Capoeira123

My wife and I have been here about 2 months and have been spending like crazy on Ooreedoo pre-pay (partly down to dodgy wi-fi where we live meaning lots of skyping using 3G). So it's time to go post-pay and save some cash...

I've asked a few people about Vodafone, and the response I always get is "terrible coverage" from people who seem to have never used it.

Does anyone have any experience of (1) coverage and (2) customer service for Vodafone, because it's certainly cheaper on their Red packages?

Thanks!

Johnnyboy11

I use Vodafone on PAYG and it is fine. I get and H symbol (HSPA) inside my apartment in Central Doha, which I think is excellent. There is a good shop in City Centre Mall, across from Carrefour, which is well staffed and usually quiet.

Two minor problems with Vodafone:

They spam you with SMS messages and emails trying to sell you stuff, even though asked not to. Ask if this can be switched off permanently before you sign up.

The PAYG credit expires with no warning after a set period of time, leaving you disconnected, and if you're not quick they reallocate your number to someone else.

britexpat76

If you are making lots of international calls Ooredont are the cheapest option by far. I have 1200 minutes a month worldwide for about 500 riyals but there are cheaper packages. If you are just calling in Doha Vodafone is cheaper.

Venezuelan007

" Ooredont "

I sense subliminal messages...

britexpat76

To be fair to them on the mobile front they have been as good as gold - The fiber service I still cannot bring myself to talk about without feeling rage...........

stormwynd

Howso, on the fiber? Planning out my potential future life in Qatar and it includes fiber heh

OleJanx

It's like Special K - you find yourself shitting in fraustration.

JamesandTamsin

If you're using lots of data subscribe to a data package! Text MIP 25 to 121 and you get 1500MB of data per week for 25 riyals a month. It's quite cost effective!

If you use more than 1500MB then you can text MIP 100 for unlimited data but it's 100 p/w..

stormwynd

I guess that's not really the fiber I meant :P

Capoeira123

That's really helpful - thanks for that. While on PAYG that does appear to be the best deal, as simply relying on Hala top up gets very expensive if you have a data-hungry smartphone!

JamesandTamsin

When I first got my Sim (Oredoooooo) I loaded 200 QAR and it was gone within 3 days. Now I subscribe to MIP 25 the same amount lasts me 3-4 weeks. If you top up 200 QAR at a time you also get some bonus international minutes which is useful!