are to go looking elsewhere, right ?

On the other hand, the percentage of customers who chose specific networks to switch to is likely based more on perceived reputation rather than actual recent experience of the network.

My interpretation of these results is - Vodafone scores highly both in customer satisfaction of existing customers, and in reputation among customers who are not currently with the network.

O2 scores highly in reputation amongst customers who are not current subscribers, but falls well short of Vodafone and 3 with actual customer satisfaction. (I'm presuming here that network quality is a bigger factor than customer service, for 3 to beat O2 in this...)

Despite 3 tying with Vodafone for satisfaction of existing iPhone customers, they came second to last in the eyes of potential new customers switching from other networks - their stigma and reputation is still so bad that people won't even consider them, with only T-Mobile getting a worse result. (My guess is 3 eeked ahead of T-Mobile due to better pricing - T-Mobile doesn't really have any stand-out tariffs, while 3 do)

Orange and T-Mobile both fared poorly - existing customers don't look very happy, and they aren't attracting many new iPhone customers from other networks either.

It really does seem from this that O2's legacy reputation far exceeds their actual current network quality of service levels, while 3's perceived reputation is still a long way below their actual current network quality of service.

Discuss :)

[Ben]

Well blow me down, a survey that actually agrees with the way I see the world! ;)

Three's reputation issues are demonstrated brilliantly here. I'm not sure that Three have come anywhere close to succeeding in improving their reputation as yet, either. What is clear, though, is that they've stopped the rot - I'm sure they'll be very happy to see these figures.

O2's position is a great example of their general reputation vs. the nasty experience of owning a data-hungry device on their network! Telefonica should be ashamed to have made such a lack-luster impression on O2, clearly the investment required to take it from the nation's texting network to the nation's data network has failed to materialise. I always thought it was genius how O2 put so little back into the BT Cellnet network, instead pimping it for everything it had, giving it maximum value, and then selling it so tomorrow's worries belonged to somebody else. Bravo :)

But what of -T-Orange? We probably wont see the effects of their truly combined network for a long while yet. What does that leave them with in the meantime? Norra lot of happy customers by the look of it.

Only Vodafone bemuses me a little. The data experience on Vodafone down my way has deteriorated dramatically since they became an official iPhone partner, especially since iPhone 4. I'm also seeing more and more holes in their network, while Three's looks almost invincible right now. Shame, Vodafone were always so dependable for me.

[Hands0n]

I'm mostly along with Ben here. To see a survey that echoes not only my own opinion but also my experience and that of almost everyone who ever discusses the networks with me.

I really do feel for Three. They have made some significant developments over the past year or so, their network via the MBNL venture is everything it is described to be. My own experience of using the "new" joint network is one of coverage everywhere I go, seamless, efficient and fast. But Three have simply got to get rid of the curse that is their legacy, courtesy of the failed - and continuing to fail - off-shore Customer Service operation who continue to snatch defeat out of the hands of success. I do not know the reasons why Three persist with that outfit, it is their very ruination, certainly in terms of brand reputation. Can't they see it? Can't they really see that no matter how good the network, no matter how extensive their range of handsets, that when (not if) something goes wrong that the Customer Services cock it up for them spectacularly with an almost guaranteed 100% failure rate. History will not be kind to Three's decision making in this respect. But you have to wish Three well for what they've done with the company under Kevin Russel and with their network share under MBNL. They are such an agile dynamic company in so many respects that they really can be the future of UK mobile networks, is they can prevent the ruination.

Vodafone, oh Vodafone, what have you done? There is a detectable level of rot occurring. The network is not quite as sharp as it once was. I find mobile Internet getting to be quite frustrating to use. Voice calls on both 2G and 3G are getting more and more prone to difficulty in connecting or holding a connection long enough to complete a call. And the voice quality is appalling even with a relatively strong signal on either G. But for the life of me I cannot figure out what they are doing wrong. Is it that they're under-investing? Unlkely. Perhaps they're not maintaining as well as prevously? Equally unlikely. Or is it the mast share with O2? Possibly, but I can't see how. And their back-end systems, legendary for being "quaint" they seem to be causing people more and more troubles. A workmate of mine with an "Excellent" Experian record cannot pass Vodafone's credit checks and so cannot join them. Can their regular Customer Services help? Can they hell. It is a case of "The computer says "No"" and thats that. Hardly much of a 'service' that. So he's now escalating through the web team and their internal contacts, maybe, just maybe some sense can prevail. Otherwise he's off somewhere else and Vodafone lose an "Excellent" customer for no damn good reason at all.

T-Mobile I have little opinion on other than they have some good mobile internet tariffs and mediocre telephone tariffs. Their network coverage under MBNL will be as good as Three's. Their customer service is okay, but they managed to lose me a few years back by making it awkward to upgrade. So I left.

O2, good grief! What a complete and utter shambles. Ben has it completely stated above and there is little I can add other than to say that my experience of O2's 3G and 2G networking has remained an unhappy and unsatisfied one twice over. Apple made a huge mistake trusting O2 for the 3G and 3GS that in my time of ownership hardly saw the 3G spectrum. Now O2 are pulling their horns in the value proposition is even worse. Their customer service reputation is rapidly approaching that of Three's which may take some heat off the latter as the word gets about.

Orange, what a joke. Customer service, tariffs, network coverage all a complete shadow of their former self. I cannot see one single good reason for using Orange and couldn't recommend them to anyone. In my own circle of family, friends and associates I have seen at least eight people leave Orange, three of them buying out their contracts just to get away, because the company could not solve their issues with any degree of competence or satisfaction.

So how has our nation's mobile network industry ended up in this sorry state? Have the markets raped them of the funds to do their core functions adequately? Are they just cash cows for the speculators? Why has Orange gone from champ to chump quite so spectacularly?

[miffed]

Only Vodafone bemuses me a little. The data experience on Vodafone down my way has deteriorated dramatically since they became an official iPhone partner

Can someone remind me ..... Didn't some , exceptionally handsome Talk3G'er predict this , back when the iPhone was o2 exclusive ?
;)

[DBMandrake]

I really do feel for Three. They have made some significant developments over the past year or so, their network via the MBNL venture is everything it is described to be. My own experience of using the "new" joint network is one of coverage everywhere I go, seamless, efficient and fast. But Three have simply got to get rid of the curse that is their legacy, courtesy of the failed - and continuing to fail - off-shore Customer Service operation who continue to snatch defeat out of the hands of success.

I agree that Three's 3G network is outstanding, and arguably of all the networks has the most geographic coverage, best speeds (averaged over many different locations) and is one of the most reliable too. (I find initiating a data session on some of the other networks can sometimes be slow or hit and miss - not on Three)

However their voice coverage (3G + 2G coverage) is not as good as some of the competitors, particularly deep indoors due to the poor building penetration of 2100Mhz 3G, and speaking of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, Three are about to have their own "signal-gate" if they're not very careful.

Word has started to filter out in the last few days on other forums (and also in a few comments on Three's on blog) that Three have started turning off Orange 2G fall-back in some areas deemed to be "strong 3G signal areas". Not not turning off 2G data, turning off 2G completely.

Whilst this looks good on paper, the reality is that computer generated coverage models that say an area is blanketed in 3G fail to predict the lack of signal deep inside typical brick/stone UK buildings, as there is simply too much attenuation through several layers of brick/stone walls for 2100Mhz 3G to penetrate.

The end result is that many people who are in "blanket 3G" areas who previously relied on fall-back to 2G indoors (one guy who works in a hospital for example) now have NO signal whatsoever in those locations, thanks to 2G being switched off.

Three are playing a very risky gambit here turning off 2G coverage prematurely in some areas based solely on computer generated coverage models, and could very well lose the goodwill they have built up by their vastly improved 3G network.

One could argue that until they had a nationwide 850/900Mhz 3G roll-out they really can't turn off 2G anywhere without risking losing and alienating a lot of customers.

Time will tell how extensive this 2G switch-off is, (so far my area has been left alone) and whether they will back-track or not, like they did with the no 2G data for iPhone 4 debacle.

[Ben]

Can someone remind me ..... Didn't some , exceptionally handsome Talk3G'er predict this , back when the iPhone was o2 exclusive ?
;)
I remember making no such prediction, but if you say so! I had EDGE (2 bars) in Canterbury on Vodafone yesterday evening and there was nothing in the way of data available at all. Might as well have had no signal. There are a few spots that have EDGE but little or no actual connectivity - I can't figure out whether Vodafone just don't have a clue or whether the GSM network is just totally overloaded.


One could argue that until they had a nationwide 850/900Mhz 3G roll-out they really can't turn off 2G anywhere without risking losing and alienating a lot of customers.

Time will tell how extensive this 2G switch-off is, (so far my area has been left alone) and whether they will back-track or not, like they did with the no 2G data for iPhone 4 debacle.
Hm. I'm in two minds about this. I don't mind that my MiFi is 3G-only because for me the whole point of that device is that it's providing mobile broadband; I want a pure 3G experience with no switching. A phone is a different proposition, because the owner wants calls and texts to be coming through whether they've got enough bandwidth for a Facebook sesh or not.

I want Three to be able to kill 2G, and I want them to do it before anyone else can, but without 3G in 900MHz I also fail to see how it's possible. We need the future of our spectrum decided ASAP, before we fall behind the rest of the world (to some extent we already have).

[DBMandrake]

Hm. I'm in two minds about this. I don't mind that my MiFi is 3G-only because for me the whole point of that device is that it's providing mobile broadband; I want a pure 3G experience with no switching. A phone is a different proposition, because the owner wants calls and texts to be coming through whether they've got enough bandwidth for a Facebook sesh or not.

Exactly. Mifi's and other Mobile Broadband dongles that Three provide have never been able to roam on Orange 2G in the first place, so nothing changes for Mifi owners - you get 3G or nothing.

But for a phone, while I don't necessarily expect to get fast 3G broadband down in the deep dark crevices of some buildings due to the physics of 2100Mhz signal propagation, I do have an expectation of being able to receive a phone call or text - and if I can do so now on 2G in certain locations, but soon lose that ability due to 2G roaming being removed before adequate replacements like 900Mhz 3G are put in place, I have good reason to get upset.

Many commercial buildings are simply too solidly constructed to ever expect 2100Mhz 3G to reach inside them, and if that happens to be where you work 8 hours a day and you get No Service due to removal of 2G roaming, you're going to go elsewhere for your mobile network.



I want Three to be able to kill 2G, and I want them to do it before anyone else can, but without 3G in 900MHz I also fail to see how it's possible. We need the future of our spectrum decided ASAP, before we fall behind the rest of the world (to some extent we already have).
We really desperately need to get 850/900Mhz 3G fast tracked, its absolutely essential.

Small, sparsely populated countries like New Zealand already have nationwide 3G coverage on 850/900Mhz (Telecom NZ and Vodafone NZ respectively) so the UK really is a few years behind even now, let alone by the time we eventually get a mass roll-out of 900Mhz 3G.

The one good thing to look forward to is whilst 900Mhz 3G will not give as good in-building coverage as 900Mhz 2G, it will give better indoor coverage than the current 1800Mhz 2G offered by Orange.

Getting 850/900Mhz 3G rolled out nationwide is Three's holy grail, and the only thing that will allow them to finally stand on their own two feet without sacrificing service. Hopefully they survive long enough to see that day...

[DBMandrake]

I should add, Three, as a 3G only network, should never have launched in this country in the first place, (back in '03 ?) when regulations only allowed for 3G to operate on 2100Mhz. It was a fundamental business error by those involved - surely the engineers would have told them that 2100Mhz could never provide satisfactory nationwide coverage ? Especially in a country where thick stone and brick walls (and NIMBYs :D ) are prevalent. The whole concept of a 3G only network limited to 2100Mhz should never have got off the ground.

Years of poor service due to the limited range and building penetration of 2100Mhz 3G, and a haphazard 2G fall back mechanism that resulted in dropped calls was the result. Three's current outstanding 3G coverage is only due to sheer brute force by installing an incredible 12,400 masts, compared to the 7000 or so they had before the T-Mobile link up. But no amount of brute force by sheer number of sites will give a satisfactory result in many buildings, (or enough range to cover rural/unpopulated areas without an excessive number of sites) so 900Mhz is essential to fill in the gaps.

[getti]

When it comes to smartphones and more important, data heavy devices how can anyone take O2 and Vodafone seriously? Not including the iPhone so looking at all the other phones out there such as Android phones Vodafone give as little as 250MB with 500MB being the 'norm' as well as O2.

T-Mobile at least give you 3GB a month on all Android and Windows phones with options to pay for more data if you want. Comparing T-Mobile and Vodafone for data (as I have them both)

Normal data of £5 on Voda gets you 500MB with a charge for going over
Normal data of £5 on T-Mobile gets you 1GB with no charge for going over.

£15 a month extra on Vodafone gets you 3GB on Vodafone
£12.50 a month extra on T-Mobile gets you 3GB

Now for the worst one....

£25 a month extra on Vodafone gets you 5GB with a charge for going over
£17.50 a month extra on T-Mobile gets you 10GB!!!! with no charge for going over!.

[miffed]

Its funny how things started looking up , and then they all reigned everything in so hard - the fact that EVERYONE tightened their offerings so quickly suggests to me that they all sat around a table and decided on unified action.

I am clinging onto my original iPhone (totally uncapped) contract for dear life !!

[Hands0n]

Its funny how things started looking up , and then they all reigned everything in so hard - the fact that EVERYONE tightened their offerings so quickly suggests to me that they all sat around a table and decided on unified action.

That would be illegal because they would be acting like a cartel, and cartels are illegal. *cough* GSMA *cough*

[hecatae]

Is there a report from the mobile trade in sites for which network they get most iphones from?

[Ben]

Its funny how things started looking up , and then they all reigned everything in so hard - the fact that EVERYONE tightened their offerings so quickly suggests to me that they all sat around a table and decided on unified action.

I am clinging onto my original iPhone (totally uncapped) contract for dear life !!
I'm actually going to steer away from the conspiracy here, after my experience of Vodafone's data network leading me to believe that the rapid belt tightening, also seen in the USA and probably other iPhone-carrying countries, is due to the mobile networks dramatically overestimating the capabilities of their networks to cope with bursty data consumption.

I don't think iPhone's use a lot of data, unless you're using streaming services anyway, it's more the nature of the traffic and no cap is going to help the networks deal with that. Desperate times :)


Is there a report from the mobile trade in sites for which network they get most iphones from?
Not that I know of, but this article suggests, proportionately, that it would be Orange.

[DBMandrake]

Hm. I'm in two minds about this. I don't mind that my MiFi is 3G-only because for me the whole point of that device is that it's providing mobile broadband; I want a pure 3G experience with no switching. A phone is a different proposition, because the owner wants calls and texts to be coming through whether they've got enough bandwidth for a Facebook sesh or not.

I want Three to be able to kill 2G, and I want them to do it before anyone else can, but without 3G in 900MHz I also fail to see how it's possible. We need the future of our spectrum decided ASAP, before we fall behind the rest of the world (to some extent we already have).

First article I've seen in the wider press about Three's Orange 2G switch off:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/11/08/3uk_orange_roaming/

[Ben]

Nice to see it up on The Register. The tone of the article seems to reflect my own views to some extent. It's a wholly understandable move, if backed up with a continued, aggressive 3G rollout, unless you're one of those who can no longer use their phone .

[3GScottishUser]

3 will once again sacrifice customers in pursuit of short term gain!

There are lots of areas where their 3G signal is nowhere near as robust as 900/1800Mhz GSM and this move could make a big difference to some who depend on roaming to use voice services. I know they say it's only happening in areas where they have good coverage but it remains to be seeen if their calculations are correct.

[DBMandrake]

I'm getting really concerned about the fallout from this issue for Three, I've been following it on another forum and also seen a LOT of complaints on their blog:

http://blog.three.co.uk/2010/02/05/our-2010-network-plans-video/#comments

(Just one example - some of the other network related blog entries have similar comments too)

It seems like Three are really shooting themselves in the foot in a big way here, and even though it hasn't affected me personally yet (I have good 3G coverage at home and most places I go and still have 2G fall back as well) I'm already looking around for an alternative network to switch to :(

I'll probably wait for the full merger of T-Mobile and Orange networks to be completed (rumours are some time around March) and most likely look at T-Mobile, or a return to Virgin, who were the first network I went with when I moved here last year, and have made big improvements since I left them...(speed, coverage, and prices have all improved dramatically in the last year on Virgin Pay&Go)

As much as I love Three's data speed and reliability, cheap data packages, free 3 to 3 calls, and decent Pay&Go options (at least on the old 3pay plan I'm still grandfathered on, not so much on the new ones) the prospect of so many areas without indoor coverage due to no 2G roaming, and in fact the hassle of roaming back and forth in the first place is finally swaying the balance for me.

Unless there is some major turn around in the next few months it will be farewell Three for me I'm afraid. I tried, I really did. :(

Does anyone know of any other networks that offer something similar to Three's free 3-to-3 minutes ? I use free 3-to-3 minutes to my Girlfriend who is also on Three, primarily so we can make use of 3-to-3, so if I switched networks she would as well.