I'll try & keep this short, but just to get a few things out of the way first;
I don't have any particular phone in mind (no point even shortlisting till I know the answer). (Hence this particular forum).
I know I can see each phone's specification on Three's website - it's what I'll actually get that I need to know.
I know where in a phone to find the relevant settings.
It would take too long to explain why I need this option, except that it's for the usual reasons (easily found on the web), plus extra ones in my case.
I've no wish to get into PMs on this topic - I'd rather discuss it where it might also help others (and where it's easier to know who's responding to what). And I should think Three's tech team have the comms expertise to understand & answer the question without needing an individual's account details.
I've never had or used a smartphone, but it was organising a new phone for my husband (as family tech person) that raised this issue. While looking in the Three online shop for the simpler type of phone he wanted, I also noticed that PAYG Wifi smartphones have got more affordable, meaning I can buy a smartphone at last.
While also catching up a bit on phone technology, I learned that we're among the people who need to restrict the signal to 2G when at home, and that all smartphones are capable of this. The phone meeting his requirements (a Doro) didn't seem like a smartphone (despite the heading on the website), but it is a 3G phone, so when looking through its spec & manual it was good to find it has a GSM-only toggle. So we bought it (online, as we can't easily reach a physical Three shop).
However, once we'd set it up and could see the settings, the GSM-only one was missing.
I asked about it in the Three forum, & asked Doro by email. Meanwhile, a web search found other instances where this option had been removed by the mobile network. (Please say if you'd like links to some). Though it affected a variety of handsets, it might help to know that the carrier seemed to be O2 in every case (we're both O2 customers merged into Three). (We had later confirmation from Doro that our network provider would be be able to help).
Three's solution, eventually, was for him to ring Three's Customer Services and have his phone's internet turned off at their end. Luckily, that was ok as far as he was concerned.
But after that experience, I don't feel I can choose my smartphone until I know which types/models sold by Three will be as specified (rather than a pig in a poke).
Can anyone tell me how to ascertain this? Or tell me which section of Three's organisation to ask?
(Any input by fellow customers also welcome, of course - seeing the wood for the trees is sometimes easier for an outsider!).
