Three offers unlimited data from £18 per month with 5G coverage, roaming and personal hotspot.
In the UK, Three offers unlimited data plans starting from £18 per month with access to 5G at no extra cost. The unlimited data plans also include roaming at no extra cost in 71 destinations and personal hotspot so you can share your unlimited data with other devices. The plans are sometimes also referred to as all-you-can-eat data plans.
At present, you can get an unlimited data SIM card from Three with prices starting from £18 per month. You can also get unlimited data on a Pay Monthly phone contract, on mobile broadband and on Three’s home broadband service.
In this article, we’ll review unlimited data on Three in the UK. We’ll start by looking at the features of Three’s unlimited data price plan and at the multiple ways you’re able to get access to it. We’ll then look at how it compares to unlimited data on other mobile networks, before looking at the coverage you can expect on the service. Finally, we’ll look at how you can keep your existing phone number when moving from another mobile network to Three.
Contents
Unlimited Data on Three
All-You-Can-Eat Data With No Limits
In the UK, Three has a long history of offering unlimited data on their mobile phone SIM cards and price plans. Since 2010, the company has offered all-you-can-eat data, which refers to unlimited data with no hidden limits or fair usage policies.
Since 2019, Three has stopped using the all-you-can-eat branding and now simply refers to their price plans having unlimited data. As before, there are still no fair usage limits or speed restrictions for using too much data on Three’s unlimited data plan.
Nowadays, you can get unlimited data on a SIM card from Three for £18 per month. Alternatively, a range of Pay Monthly phones are available along with mobile broadband dongles and 4G & 5G home broadband plans.
4G & 5G Download Speeds
All of Three’s unlimited data SIM cards are 5G ready, so you can access Three’s 5G network at no extra cost if you have a 5G-ready device.
If you’re using Three’s 5G service, you can get download speeds of up to 1Gbps (1,000Mbps). Download speeds will normally be in the region of 150-250Mbps on 5G, with coverage currently available in more than 60 UK towns and cities.
If you’re using Three’s 4G network, it’s possible to get up to Category 6 LTE speeds (up to 300Mbps download). Download speeds can vary substantially depending on location but are typically in the region of 20-30Mbps.
Three doesn’t apply any speed limits to their unlimited data plan. This is in contrast to some other mobile networks like Vodafone which have different tiers of unlimited data depending on the download speed you want. Many other mobile networks with an unlimited data plan are also restricted to 4G download speeds.
Fair Usage Policy
There are no fair usage limits for unlimited data usage inside the UK. This is confirmed in the FAQs on Three’s website. The main thing is to make sure your unlimited data isn’t being used for commercial, resale or fraudulent purposes:
There’s no hidden caps or limits when you use Unlimited in the UK. You’ll get all the access to the internet you’d normally need, without hefty bills. So you can binge to your heart’s content. But use of our services for commercial, resale or fraudulent purposes isn’t allowed. You can read more about this in our Terms for Three Services.
Prior to September 2019, Three had a 1,000GB per month threshold which was used to identify non-permitted commercial usage of their service. As of October 2019, this 1,000GB threshold is no longer being used, with Three confirming there are no data caps for users of their service.
If you’re travelling abroad outside the UK, a fair usage policy will apply for usage of your service. This is 20GB per month when you’re travelling inside Europe and 12GB per month when you’re travelling outside Europe. Data speeds may also be slower when you’re abroad unless you have a Data Passport add-on. For more information, see our guide to Go Roam on Three.
Relationship to Go Binge
Between the 24th April 2018 and the 30th September 2020, Three offered a feature called Go Binge on Pay Monthly plans with at least 12GB of data. This gave you unlimited data for use on Netflix, TV Player, Snapchat, Soundcloud, Deezer and Apple Music. You then received a general data allowance for use on everything else.
Go Binge is no longer available to new or upgrading customers. However, you can still choose an unlimited data plan which gives you much more flexibility. This is because you can use your unlimited data allowance on any service you like, including things like BBC iPlayer, YouTube, NOW TV, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Google Play and Spotify (these services are not covered by Go Binge).
Three Unlimited Data Plans
You can get unlimited data on a range of price plans from Three including Pay Monthly SIM cards, Pay Monthly phones, mobile broadband and home broadband plans.
In the following section, we’ll look at each option in more depth.
Pay Monthly SIM
The easiest and cheapest way to get unlimited data on Three is by getting an unlimited data SIM card from £18 per month. You’ll get a SIM card that slots into your existing unlocked smartphone, allowing you to benefit from unlimited data, 5G at no extra cost, inclusive roaming and personal hotspot.
| Network | Minutes | Texts | Data | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | £18.00 12 months |
| Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | £22.00 24 months |
| Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | £24.00 1 month |
For more information, see our guide to Three’s SIM only deals.
Pay Monthly Phones
If you’d like a new mobile phone to go with your unlimited data plan, you can choose from a range of a Pay Monthly phones. Three sells a range of handsets from manufacturers such as Apple, Samsung, OnePlus, Nokia, Huawei and Xiaomi. You’ll get a new device with unlimited data on a 24-month contract.
For a list of available handsets, price plans and deals, please see the Three website. You can also see a list of their 5G-ready phones.
Mobile Broadband
On Three, you can get mobile broadband with unlimited data on the Huawei 4G+ MiFi hotspot (Huawei E5783B). This allows you to get up to 16 devices connected to the internet with Category 7 LTE download speeds of up to 300Mbps.
| Service | Data Allowance | Contract Length | Upfront Price | Monthly Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Three 4G Plus Mi-Fi | Unlimited Data | 24 month contract | £0 | £23/month |
Three 4G Plus Mi-Fi | Unlimited Data | 12 month contract | £19 | £24/month |
Three 4G Plus Mi-Fi | Unlimited Data | 1 month contract | £39 | £25/month |
For more information, see our guide to the Huawei 4G+ MiFi hotspot.
Home Broadband
Three offers unlimited data on a range of home broadband plans, with prices starting from £20/month. Powered by 4G or 5G technology, you can often get fibre broadband speeds without the need for a phone line or cable.
If you’re living in a 4G broadband coverage area, you can choose between the Huawei B535 HomeFi Plus (the 4G Hub) or the Huawei AI Cube B900 (the 4G Hub with Alexa).
For most people, the HomeFi Plus service with a Huawei B535 router offers the best value 4G home broadband service. You can get unlimited data with Category 7 LTE download speeds (up to 300Mbps) and dual-band 802.11ac wi-fi connectivity on up to 64 devices at the same time.
| Service | Data Allowance | Contract Length | Upfront Price | Monthly Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Three HomeFi Plus | Unlimited Data | 24 month contract | £0 | £20/month with special offer |
Three HomeFi Plus | Unlimited Data | 12 month contract | £19 | £23/month |
Three HomeFi Plus | Unlimited Data | 1 month contract | £49 | £30/month |
The Huawei AI Cube costs an extra £5/month and doubles up as an Amazon Alexa smart speaker so you can use it to control other smart home devices.
| Service | Data Allowance | Contract Length | Upfront Price | Monthly Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Three AI Cube | Unlimited Data | 24 month contract | £0 | £23/month |
Three AI Cube | Unlimited Data | 12 month contract | £49 | £28/month |
Three AI Cube | Unlimited Data | 1 month contract | £149 | £32/month |
Finally, Three’s 5G home broadband service offers unlimited data at 5G speeds. It’s currently available to customers in selected parts of London, and offers average download speeds in excess of 100Mbps.
| Service | Data Allowance | Contract Length | Upfront Price | Monthly Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Three 5G Home | Unlimited Data | 24 month contract | £0 | £24/month |
Three 5G Home | Unlimited Data | 12 month contract | £0 | £29/month |
Pay As You Go
If you’re a Three Pay As You Go customer, you can get unlimited data on the £30 Data Pack. This also includes unlimited minutes and unlimited texts.
| Network | Minutes | Texts | Data | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | £30.00 |
You can order a Pay As You Go SIM card from Three’s website. Alternatively, you can buy a new Pay As You Go phone from Three.
Comparison to Alternatives
Three offers an unlimited data SIM card from £18 per month. On other mobile networks, it’s also possible to get an unlimited data plan, with prices starting from £20 per month on other networks.
The following table compares Three’s unlimited data plan to what is available on other mobile networks:
| Network | Minutes | Texts | Data | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | £18.00 12 months |
 | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | £20.00 1 month |
 | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | £20.00 1 month |
 | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | £20.00 1 month |
| Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | £22.00 24 months |
| Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | £22.00 12 months |
 | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited 2Mbps max | £22.00 24 months |
| Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | £24.00 1 month |
| Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited 2Mbps max | £24.00 12 months |
 | Unlimited | Unlimited | Always-On | £25.00 1 month |
| Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | £26.00 1 month |
| Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited 10Mbps max | £26.00 24 months |
| Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited 10Mbps max | £28.00 12 months |
| Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | £30.00 24 months |
| Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited 2Mbps max | £32.00 1 month |
| Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | £33.00 12 months |
 | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | £33.00 18 months |
| Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | £35.00 12 months |
 | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | £35.00 1 month |
| Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited 10Mbps max | £36.00 1 month |
 | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | £37.00 24 months |
| Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | £41.00 1 month |
| Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | £41.00 24 months |
| To show you the most relevant plans, 12 similar but more expensive plans have been hidden. Tap here to show them. | ||||
On other mobile networks, fair usage policies may apply. Some networks also have a range of different speed restrictions (e.g. on Vodafone’s unlimited data plans). For more information, see our full guide to unlimited data plans in the UK.
Network & Coverage
3G & 4G Coverage
Three offers 99.8% population coverage on its 4G network and 98.7% population coverage on its 3G network. Customers with an unlimited data plan on Three can access uncapped download speeds on both 3G and 4G.
Before joining Three, we’d strongly recommend checking the coverage in your area. You can do this by entering your postcode on Three’s online coverage checker:
Check Three Coverage (three.co.uk) →
For more information, see our full review of Three’s mobile network coverage. Alternatively, see our overview of how mobile coverage works in the UK.
5G Coverage
Customers with a 5G-ready device can access Three’s 5G network on an unlimited data SIM card. This offers download speeds of up to 1Gbps (1,000Mbps), with average speeds normally in the region of 150-250Mbps.
To access 5G coverage on your phone, you’ll need to be in a town or city that’s part of Three’s 5G coverage area:
| Now Live | 68 towns and cities are live on Three 5G (October 2020) Aberdeen, Abingdon-on-Thames, Aldershot, Aldridge, Balloch, Barrow-in-Furness, Basildon, Bath, Bedford, Birkenhead, Birmingham, Blackpool, Borehamwood, Bradford, Brighton, Brookmans Park, Cannock, Cardiff, Chatham, Clayton-le-Woods, Coventry, Crawley, Cullingworth, Derby, Doncaster, Dundee, Glasgow, Gorebridge, Grays, Grimsby, Guildford, Heanor, Hedge End, Hemel Hempstead, Huddersfield, Inchinnan, Ipswich, Leeds, Leicester, Leyland, Liverpool, London, Lower Stondon, Luton, Maidstone, Manchester, Mansfield, Motherwell, Neston, Newquay, Nottingham, Nuneaton, Peterborough, Plymouth, Preston, Reading, Redcar, Royston, Sheffield, Slough, St Albans, Stevenage, Swadlincote, Swindon, Telford, Westhoughton, Wickford, Wigan |
For more information, see our guide to 5G coverage in the UK.
Tethering & Personal Hotspot
Tethering or personal hotspot refers to the process of sharing your smartphone’s internet connection with another device (e.g. with your laptop or tablet). It’s a convenient way to share your unlimited data allowance with other tethered devices.
There’s no limit to how much data you’re able to share through tethering or personal hotspot on your phone.
Prior to October 2018, Three sold their unlimited data plans with a separate 30GB data allowance for tethering. This 30GB allowance was scrapped for all customers in 2019 so you can now use as much data as you’d like for tethering and personal hotspot usage.
International Coverage
With Three’s unlimited data plans (excluding 5G home broadband), you’ll get international roaming at no extra cost through the Go Roam Around The World offer. This allows you to use your UK allowances when travelling abroad in 71 destinations including most of Europe, the USA and Australia.
A fair usage policy applies whilst you’re travelling abroad. Within Europe, the fair usage limit is 20GB per month. Further data usage beyond this 20GB limit is surcharged at 0.3p/MB. Outside Europe, there’s a fair usage policy of 12GB/month. Your data usage will then be blocked for the remainder of the month.
For more information, see our full review of the Go Roam offer.
Keeping Your Phone Number
If you’re joining Three on one of their unlimited data price plans, it’s a straightforward process to keep your existing phone number.
Start by asking your current mobile network to provide you with a PAC Code. This can be obtained by texting PAC to 65075, or by requesting it online through your mobile network’s website or app. You can then order your new phone or SIM card from the Three website.
After your new phone or SIM card arrives from Three, fill out this form on Three’s website. After submitting your PAC Code through this form, Three will schedule the transfer of your phone number (normally for the next working day). In the meantime, you’ll continue receiving a service from your old mobile network.
For step-by-step instructions on transferring your phone number to Three, please select your current mobile network from the drop-down menu below:
For more information about transferring your phone number between networks, please see our guide to using a PAC Code.
Frequently Asked Questions
| How much do unlimited data plans cost on Three? | You can get unlimited data on a SIM card from Three from £18 per month. This includes access to 5G at no extra cost, inclusive roaming in 71 destinations and unlimited personal hotspot usage. It’s also possible to get unlimited data on a Pay Monthly phone, mobile broadband, home broadband or Pay As You Go plan. |
|---|---|
| Is there a fair usage limit for unlimited data on Three? | No. There are no fair usage limits for unlimited data on Three in the UK. The only requirement is that you use it for your own personal usage and not for commercial, resale or fraudulent purposes.
If you’re travelling abroad to other countries, a 20GB fair usage limit applies in European countries and a 12GB fair usage limit applies outside Europe. |
| What download speeds will I get? | You’ll have access to 5G at no extra on all of Three’s unlimited data price plans. This gives you download speeds of up to 1,000Mbps (1Gbps), with typical download speeds normally being in the region of 150-250Mbps. You’ll need to be in a 5G coverage area.
If you’re using 4G coverage, it’s possible to get download speeds of up to 300Mbps, with typical download speeds normally being in the region of 20-30Mbps. |
| Can I use tethering or personal hotspot on Three’s unlimited data plans? | Yes. You can use tethering or personal hotspot to share your unlimited data allowance with other devices. There are no limits on how much data you can share through tethering or personal hotspot. |
| How does unlimited data compare with Go Binge? | With an unlimited data plan, you’ll have a lot more flexibility than on a Go Binge price plan. You can use your unlimited data allowance with any app or service. Meanwhile, Go Binge only gives you unlimited data for use on Netflix, TV Player, Snapchat, Soundcloud, Deezer and Apple Music. |
| What coverage will I get on Three? | Three offers 99.8% population coverage on 4G and 98.7% population coverage on 3G. You can check the coverage in your area through Three’s website. 5G coverage is currently available in more than 60 UK towns and cities. |
| Can I use unlimited data when travelling abroad? | You can use up to 20GB of data abroad in other European countries. Outside Europe, you can use up to 12GB of data at no extra charge in Go Roam Around The World countries. |
| Is it possible to keep an existing phone number? | Yes. You can keep your existing phone number when moving to Three. Just ask your current mobile network to provide you with a PAC Code. You can get one through their website or app, or by texting PAC to 65075. You’ll need to give this PAC Code to Three after signing up. |
More Information
For more information about unlimited data (all-you-can-eat data), please see the Three website.
Melany said:
After being with Tesco for 6 years, I thought long and decided to go with three. This was January this year.
In the beginning first 4-5 weeks everything seemed fine with my all you can eat data, but now I am certain it is throttled. I’m using my phone as hotspot, and right now, as I type, I’m struggling to download the three app.
The speed is reading 0.53mbps with a ping of 480ms..shambles.
I’ve been trying to download the three app for the past hour, as stupidly, it’s the only way you can contact three…due to coronavirus they say.
But they haven’t stopped or reduced the monthly charge they take out of my account.
Terrible absolutely terrible
VarisBro said:
If you value your mental health, don’t get involved with this bunch of i#*ots and bandits.
I’ve been with them for 3 years, and only issues, 6 or 7 times of which they’ve had to refund me 2or 3months at a time for absolutely disgraceful and useless service.
What do I include in service? Well…complete loss or 1 bar of signal(totally dysfunctional ) and both calls and data of no use. I’ll mention here I’ve been on all you can eat everything for 3 year.
Do not go with 3. You have been warned!!
dave mccolgan said:
Three appear to throttle video streaming..one download speedtest specifically mentioned there was a problem with video streaming..I’ve tried several tests, most seem to indicate two or three mB per second which should be adequate for video. I have an app which indicates network speed: it shows video streaming at less than 200kB/s..quality is terrible. You can even see the speed go down after a few seconds sometimes. My impression of three is of over selling, bad service, chancers.