Three launched in 2003 as the UK’s first 3G network and is now one of the brands of VodafoneThree, the company formed when Vodafone and Three merged in May 2025. Three still offers its own plans, prices and app, but its customers now share thousands of masts with Vodafone customers.
The biggest change for 2026 is a 100Mbps speed limit on most new pay monthly plans, with a paid option for full speed. If you would like to see prices first, you can compare Three phone contracts, upgrades and SIM only plans from several retailers on our mobile deals page.
Three network features
Three gives you the fastest 5G of the four UK networks in Opensignal’s latest report, a wide choice of data allowances and pay as you go packs with roaming included. Against that, most new pay monthly plans now have a 100Mbps speed limit, Three has no 2G or 3G for older phones, and its 5G signal is available less often than on EE or O2.
Suitable for
- Heavy data users who want unlimited data at a lower monthly cost and do not need more than 100Mbps.
- Pay as you go users who travel, as data packs include roaming in more than 70 destinations at no extra cost.
- Families who want several lines on one account, with up to 20% off each extra plan.
- People in towns and cities with good Three 5G, where speeds are the fastest of the four networks.
Less suitable for
- Anyone who wants the most reliable network in national tests. EE still leads.
- People with older phones that cannot make 4G calls. These phones cannot make normal calls on Three.
- Users who want full 5G speed without paying extra each month.
- Rural users. Three had the lowest Coverage Experience score of the four networks in Opensignal’s latest report, so check your area first.
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Fastest average 5G download and upload speeds in Opensignal’s latest report | 100Mbps limit on most new pay monthly plans |
| Shared masts with Vodafone at 10,000 sites | No 2G or 3G, so 4G Calling is essential |
| Pay as you go packs include roaming in more than 70 destinations | Lowest Coverage Experience score of the four networks |
| Choice of 1, 12 and 24 month SIM only terms | Less time on 5G than EE or O2 users |
| Fixed yearly price rises in pounds and pence | Europe roaming costs extra on Lite plans |
| Among the least complained about networks in Ofcom’s 2026 figures | Full speed costs extra, even on Complete plans |
Network and coverage
Three says its network reaches 99% of the UK population outdoors. Indoor signal can be very different, so the place where you live and work matters more than any national figure.
In Opensignal’s report for October to December 2025, Three users had a signal for 99.4% of the time, the highest of the four networks. But Three had the lowest Coverage Experience score, which measures signal across the places people live, work and travel.
Shared masts with Vodafone
Since the merger, VodafoneThree has been joining the two networks with technology called MOCN (multi-operator core network). By April 2026, it was live at 10,000 mast sites. At these sites, a Three phone uses whichever mast, Three or Vodafone, gives the better signal. This is automatic and costs nothing extra. In October 2026, the same sharing reached London Gatwick Airport.
Opensignal found that Three users’ overall coverage experience improved by 13% in the early months of this work. VodafoneThree also says that pooling spectrum raised 4G speeds by 20% on average for more than 7 million Three and SMARTY customers. For now, shared masts carry 4G and non-standalone 5G, with standalone 5G sharing planned later. Vodafone customers get the same benefit, as our Vodafone mobile review explains.
No 2G or 3G
Three switched off its 3G network on 27 November 2025, and it has never had a 2G network. Every normal call on Three now needs a phone that supports 4G Calling. An older 4G phone without it cannot make normal calls or send texts on Three, although 999 calls can still connect through other networks. EE and Vodafone still keep 2G for older phones.
Before you switch, check the signal at your home and work with Ofcom’s coverage checker. If reception indoors is poor, our guide to signal problems at home lists the fixes.
5G and speeds
All Three pay monthly and pay as you go plans include 5G at no extra cost. You need a 5G ready handset and 5G signal where you are. Before the merger, Three held the largest block of 5G spectrum of any UK network, which helps explain its fast 5G results.
Three’s plan pages list 5G but not standalone 5G, the newer type that runs without leaning on 4G. VodafoneThree plans to bring standalone 5G to 90% of the population within three years of the merger and 99% by 2030.
Three in the 2026 tests
| Test | Three result |
|---|---|
| Opensignal (crowdsourced) (October to December 2025) | Average download speed 51.0Mbps and average upload speed 9.3Mbps, both second to EE. Fastest 5G of the four networks, with an average 5G download speed of 187Mbps and 5G upload speed of 20.2Mbps. Won Time on Network (99.4%). Users on 5G 11.5% of the time. |
| RootMetrics (drive and walk tests) (First half of 2026) | Overall score 89.5, second behind EE. Median download 48.1Mbps, now behind O2. 5G availability 62.6%. Shared the UK text award and won text awards in all 16 cities tested. |
When a Three phone is on 5G, it is faster than any rival, often by a wide margin. The weak point is how often it gets 5G, as EE and O2 users connect to 5G for much more of the day. EE still leads most national tests, as our EE mobile review shows, and you can see how the four networks scored in 2026 side by side.
Speed limits and Lite+
From 18 April 2026, new and upgrading pay monthly customers on Lite, Value and Complete plans get everyday speeds of up to 100Mbps. That is enough for HD streaming, video calls and most downloads, and Three points out it is above the UK’s average mobile download speed.
To remove the limit, you can choose a Lite+ plan, which includes Three’s Full Speed Add-on for the whole contract, or add Full Speed month by month to any other plan. New pay as you go customers get up to 25Mbps on one month packs and up to 50Mbps on auto-renew packs. Customers who joined before the change keep their current speeds until they upgrade or change their plan.
Plans
Three offers phone contracts, SIM only plans, data only SIMs and pay as you go. Pay monthly plans need you to pass a credit check, while pay as you go does not.
Plan types
Pay monthly plans come in four types under the Three Your Way name. All include unlimited UK calls and texts, 5G and the Three+ rewards app.
| Plan type | Speed | Roaming | Other extras |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lite | Up to 100Mbps | Daily charge or Go Roam pass | None |
| Lite+ | Full speed (Full Speed Add-on included) | Daily charge or Go Roam pass | None |
| Value | Up to 100Mbps | Included in 49 Go Roam in Europe destinations | Extended warranty up to 3 years when you take a phone |
| Complete | Up to 100Mbps | Included in over 160 destinations | Paramount+ for the whole plan, extended warranty, screen repair on 24 month phone plans |
You can move to a higher plan type during your contract, but not to a lower one.
Phone contracts
A Three phone contract has two parts. The device plan pays for the phone at 0% APR over 12, 24 or 36 months, and the airtime plan gives you data, calls and texts. You choose how much to pay upfront. You can have up to six device plans on one account.
With Anytime Upgrade, you can take a new phone whenever you like without first paying off the old one. You then pay both device plans until the first is cleared, and an early upgrade fee may apply to the airtime plan. Our guides explain how phone contracts are split into two parts and the case for buying a handset outright instead.
SIM only
SIM only plans come on 24 month, 12 month and 1 month rolling terms, with data from 4GB to unlimited. Longer terms cost less each month. These are sample 24 month prices from Three’s site.
| Plan | Speed | Roaming | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lite 30GB | Up to 100Mbps | Daily charge | £15 |
| Lite Unlimited | Up to 100Mbps | Daily charge | £22 |
| Lite+ Unlimited | Full speed | Daily charge | £26 |
| Value 30GB | Up to 100Mbps | 49 Europe destinations | £20 |
| Value Unlimited | Up to 100Mbps | 49 Europe destinations | £34 |
| Complete 30GB | Up to 100Mbps | Over 160 destinations | £25 |
| Complete Unlimited | Up to 100Mbps | Over 160 destinations | £28 |
| Add-on | Price per month |
|---|---|
| Full Speed Add-on (removes the 100Mbps limit) | £4 |
Prices checked on 29 October 2026 for new customers paying by Direct Debit. Three charges more each month if you pay another way, and some prices include short term discounts.
Before you choose an allowance, check how much data you really use. Our guide to SIM only contracts explains the terms in more detail.
Pay as you go
Three pay as you go has no contract and no credit check. Data packs last one month and include unlimited UK minutes and texts, 5G and roaming in more than 70 destinations. Auto-renew packs cost less and allow faster speeds, and you can cancel them at any time.
| Pack | Data | Speed | Roaming data | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auto-renew 60GB | 60GB | Up to 50Mbps | Up to 6GB | £10 |
| Auto-renew 120GB | 120GB | Up to 50Mbps | Up to 12GB | £13.50 |
| Auto-renew 240GB | 240GB | Up to 50Mbps | Up to 18GB | £18 |
| Auto-renew Unlimited | Unlimited | Up to 50Mbps | Up to 30GB | £31.50 |
| 1 month 40GB | 40GB | Up to 25Mbps | Up to 6GB | £10 |
| 1 month 100GB | 100GB | Up to 25Mbps | Up to 12GB | £15 |
| 1 month Unlimited | Unlimited | Up to 25Mbps | Up to 30GB | £35 |
| 3 month Value Data Pack | Unlimited | Up to 25Mbps | Included | £90 |
Prices checked on 29 October 2026. More options are compared in our guide to rolling and pay as you go SIMs.
Price rises
Three raises pay monthly airtime by a fixed amount in pounds and pence on 1 April each year. Unlike Vodafone, the amount depends on your data allowance as well as the date you joined or last upgraded. Three shows the future prices before you sign.
| Contract start | Up to 4GB | 5GB to 99GB | 100GB or more, including unlimited |
|---|---|---|---|
| From 9 November 2025 | £1.80 | £1.90 | £2.30 |
| 8 September 2024 to 8 November 2025 | £1.00 | £1.25 | £1.50 |
| 1 November 2022 to 7 September 2024, still in minimum term on 31 March 2026 | CPI inflation plus 3.9% (7.3% in April 2026) | Same | Same |
| 29 May 2015 to 7 September 2024, out of minimum term on 31 March 2026 | £1.80 | £1.90 | £2.30 |
| Other items | Yearly rise |
|---|---|
| Smartwatch pairing plans (from 9 November 2025) | £1.80 a month |
| Device plans (the phone) | No rise |
| Add-ons and out of allowance charges | Not part of the fixed yearly rise |
| Pay as you go | No contract and no yearly rise |
From April 2026, most customers who were still on older percentage based terms but out of contract moved to the fixed amounts. Our guide to April price rises across the networks compares Three with its rivals.
Wi-Fi calling, 4G calling and eSIM
Wi-Fi Calling and 4G Calling are free on compatible phones, on both pay monthly and pay as you go. You turn them on in your phone’s settings, and calls use your normal UK allowance.
4G Calling matters more on Three than on any other network. With no 2G or 3G to fall back on, a phone that cannot make 4G calls cannot make normal calls on Three at all. Wi-Fi Calling helps in homes where indoor signal is weak.
eSIM is available on pay monthly, SIM only and pay as you go. You can choose it at checkout and start using your plan straight away, and existing customers can swap a physical SIM for an eSIM in the Three app. Three also offers smartwatch pairing plans, which share your phone plan’s allowances with a cellular watch. Read more about switching to an eSIM.
Roaming abroad
Go Roam lets you use your UK allowances in more than 160 destinations, split into three bands. What you pay depends on your plan type and when you joined or upgraded.
| Go Roam band | Destinations | Lite and Lite+ | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Go Roam in Europe | 49 | £2.75 a day | Included |
| Go Roam Around the World | 22 | £8 a day | £8 a day |
| Go Roam Around the World Extra | 92 | £8 a day | £8 a day |
Daily charges for pay monthly customers who joined or upgraded on or after 18 December 2025. These charges rise each April.
Customers who joined between 1 October 2021 and 17 December 2025 pay lower daily charges, and plans from before October 2021 keep their original terms. There is no daily charge in the Republic of Ireland or the Isle of Man. On pay monthly, you can use up to 12GB of your data in Go Roam destinations each month.
If you pay a daily charge, a multi-day Go Roam pass can work out cheaper, and Three says a pass can give you up to two days of roaming free. Pay as you go data packs include roaming in more than 70 destinations at no extra cost, with a data limit that depends on the pack. If you have a Spend Cap, set it high enough to cover roaming, or you may not be able to use your phone abroad. You can compare roaming charges on other networks in our guide.
Extras and perks
- Three+ rewards: discounts and offers from brands such as Uber Eats and Cineworld in the Three+ app, for pay monthly and pay as you go customers.
- Paramount+: included for the full length of Complete plans. Lite and Value customers can add it for a monthly fee.
- Extended warranty: Value and Complete plans taken with a phone include a warranty of up to 3 years against faults. It is not phone insurance, so it does not pay out for loss, theft or accidental damage.
- Screen repair: 24 month Complete plans with a phone include one screen repair, with a fee to pay.
- Connect Together: each extra plan on the same account gets up to 20% off, for up to six extra plans. This includes Three’s 5G home broadband.
- Spend Cap: a monthly limit on extra charges, useful for a child’s first phone.
- Trade in: you can trade in an eligible old phone when you upgrade.
Customer service and switching
Three’s complaint record has improved over the past year. In Ofcom’s figures for July to September 2025, Three was among the most complained about pay monthly mobile providers, mainly over faults, service and getting connected. By October to December 2025, it was among the least complained about, with EE and Tesco Mobile, and it stayed in that group for January to March 2026.
You can get help in the Three app or My3, by live chat, by calling 333 from a Three phone or 0333 338 1001 from another phone, on the Three Community forum or in store.
Switching to or from Three
To join Three and keep your number, text PAC to 65075 from your current phone and give the code to Three. To leave Three with your number, text PAC to 65075, or go to Leave Three in My3 or the Three app, which shows your PAC and any early termination fee straight away. To leave without your number, text STAC to 75075.
If you leave during the minimum term, Three charges the monthly fees left on your plan, less a small discount. Your device plan is a separate agreement, so you keep paying for the phone. Our guide to the PAC and STAC process walks through each step.
Compare current Three offers with other networks, or go back to the main UK networks compared.
Frequently asked questions
Is Three now part of Vodafone?
Yes. Three is a brand of VodafoneThree, and Vodafone Group took full ownership of VodafoneThree on 30 July 2026. Three still has its own plans, prices and customer service.
Will my older phone work on Three?
Only if it supports 4G Calling. Three has no 2G or 3G, so a phone without 4G Calling can only make 999 calls. You can check your phone on Three’s device support pages.
Can removing Paramount+ change my speed?
It can. In August 2026, some Complete customers found that removing Paramount+ also moved their plan to the 100Mbps limit. Check the new plan details before you confirm any change.
I joined before June 2025. Do I still get Go Roam passes?
Yes. Value and Complete plans taken before 22 June 2025 came with a set number of Daily Go Roam passes, from 14 to 56 depending on the plan and term. You can see how many you have left in the Three app.
Which other brands use Three’s network?
SMARTY, which VodafoneThree owns, and iD Mobile both use Three’s network, so they also benefit from the shared Vodafone masts. They have their own plans and prices. See budget brands that use the big networks.
Does Three have a social tariff?
Three points customers on Universal Credit, Pension Credit and some other benefits to the SMARTY Social Tariff. It is a 1 month plan with unlimited data on the same network and no yearly price rise, and applying does not affect your credit score.
How do I keep a pay as you go number active?
Use it for at least one chargeable activity, such as a call, text, data use or a data pack, every 180 days. If you plan to use it abroad, make a purchase in the UK first.