I have used talktalk for landline/broadband and Three monthly contract plan for mobile for the last 7 years. I have no problems recommending them. I’ve made both of them work very well for me over the years

They both used to be the cheapest by far and they still come in a fair bit cheaper in reality than friends bills; however over the years the base price for both has been pushed up. Both will tempt with 50% off for x amount of months (I hate this sort of marketing), but overall they still come out best imho.

As far as service goes, both companies used to have very bad reputations; I’ve not had any problems at all that I can remember with service or coverage, but people’s expectations differ.

As you’ve mentioned Three specifically, you can call and be called to/from the UK when abroad in certain countries as part of your plan i.e included, most of the plans have addons, be very careful with data if you tether, some Three plans allow tethering others don’t, 4G is included where available and is clearly faster.

I have my minutes capped, i.e. I can’t go over my alloted minutes in any month, I’ve also blocked 0845 and 09 etc. numbers. The EU have capped data roaming, at last, to around £42 a month for all providers. We still hear about nightmare bills though, t-mobile and vodafone spring to mind, I’m not aware of Three hitting the headlines with daft bills or unfair practices.

I’ve seen my bills probably double of the last 7 years, mainly standing charges or base price that have to be paid; however I still pay around 1/2 of what I see others paying and over the years I’ve managed to wangle quite a few benefits.

Every year or so I take a good look for myself and others and I’ve never come across anything else that makes more sense than TT and Three for me; however the choices are bewildering at times and the offers constantly changing.

I live in a built up area and coverage from all providers has never been an issue, this can’t be taken for granted though and all providers have weak/dead spots.

Someone else that jumped from O2 when sky appeared

Pretty much the 1st thing I did when I heard was to start looking around. I too plumped for PN though this was after some humming and harring due to the BT connection. Cheaper landline, cheaper packages, cheaper fibre…no brainer once I’d read enough reviews to ensure me that BT did let them run themselves.

The thing I really liked about the O2 broadband was the service. In about 5-6 years I had a few problems and other than the one where the BT line had died, they were sorted almost immediately.

Funnily over the years the monthly charge had crept up, as it does but when I asked for my MAC code the person offered me 1/2 price then “understood” when I said even if sky paid me I would have to consider it.

I’m in the process of switching my business broadband to PN so I get the benefit of a referral discount at home too. If BT do get involved I will probably be able to cancel the lot based on breach of contract. 😆

RE mobiles I have one on orange/ee that I have had for probably close to 20 years PAYG and a work mobile on Vodaphone. Were I live and work are not what you would call countryside but I regularly lose signal on one or other if I move out of town too much. The bonus is where one doesn’t work the other tends to, so my work mobile bounces to my personal if it can’t be reached. If people can’t get me on my personal and don’t know my work number, it’s not going to be important enough to worry about.

My only issue with either is the work mobile (Vodaphone) is managed by a company (who are also my outgoing BB provider) and they really are a shower of …. but I, thankfully, don’t have to deal with them too often and will bounce them in due course I’m sure.

JamesB – 24 minutes ago  » 

I don’t think BT are leaving PN to itself, exactly. I have little doubt PN’s offers are drawn up by BT to suit BT’s strategy. I’m sure they hang onto PN’s “separate” identity because it thereby attracts customers who’ve been terminally alienated by BT proper.

Robert C. Townsend (Ex AVIS CEO) in his famous book “Up the Organization” (How to Stop the Corporation from Stifling People and Strangling Profits) termed this business approach as “Pissing in your own soup” 😆