# 3 Offering unlimited data on pre-pay: Can i use an iphone?



## flossie (9 Sep 2011)

WOndering if you can help make sure i understand somethign here. Just taken a look at the 3 website and PAYG offers unlimited data now once you top up for €20 per month. Sounds very good deal (have been stung on Vodafone a couple of times for this)

I am due to get a new contract for my work phone. I was thinking of getting an iPhone 4 with a contract of €40 per month to avail of a free iPhone. If i put my own sim card (PAYG one) into the iPhone will i be able to use the iPhone as if i had it on a contract? i.e. no sudden data charges?

Sounds like a good deal to me so just want to make sure i am not missing somethign obvious!


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## PaddyBloggit (10 Sep 2011)

Have you a link?


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## flossie (10 Sep 2011)

Here you go Paddy.....

[broken link removed]

I got myself a smartphone on Vodafone but as i use PAYG for personal use, i haven't been able to use it due to the cost of applications synchronising, running in the background etc. (I'm not very technical with these sorts of things, hope that made sense!) so i was thinking if i switched to Three i would be able to get the benefits of a phone such as the iPhone4, Blackberry etc.


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## JoeB (10 Sep 2011)

There is a limit on Three 'All You can Eat' data packages. (15 GB per 30 days, reduced service after that, although not cut off completely. Reduced service may be similar to being cut off completely, there is no further info available on it from Three)


The word 'unlmited' has been redefined by the telecommmunications industry, with COMREGS condonance, to mean the opposite .. 'limited'.

There are no unlimited services available as far as I know, although there are many advertised as such.


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## GuitarDave (10 Sep 2011)

I took 3's free iPhone offer for €40pm and the "unlimited" data usage limit I have is actually 2tb pm.... Although not unlimited as is advertised I cannot image anybody downloading 2tb per month on a mobile phone.


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## flossie (10 Sep 2011)

Thanks for the responses....

Joe, for 15GB, is that sufficient to have applications like Facebook etc. running in the background all the time?


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## JoeB (11 Sep 2011)

Yes, 15GB is a relatively huge amount of data, and for most users would be the same as unlimited. 

It's only videos and movies that really use up the allowance, .. but you could still watch from 10 to 100 UTube clips or news items or whatever per day.

It wouldn't be enough if you wanted to watch streaming TV (football games etc),.. or if you wanted to download lots of stuff, like full 2 hour movies.


Mobile broadband isn't suitable for online gaming, online poker, or voice and video calls over the net as the signal is too slow in terms of response time.

Mobile 3G service aren't even considered broadband in other countries, but Eamon Ryan included 3G iin our broadband figures (only country in Europe to do so I think) so our figures look better when compared to other countries.



Overall I'd say it will be good, fast and 15Gb is a relatively huge amount.


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## JoeB (12 Sep 2011)

GuitarDave said:


> I took 3's free iPhone offer for €40pm and the "unlimited" data usage limit I have is actually 2tb pm.... Although not unlimited as is advertised I cannot image anybody downloading 2tb per month on a mobile phone.



2Tb a month?, as in 2,000Gb?

That sounds too high, do you have a link to the T&Cs?

2,000 Gb a month is over 64Gb a day, or 2.6GB per hour, which would require a speed of approx .7 MB per second. (or 5.8Mbits/sec).

While Meteors 3G network may achieve those speeds Meteor has the fastest network, and I think 2Tb when using Three services would actually be unlimited as it'd be undownloadable even if your connection was running at full speed for the entire month.


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## GuitarDave (12 Sep 2011)

JoeBallantin said:


> 2Tb a month?, as in 2,000Gb?
> 
> That sounds too high, do you have a link to the T&Cs?
> 
> ...



Given they don't supply me with a speed in which to actually download the allowed data usage but that is what my monthly allowance is... I couldn't find it in the T&C's though only when I log into my a/c which is copied and pasted below...

"You still have all this to use this month *
*
Remaining
Mobile data (MB)	 2,098,162.109
3 to 3 Calls	3,000
Flexiunit **	344
Evening & weekend minutes	150"


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## JoeB (12 Sep 2011)

That is misleading. You do not have the allowance printed on the screen, and COMREG or someone else should prevent Three from displaying a higher limit than you actually have.

Your limit is 15GB, after that you may receive a reduced service, which may be similar to being cut off completely. I say 'may' a lot as Three refuse to clarify.


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## GuitarDave (12 Sep 2011)

JoeBallantin said:


> That is misleading. You do not have the allowance printed on the screen, and COMREG or someone else should prevent Three from displaying a higher limit than you actually have.
> 
> Your limit is 15GB, after that you may receive a reduced service, which may be similar to being cut off completely. I say 'may' a lot as Three refuse to clarify.


 

[broken link removed]

If you follow that link and select T&C's at the bottom you'll find that nowhere does it specify a 15gb limit....All I have to go on with the iPhone deal I took is what I have previously posted...


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## JoeB (12 Sep 2011)

http://shop.three.ie/terms/prepay-price-plan-terms-conditions/ said:
			
		

> ...
> Should your data usage exceed 15GB in a 30 day period and your usage affect other network users, we reserve the right to limit your Service.
> ...




That might be for pre-pay customers only. There is certainly a limit of 15Gb on bill pay accounts too.



			
				http://shop.three.ie/terms/all-you-can-eat-data-terms-conditions/ said:
			
		

> ...
> Should your data usage exceed 15GB in a billing cycle and your usage affect other network users, we reserve the right to limit your Service.
> ...




The fact that you are mistaken as to your own limits illustrate how tricky it is to find accurate info on the Three website.

The page you linked to doesn't display the limits, not do the T&Cs linked to from that page. That is a disgrace, and Three are completely ignoring rules by both COMREG and the Consumer Association as regards letting customers know about limits when advertising 'unlimited ' services... ON EVERY PAGE where the word 'unlimited' is used.

They don't do this, and in my opinion, they knowingly defraud people.


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## GuitarDave (12 Sep 2011)

JoeBallantin said:


> They don't do this, and in my opinion, they knowingly defraud people.


 
Absolutely!!! As seen in my earlier post when I log into my a/c I'm told I've over 2tb left to download this month + clearly thats not correct information...


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