Three (3UK) review

asim18 · 5 Jan 2013 at 11:52

[TW]Fox;23480027 said:
No wonder most networks screw us over with limits and fair use policies when we have people downloading 100gb a month!

It's not even 100GB/month, it's 200GB/month if he keeps it up, and I gotta agree with you.

3G is not a replacement for a hard line. I wonder how many people thrash 3G at home just because "its faster than my crap landline", "I cba to flick on wifi", "I'm too cheap for home broadband". :rolleyes:

TheVoice · 5 Jan 2013 at 12:03

Well just ordered my Three SIM on contract; £6.90 a month for 200 minutes, 5000 texts and 500MB of data with the option to pay £5pm for unlimited data if I need it. £42 cashback through TCB makes it a rather cheap deal. Can't wait to be rid of O2.

flinco · 6 Jan 2013 at 16:17

I'm not on 3, but vodafone give me some very decent speeds - even when travelling along the south coast on a train from Bournemouth to Brighton.

Just did a speedtest with the GS3 sitting on a glass desk upstairs in my bedroom. Got 12.5mb down and 3.7 up - seems pretty good to me.

The network you choose will always be down to the quality of signal in the areas you frequent.

3's unlimited data allowance is good though.

Rainmaker · 6 Jan 2013 at 17:06

Three actively encourage heavy usage and allow tethering to PCs. They carry 40% of the UK's mobile network data and if they had a problem sustaining this they'd surely cap it, throttle it or abolish it. In fact they're expanding and promoting tethering and 'use all you can'. They don't throttle any more either, they tried to introduce it but users kicked off and they stopped doing it.

I live in a new build house miles from any telephone exchange, and cable isn't finished being finalised after being laid. Three gives us 25Mbps downstream most of the time and I schedule downloads for overnight, never had a problem.

For those saying heavy users spoil it, or are excessive, tell that to Three! Because not only do they not care, they explicitly promote it and allow it. The One plan rocks!

This was while simultaneously streaming live TV to a tablet, during night time hours (2 or 3am iirc). But as you can see, they easily provide solid speed and clearly have the capacity.

EDIT: For those saying 100GB a month is ridiculous on a phone... you have to remember they allow tethering to desktops, laptops, tablets etc. While I'd rather have a hard line (and will as soon as VM add our address to the database) Three condone and encourage this type of usage and it's easy to use those kind of figures in a multimedia rich household.

Fallen god · 6 Jan 2013 at 17:26

For most of the time three is great, speeds are stupidly fast, very low ping, almost feels like your connected to a broadband connection. Other times it flat lines and sucks, almost it is hard to get signal inside most big buildings which is very annoying.

JAMAL · 6 Jan 2013 at 17:39

TheVoice said:
Well just ordered my Three SIM on contract; £6.90 a month for 200 minutes, 5000 texts and 500MB of data with the option to pay £5pm for unlimited data if I need it. £42 cashback through TCB makes it a rather cheap deal. Can't wait to be rid of O2.

Why is it £5 for unlimited data? they only want £3 off me for that?

TheVoice · 6 Jan 2013 at 17:40

No idea, it's just what the post on HotUKdeals said.

JAMAL · 6 Jan 2013 at 17:41

Ah i just logged into my account and its deffo £3, i would check that matey

Buttkicker · 6 Jan 2013 at 17:41

JAMAL said:
Why is it £5 for unlimited data? they only want £3 off me for that?

can you please point out to me where it says £3 for unlimited data on there site all I can see is £5

Bloomfield · 6 Jan 2013 at 17:51

They changed it a while ago from £3 to £5 I think, JAMAL's account is probably able to do it for £3 because it's from then.

I'm not 100% on this, as I'm on the one plan, so don't have the option, but I remember 2 other people having the conversation a while ago

.

Tom_ed1987 · 6 Jan 2013 at 18:00

asim18 said:
It's not even 100GB/month, it's 200GB/month if he keeps it up, and I gotta agree with you.

3G is not a replacement for a hard line. I wonder how many people thrash 3G at home just because "its faster than my crap landline", "I cba to flick on wifi", "I'm too cheap for home broadband".

Remind me why 'its faster than my crap landline' is not a valid reason to use it?

I live in the countryside and my landline broadband options peak at around 1.5mbps. Now on Three with a parabolic antenna pointing at the base station I get 15mbps down/ 3.8mbps up. I don't abuse it but use it as I would ADSL, so probably average 25-30gb per month.

I love it.

Alonso14 · 6 Jan 2013 at 19:35

I can never get a "H+" symbol on my phone in London (N1 and city area), but I'm pretty sure DC-HSDPA is available in these areas. Is there a setting i need to activate anywhere? (I'm using a Nexus 4 on Three). Thanks.

Matteysan · 6 Jan 2013 at 19:40

Alonso14 said:
I can never get a "H+" symbol on my phone in London (N1 and city area), but I'm pretty sure DC-HSDPA is available in these areas. Is there a setting i need to activate anywhere? (I'm using a Nexus 4 on Three). Thanks.

If you see H then you'll most likely be on H+, As far as I know stock android doesn't show H+.

Alonso14 · 6 Jan 2013 at 20:10

Mattey1 said:
If you see H then you'll most likely be on H+, As far as I know stock android doesn't show H+.

Ah right, I am seeing just "H", though could have sworn I've seen screenshots of a nexus 4 on three with H+ (whether that was a stock rom or not, I'm not sure). My access point settings says "three.co.uk" for the APN which presumably is correct. I just thought that in central london I would at least see one of the really high speeds (like 15mbps) a few times, rather than just 2mbps

JAMAL · 6 Jan 2013 at 20:37

Bloomfield said:
They changed it a while ago from £3 to £5 I think, JAMAL's account is probably able to do it for £3 because it's from then.

I'm not 100% on this, as I'm on the one plan, so don't have the option, but I remember 2 other people having the conversation a while ago .

Ooh i think i better take the offer up soon then

ChrisD. · 12 Jan 2013 at 10:50

I wasn't aware Three did the home signal, may have to get one.

thep02 · 12 Jan 2013 at 13:23

EniGmA1981 said:
Port Talbot(

That's it you see in the middle of a conurbation we get carp scenery and zero clean air but at least 3 buses every 6 min and dead good mobile reception every where I go, on 3.

blueacid · 15 Jan 2013 at 21:50

MilanoChris said:
I wasn't aware Three did the home signal, may have to get one.

Mine came free.. But I was in month 2 of a 24 month One Plan contract, with the sgs3. Your mileage may vary if you're nearing the end of your contract or are on sim only.

remy87 · 15 Jan 2013 at 22:05

Rainmaker said:
Three actively encourage heavy usage and allow tethering to PCs. They carry 40% of the UK's mobile network data and if they had a problem sustaining this they'd surely cap it, throttle it or abolish it. In fact they're expanding and promoting tethering and 'use all you can'. They don't throttle any more either, they tried to introduce it but users kicked off and they stopped doing it.

I live in a new build house miles from any telephone exchange, and cable isn't finished being finalised after being laid. Three gives us 25Mbps downstream most of the time and I schedule downloads for overnight, never had a problem.

For those saying heavy users spoil it, or are excessive, tell that to Three! Because not only do they not care, they explicitly promote it and allow it. The One plan rocks!

This was while simultaneously streaming live TV to a tablet, during night time hours (2 or 3am iirc). But as you can see, they easily provide solid speed and clearly have the capacity.

EDIT: For those saying 100GB a month is ridiculous on a phone... you have to remember they allow tethering to desktops, laptops, tablets etc. While I'd rather have a hard line (and will as soon as VM add our address to the database) Three condone and encourage this type of usage and it's easy to use those kind of figures in a multimedia rich household.

^^ This guy....hallelujah!!! :cool:

-------------------------------------
For December month. got my BT infinity this week or next week but I expect to use around 10gb a month from now on.

Bromhead · 15 Jan 2013 at 22:15

I understand why people are using excessive amounts, because I'm one of those people... I'm in the middle of buying a house right now which means no broadband and I must rely on a 3G signal.

I'm currently using a Virgin Media 30 day rolling contract, but I'm now being throttled. Thankfully as it's a 30 day contract I'm going to cancel and try out 3, hopefully no throttling