Three Mobile offers Updated: 2024-12-05 10:14:54
Three mobile offers a huge selection of handsets plus a vast choice of pay monthly and SIM only plans to suit all users.
Best known for their generous data allowances, Three Mobile offers a huge selection of handsets plus a vast choice of pay monthly and SIM only plans to suit all users.
- Truly unlimited data plans available
- Huge range of offers and plans
All you need to know about Three Mobile
Three is one of the UK’s four network providers. Launched on 3rd March 2003, Three Mobile were the United Kingdom's first commercial mobile data network. They offer a wide choice of handsets plus SIM only plans.
Let's look in more detail at what Three Mobile has to offer.
Pay monthly phone plans
Three Mobile has an impressive selection of handsets to choose from with a good choice of plans.
Pay monthly plans are on 24 month contracts and all have unlimited minutes and unlimited texts as standard.
Choose the data allowance that best suits your needs, from 4Gb right up to totally unlimited.
There is sometimes an upfront cost to pay towards the cost of the handset. The amount you pay will depend on the phone you want, the newer and more expensive the phone, the higher the upfront cost generally is.
SIM only plans
Sim only plans are perfect for those who already have a handset and aren't looking to upgrade.
Three Mobile has a great choice of SIM only plans all with unlimited minutes and texts. Choose from 24 month, 12 month or 30 day contracts with a range of data allowances starting from 4Gb all the way up to totally unlimited.
Pay as you go plans
Those who don't use their phone often, or don't want the commitment of a contract might want to consider a pay as you go plan from Three.
You can get these either as SIM only or with a phone.
Pay as you go SIM
Pay as you go SIM's are pretty straightforward. Order a free SIM card from Three, pop it into your phone and simply top it up with credit as you need it.
The cost of the data can be quite high. Three do have pay as you Go bundles which offer better value, such as 40Gb of data for £20, so it's worth checking these out before you top up.
Pay as you go phones
With pay as you go Phones, you will need to cover the cost of the phone upfront. This can be quite expensive if you have your heart set on the latest phone, so you need to be sure you would not be better off spreading the cost with a pay monthly plan instead. If you're certain pay as you go is the way for you, then you can purchase an 'Add-On' to get started, such as 4Gb Add-on which gives you unlimited minutes, unlimited texts and 4Gb data to use within 30 days. This is usually much better value than paying 1p for every 1Mb of data.
Why choose Three Mobile?
Personal Hotspot
Three Mobile customers can use their existing data allowance to create a personal hotspot. This means you can connect other devices to your phone and get online when there is no WiFi (sometimes referred to as tethering). And there’s no limit for this like some providers – you can use your whole data allowance if you like.
This can really chew through your data though so make sure to keep your eye on your allowance.
Truly unlimited data
Three Mobile is one of the providers to offer truly unlimited data plans. Some providers offer unlimited data but will slow your speed down, some reserve the unlimited plans for their broadband or TV customers. But not Three - stream 24/7 and stay worry free. These plans can be expensive though so unless you really are a heavy user you may be better off saving the money and going with a lower allowance.
Three app
Check your allowance, view your bills and upgrade your plan with the Three app. Ok so most providers offer an app these days, it's nothing new, but it's still good to know it's available.
WiFi calling
WiFi calling is supported on Three. WiFi calling lets you make calls anywhere you have WiFi. This is great for areas that struggle with mobile signal, such as rural locations or inside buildings with thick walls.
Roaming on Three Mobile
Like many providers, Three introduced roaming charges following Brexit.
Go Roam lets you use your minutes, text and data allowance in up to 71 destinations around the world, subject to Three's fair usage policy.
Go Roam is made up of Go Roam in Europe and Go Roam Around the World.
To unlock your UK allowance in Go Roam in Europe, there’s a £2 daily charge. When you Go Roam Around the World, it’s £5 a day. If you’re on Pay As You Go, or your Pay Monthly plan which started before 1 October 2021, these charges won’t apply.
If you’re travelling to a non-Go Roam destination, you will not be able to use your available allowances; you’ll be charged the standard roaming rates which vary depending on destination.
What's bad about Three Mobile?
No data rollover
Three does not roll over unused data from month to month. So any data left over at the end of the month will be lost.
Limited WiFi hotspots
WiFi hotspots are useful for keeping your data usage down, or getting online when there's no mobile signal.
With Three you can access free WiFi on the London Underground, but there are no national WiFi hotspots. This might not be a big issue for most users, but if you're on a small plan, it could be something you miss.
Price increases
All Pay monthly contracts have an annual price adjustment in line with the Retail Price Index (RPI).
How do I switch to Three Mobile?
Switching to Three Mobile couldn't be easier. Once you have found the offer you want, simply click the ‘View Offer’ button. This will take you to Three’s website, who will guide you through the rest of the process. Or you can click the link below to go direct to the Three website.
