T-Mobile UK and Orange UK to start sharing their 3G networks

T-Mobile UK and Orange UK are continuing their push towards unification of their networks, the so-called "big switch-on" plan. Now, the two carriers form Everything Everywhere, the biggest communications company in the UK, and are about to start sharing their 3G networks very soon.

That means if you're a customer of either carrier, you can use the other's 3G network to access the Internet at no extra charge or anything - in effect, it would be no different than using your home network.

The upside is that it will improve coverage and data speeds. The "big 3G switch-on" starts rolling out next week by regions and should complete in a few months.

T-Mobile UK and Orange UK already share their 2G networks - meaning calling and texting. A total of 1.7 million hours of calls have been made and 5 billion texts have been sent by people hooked up to the other network.

Source