Three is the UK’s challenger mobile network. Popular features include 5G at no extra cost and the Three+ rewards app.
Three is the smallest of the UK’s four major mobile networks, having launched in March 2003. Since then, they’ve been paving the way for the smartphone revolution from launching the UK’s first 3G mobile network to introducing unlimited data plans.
Some of Three’s unique offerings include 5G at no extra cost on all of their plans and the Three+ rewards app. Three also has a range of home broadband plans which utilise 4G or 5G technology instead of using a landline or cable connection.
As of June 2019, Three has 11.6 million customers in the UK.
Dave L said:
There is a lot to consider. While one operator has a particular advantage in one area, it may lack something elsewhere.
One case in point is SMS delivery reports, which are 1.2p each with Three (they are, at least, on New Pay As You Go and Advanced Plans, according to their respective Price Guides).
Here’s a conundrum for you: Pay as you go credit is decremented in whole pennies. How can it be, then, that the cost of any part of the service is priced to the tenth of a penny?
Calls to some special and personal numbers are priced to the tenth of a penny, but they are also made up of a duration rounded up to the whole minute. How can a delivery report priced at 1.2p never be rounded up to 2p?
Tahoonehdar said:
This company it’s just let me down I am old customer and have to acount with them now my contract finish and ask for upgrade and ofer but they just told me you are not different with new customer and they give me ofer which is available for new customer now I just think 2 cancel both contracts and go with new network after 6 years they can Evan cut 4 pound of deal very ubset now
Steven J Parkes said:
Hi Ken,
I read your recommendations regularly. Generally I find the information very useful. However, I have to take issue with you on your continuing support of the 3 Network. As with many users, I found the offer of an unlimited 4G data bundle attractive. Having bought the bundle I then started using my phone. At first, all went well. I got a 4G signal every day for a week. At 12 Mbps and about 65 to 70 % appearance it is definitely not as good as the performance by EE. Given the promise of unlimited data access, this was acceptable. However, since that first week, the 4G signal has disappeared (currently three weeks).
Contacting their office was a waste of time. They claimed that their transmitters were working. They then said that they would pass me on to their Technical Department. Having waited about five minutes, the phone call was cut off and nobody bothered to contact me. I then pursed the matter on the Internet and discovered that my problem is quite common with the 3 network.
One explanation offered is that so many people have joined the network that 3 is unable to deliver on its somewhat inflated claim of unlimited data access. Having had such a poor experience, I no longer intend to use the 3 network. I think a caveat should be issued to users considering using this network.
Regards
Steven J Parkes
Lewis replied:
Hi Steven,
This is what happened to me. I logged initially good speeds around 8-12Mbits vs 70Mbits+ with EE for the first week then it dropped to virtually nothing after I had used around 10-20Gb data.
Buggerlugs replied:
I moved to Three’s mobile broadband this week. Picked up the B535 router from my local store. I’m seeing around 20Mb/s to 30Mb/s average peaking up to 96Mb/s (wirelessly on my Xbox one updating) and that is with the internal aerial with the router upstairs sat on the corner of my desk.
I get 5 bars of signal strength all day. It does however seem the bandwidth bounces up and down and certainly don’t maintain a steady top speed (like cable).
Every time I do a speed test I get a different result but overall I’m very happy up to yet.
https://www.thinkbroadband.com/speedtest/1570957365548749155
I’ve ordered two flat white screw in aerials from eBay which are on route, so hopefully whilst my signal strength is good, the quality should be improved with them.
I’ll report back my findings once they arrive.
Ian said:
Hi Ken,
Recently posted about the Three £10 All in one offer, which we took and brought 3 x Three sim cards to use whilst in the US. After only a few days there is no credit on any of the sim cards and have certainly not used 100 minutes. We entered the code given to us on the receipt at the Three shop and used the phone on and off for a couple of days but as I say not to the extent of 100 minutes. Now in the US with no minutes or texts across three sim cards. Anyone got any ideas ?
Ken replied:
Hi Ian,
Thanks for your comment. Have you double checked that an All in One bundle has been added to your account? You can do this by visiting https://www.three.co.uk/My3Account/Login. If everything has been set up correctly, you’d see zero credit on your account and a 30-day bundle which should tell you how many minutes/texts/MB are remaining on the bundle.
Ken