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Three review 2025: better coverage & speeds than ever

Three logo, phone and SIM card Visit Three.co.uk

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We took a Three SIM card for a test drive as a real life customer to see if their 4G/5G, WiFi calling and other benefits are any good. Last updated: 25th November 2024.

Overall rating

SIM Sherpa rates Three as an excellent network
 (4/5, excellent)

“Three’s massive investment in expanding their network has paid off. We’ve noticed a vast improvement in 4G coverage since our last test, with signal in places you used to drop down to 3G in.

Their 5G is being recognised as the fastest in the UK by independent speed testers too. 4G speeds are second only to EE. And Three have our joint-favourite WiFi calling technology in place too.

We’re a bit disappointed to see Three bin their added value benefits over the years. There’s no inclusive EU/worldwide roaming, as standard any more. Perks like free streaming data are gone as well.

But that has been reflected in the prices on Three. They’re practically always the cheapest of the main four UK networks on SIM only. If you’ve ruled out Three before, we think it’s time to reconsider.”

The 3 best bits

1) UK's cheapest main network
2) Fastest 5G in the country
3) Excellent WiFi calling

The 3 worst bits

1) No more inclusive EU or worldwide roaming
2) 4G lacking in some rural areas
3) True blackspots for calls in the country

How fast is 4G on Three?

It’s in the mid-range of speeds for mobile networks. Independent testers put it at 25 Mbps - enough to stream 4K videos even.

Does the Three network have 5G?

Yes it does. And it’s even measured up as the fastest by independent network testers. You’ll get it on all pay monthly and pay as you go plans.

Can I keep my number on Three?

Yes. Just get a PAC from your old provider by texting them on 65075 from your current SIM, then give this to Three when you sign up or at any point in your contract.

Which network does Three use?

Three is its own mobile network. It doesn’t piggyback on other network.

Does Three have WiFi calling?

Yes. In fact it’s our joint-favourite scheme. It supports loads of phones and even works with SMS text messages.

Information symbol We're a professional reviews website but we bought our Three SIM card as a regular consumer, to test what it's actually like for real life paying customers. The contents of this review are a combination of our expert industry knowledge and what we experienced during our test.

Is Three’s network any good?

Coverage is strong on Three, particularly for 5G

Three 4G and 3G signal coverage

See how well they cover your areaCheck Three's signal

at Three.co.uk
(opens in a new window)

Three own and operate their own mobile network. They don’t rely on anyone else for signal. It’s the newest network, so historically they had lagged behind other providers for calls and data coverage.

But their massive investments into 4G have definitely paid off. They cover much more of the UK’s landmass now and we noticed the improvements in our tests. They’re now essentially on par with Vodafone and EE.

We popped our Three SIM into a test phone and went to the countryside, to the suburbs and to the city centre to check how good signal is in different areas and how well coverage lines up with their map.

In built up areas we stayed on 4G consistently. We also noticed Three’s investments into expanding rural 4G coming into effect, as we stayed on 4G pretty consistently out in the countryside.

For 4G data, Three are now as good as any network in large towns and cities. Even in smaller towns, they mostly match other providers.

Three are currently in the process of changing their 3G masts over to 4G, which will be done by the end of 2024. This has already improved rural 4G and Three now provide faster data speeds to more people.

But this could negatively impact indoor call signal during the switchover, and could leave users without WiFi/4G calling compatible devices in the dark. Read our guide to the 2G/3G switch off here to learn more.

Three have also invested massively into their 5G and it shows. They have 5G live in a long list of 580+ UK towns and cities and generally cover these very well, not just providing it in the most populated areas.

One weakness is their 3G call signal, which is less widespread than on other networks. They are switching their 3G masts to 4G by the end of 2024, which should improve 4G and can be made up for with WiFi/4G calling.

Three have mostly caught up in terms of 4G data signal and are excelling in terms of 5G. But you should check coverage in your area here before signing up to them or any of the providers that use their network.

Useful link: Three’s Big Network Build project

Our overall coverage rating:
★★★☆☆ (good)

Rank:
4th out of 4

Not as good as:
EE, Vodafone, O2

Same as:
iD Mobile and SMARTY

Data speeds are another good part of Three’s network

Three's data speed estimates

They show expected speeds for 3G/4G/5GSee the page

at Three.co.uk
(opens in new window)

Data speeds are another strength on Three’s network. For 4G, Three tend to provide consistently good speeds rather than super fast or slow. In our tests speeds went as low as 7 Mbps and as high as 70 Mbps.

That’s neither as sluggish nor as explosive as what we got on other networks. More often than not we sat around a reliable 25 Mbps - 30 Mbps, which lines up with Opensignal’s typical speed result of 38 Mbps.

And they have the fastest typical 5G speeds between 208.9 Mbps - 276.17 Mbps according to Opensignal and Speedtest, and peak speeds of an eye-watering 681.24 Mbps. That blows other networks out of the water.

There’s a lot to like here. Their 5G gives file sharers and other data heavy users the best speeds possible, while their steady 4G speeds will usually be enough for most users. It’s a good reason to join them.

Useful link: Latest cities to get Three's 5G rollout

Our 5G/4G data speed rating:
★★★★☆ (very good)

Rank:
Joint 2nd

Not as good as:
EE

Better than:
O2

WiFi/4G calling is an excellent network feature on Three

Three inTouch WiFi calling

Connect to calls over WiFi/4G signalRead their guide

at Three.co.uk
(opens in a new window)

WiFi calling and 4G calling are network features that let you connect to calls using WiFi/4G signal where conventional call signal is poor. Three’s WiFi calling scheme is one of the best out there in our eyes.

This is partly because it works smoothly. If you lose WiFi signal while on a WiFi call it will transfer to 4G without dropping (it will drop if you lose 4G). And we were able to connect to texts over WiFi/4G without issue.

It’s also easy to get it working. We tested it and found WiFi calling worked on devices Three don’t claim to support (read FAQs here). So if your phone’s not listed it doesn’t necessarily mean it won’t work.

We tried out Three’s WiFi calling on a test Android and iPhone device. Both showed up in Three’s list of compatible models and WiFi calling worked right away, even though we didn’t buy them directly from Three.

WiFi calling kicked in very easily when we tried indoors and when we moved from WiFi to 4G signal our WiFi call transferred over without dropping (but you can’t transfer from WiFi to 3G).

Then we tried sending an SMS text using WiFi signal and it worked just like sending a text over conventional 3G call signal.

It was a bit trickier to get 4G calling to “kick in”, as it seems to prefer 3G signal to connect to calls instead (likely due to call signal being stronger outdoors than indoors).

The quality of the calls themselves and the speed with which we were connected to them wasn’t much different to making calls over conventional call signal, which is absolutely a good thing.

4G will effectively replace 3G as the main form of “call” signal and Three’s 4G expansion should fill in the gaps left by the removal of 3G. So it’s more important than ever to make sure your phone’s supported.

Useful link: Read more about call quality on Three’s network

Our WiFi calling rating:
★★★★★ (joint best choice)

Rank:
1st

Not as good as:
N/A

Better than:
O2, Vodafone

Three’s WiFi hotspots are their best extra network feature

Free Wi-Fi on London Underground

Stay connected on the UndergroundHow it works

at Three.co.uk
(opens in a new window)

Three also have a good number of useful network features. The best among these is their free WiFi hotspots on the Underground, which are excellent for staying connected where you’d otherwise get no signal.

You can also tether non-data devices to your phone’s data signal on any Three plan. If you want to you can use up your entire data allowance for this, and there are no caps on it if you have an unlimited data plan.

And you get call forwarding on all their plans, which lets you keep one number free from incoming calls by automatically diverting them to a different line. They also include it on PAYG, unlike any other network.

It is strange that Three still don’t offer visual voicemail, which displays and lets you sort through your voicemails one by one. All the other big networks have it, and even some smaller ones.

Lastly, Three let you take out an eSIM. This is where your SIM is installed directly onto your phone, rather than having to wait for a physical SIM to be delivered first which isn’t the case on every network.

Useful link: Read all tethering conditions

Our WiFi hotspot rating:
★★★☆☆ (good)

Rank:
Joint 4th

Not as good as:
O2

Better than:
Sky Mobile

Reviewing perks and extras on Three

Inclusive roaming is good on their premium plans

Feel at home update

Higher end plans include roaming passesSee what changed

at Three.co.uk
(opens in a new window)

Three don’t include EU or worldwide roaming on all their plans, but do give you ways of using your allowance abroad. If you join on a Value or Complete plan, you can roam in these 163 countries without paying extra.

With these you get a number of daily roaming passes. Each day you spend in one of the inclusive destinations will use one of the passes. The longer and more expensive your plan, the more of these passes you get.

So it’s very much a premium benefit, especially as their cheapest Lite plans don’t include it. Still it’s better than paying the roaming rates on some networks. And you can use 12GB abroad which is quite flexible.

Three are one of the best choices for going beyond the EU, but the lack of standard inclusive EU roaming is a sore point. And the limited roaming days may turn off regular travellers. Otherwise, they’re brilliant.

Useful links: Other roaming costs on Three

Our EU roaming rating:
★★★☆☆ (good)

Better than:
EE, Sky, VOXI

Worse than:
All others

Three’s rewards app is the best of their other benefits

Banner that reads 'The Three rewards app'

Discounts on food, drinks and moreHow it works

at Three.co.uk
(opens in new window)

Three offer some other handy benefits, the best of which is their rewards app called Three+ that you get on all their plans. This gives you discounts on high street food, drinks and other services you might like.

Other than that, Three have some decent offers on extra plans added to your account. This is good if you’ve got kids who need a new plan, and usually look like handy £1 - £2 discounts on their SIM only plans.

We mentioned above the different tiers of premium plans on Three. Each tier also gives you other benefits rather than just more roaming passes. The best of these is a subscription to Paramount+ in your plan.

The length of your subscription depends on whether you take a Value or Complete plan. There are a couple other benefits on these (see them all) but we think most people will only really care about the roaming.

Useful link: Read Three’s full guide to their rewards app

And Three offer some other small but still handy benefits

Call Abroad bundles

Buy bundles of international minsWhere you can call

at three.co.uk
(opens in new window)

Three offer Call Abroad bundles of 100 or unlimited mins to these 55 countries. These are better value than paying their out of plan international rates, but they’re far from the best network for calling abroad.

Also if you use up all your data before the end of the month, Three offer some decently priced data add-ons. Bear in mind the minimum is a 5GB add-on and these renew themselves, so remember to cancel to stop paying.

Finally, Three automatically block 18+ content from being accessed over data. So if you want to put your kids on a plan you can be sure they’re protected (but you’ll have to set up separate controls for WiFi).

Three don’t offer unlimited streaming data like Sky Mobile or VOXI (they used to). And you don’t get data rollover, so it’s harder to make the most of your data. Still, Three offer a good amount of benefits overall.

Useful link: Our guide to the best networks for international calling

Our benefits rating:
★★★☆☆ (good)

Loyalty rewards ranking:
3rd

Family plans ranking:
5th

Free trials ranking:
TBC

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Three's phone contracts

What Three’s phone contracts and prices look like

Three offer flexible and decently priced phone deals

Screenshot of Three's pay monthly phone range

See all phones

at three.co.uk
(opens in new window)

Three now offer their phone contracts on split credit agreements (essentially loans) where the cost of your phone and your usage plans (mins, texts, data) are on separate bills that make up your monthly payment.

One of the big upsides to this is that you can choose a contract length of 12 months, 24 months or 36 months over which you’ll pay off your phone. This gives you a good deal of flexibility, but not quite as much as networks like O2.

And you can pay more or less up front to further suit your contract to your budget. And you can pay off your loan whenever you want to upgrade early, so you don’t have to be tied down for your entire contract.

There are some things other networks do better. O2 let you cancel your usage plan after upgrading, while Three make you stay on it. And they don’t offer any short contracts, you’re stuck for the full 24 months.

And you can’t move to a smaller usage plan mid-contract if you’re paying too much. But Three are still very flexible and beat the other main networks on price with their cheaper usage plans. A great option overall.

Useful link: Compare phone contracts

Our phone contract rating:
★★★★☆ (excellent)

Rank:
TBC

Not as good as:
TBC

Equal to:
TBC

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Three Pay As You Go

We go over Three’s Pay As You Go rates and monthly bundles

Three’s Pay As You Go bundles are the better choice

Three cheapest PAYG rates

Get a free SIM

at Three.co.uk
(opens in a new window)

Three’s Pay As You Go rates are a lot higher than they used to be, to the point where we wouldn’t consider them a good option for topping up with credit and paying per min, text and data:

We’d recommend steering clear of Three’s traditional Pay As You Go. But if you still want to pay this way, 1pMobile are the best choice out there with the lowest PAYG tariffs of any network:

But Three’s Pay As You Go monthly bundles are actually a very good choice. These are similar in price (sometimes even cheaper) than Three’s pay monthly Lite contracts. And these all include roaming in 70+ countries.

These are an excellent choice if you’re unable to pass a credit check to join Three’s pay monthly contracts, or if you’re just looking to join Three while remaining flexible to switch or leave your plan each month.

Useful link: See all PAYG rates and costs on Three

Three customer service reviews

Three’s customer service record has got a bit worse

League table of Ofcom customer service complaints

4 complaints per 100,000 customersRead more

at ofcom.org.uk
(opens in a new window)

We look at the government regulators Ofcom’s complaints report to get an idea of how well each network can resolve their customers’ problems. Customers can log a complaint with them if their network didn’t solve their issue.

The number of complaints made to Ofcom about Three has gone up again according to their newest report. They now sit at 4 complaints per 100,000 customers up from 3, which is the new industry average.

This rise could be due to the 3G switch off, but Vodafone and EE have switched off 3G too and their complaints records have stayed low. It could just be a sign of staffing changes for their customer service.

Once we were done testing out our Three SIM we called up their customer service to cancel it. We wanted to see how easy it was to do so.

Were were swiftly put through to an agent and rather than them trying to convince us to stay they just asked we wanted to leave and left it at that.

And they even offered to let us leave immediately while they’d settle up what we had left for the rest of the month. It was a generous offer that left the door open to join them again later.

Three make managing your account even easier with their handy app. And you can always talk to their online chat agents to resolve your issues. It’s a fairly smooth experience if you’d rather not call.

In all, in the short time we were on Three we had a good experience with their customer service.

In any case, Three offer lots of ways to get help. You can visit them at a Three store, call them up using these details or chat with an online agent. So there’s always another way to get help if one fails.

Useful link: How to get help on Three

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