EE, by 'eck!

**Chris** · 03-10-2012, 09:21

Rebranding of Orange and T-Mobile continues today with the replacement of the old brand names on phone screens ... A quick re-start of my phone this morning and Orange has gone, replaced by EE.

Just realised that this is the first time since I bought my first mobile in late 1995 that I have had anything other than Orange ...

Felim_Doyle · 03-10-2012, 15:36

So far, the one Orange SIM and one T-Mobile SIM roaming on Orange that I have tried are still showing Orange.

I expect that this is because of one or more of the following:-

Age of SIM card: network id. may be set in silicon based on MCC-MNC
Model of phone: network id. may be set in firmware based on MCC-MNC
Cell site being used: network id. may be set in software awaiting update
Whether it's a 2G/2.5G or a 3G connection: only 3G infrastructure may be have been updated

I have one new Tesco Mobile SIM in a new Nokia C1-01 that comes up as Tesco Mobile briefly but then reverts to displaying O2. I also have an old T-Mobile SIM in an old Nokia 7110 which comes up as one2one but the same SIM displays T-Mobile in newer phones. Actually, it always comes up as Orange these days when I'm at home.

I've even had networks come up as just the MCC-MNC digits, especially when roaming abroad.

I haven't tried every combination of my SIMs and phones for a while but I know from past experience that behaviour varies a lot.

Anyway, EE may be a poor choice for the network name because of the way it's displayed on some phones. It may be hard to distinguish the network name from some other icons and symbols such as the E for an EDGE/EGPRS connection.

---------- Post added at 15:36 ---------- Previous post was at 14:48 ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felim_Doyle

Actually, it always comes up as Orange these days when I'm at home.

Oh, typical! I'm getting a 3/5 signal on T-Mobile now at home whereas it had been showing Orange all day!

**Chris** · 03-10-2012, 16:18

I have a six-year-old PAYG Orange SIM in a never-locked Nokia 1600. They sent me a text this morning advising me that the change would occur on my next re-start. Have you had the text as well? I'm wondering if they're phasing it in.

dilli-theclaw · 03-10-2012, 16:20

My old iPhone 3G switched today.

Felim_Doyle · 03-10-2012, 17:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris

I have a six-year-old PAYG Orange SIM in a never-locked Nokia 1600. They sent me a text this morning advising me that the change would occur on my next re-start. Have you had the text as well? I'm wondering if they're phasing it in.

That's likely to be a SIM update then.

No, I haven't had the text yet nor, AFAIK, has my wife whose primary mobile number is with Orange.

EE, by 'eck! That'll keep the Orange and T-Mobile networks busy updating everyone's SIMs by service text message and could take some time to roll out!

---------- Post added at 17:25 ---------- Previous post was at 16:47 ----------

BTW, I bought my wife's original Nokia Orange (Nokia 2140) for her at Christmas in 1995. She has upgraded her phone a couple of times since and roamed with it extensively abroad as well as more recently on T-Mobile in the UK so it won't be as big a change for her.

**Chris** · 03-10-2012, 17:45

Heh, I threw out my Nokia Orange not that long ago. I thought it was so compact and stylish at the time.

The Orange network was so patchy in places back then that you had to leave it near a window with the aerial extended if you wanted to make sure it would receive incoming calls.

Hom3r · 03-10-2012, 22:50

I got a text message saying about EE and 4G and sigh up to find out etc and gave an web address now is it from them or a con?

http://m.ee.co.uk

MadGamer · 04-10-2012, 18:36

My Blackberry changed a couple of days ago. Though I am wondering, what about 4G? Would I need a new contract for that?

**Chris** · 04-10-2012, 18:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by MadGamer

My Blackberry changed a couple of days ago. Though I am wondering, what about 4G? Would I need a new contract for that?

Yes, you are almost certainly going to need a new contract for 4G, just as all the 3G services were on new contracts when they were launched.

MadGamer · 05-10-2012, 19:34

Ill wait for my current contract to expire then

Stephen · 05-10-2012, 20:11

You won't just need a new contract but a totally new phone. 4G isn't available on current phones. It's has to be a special 4G LTE enabled model. Ie iPhone 5 a new LTE version of the s3 and the new Lumia 920.

MadGamer · 05-10-2012, 21:39

Im probably going to get a new phone on my next upgrade anyway

**Chris** · 05-10-2012, 21:45

Upgrade ... Roffles. I've had the same handset for six years. There's dust under the screen and scratches on top of it. In bright sunlight I can't even read the thing. But I'm not going to replace it until I've found one sufficiently cheap and basic.

Vieil Homme · 06-10-2012, 08:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris

I have a six-year-old PAYG Orange SIM in a never-locked Nokia 1600. They sent me a text this morning advising me that the change would occur on my next re-start. Have you had the text as well? I'm wondering if they're phasing it in.

Mine changed after update to OS 6 this was on day one of the update and ever since they have been sending me texts say mine will change on the next re-start. Personally it looks strange looks like a sight test

And you try and tell the young people of today that ..... they won't believe you.