Three network 4G coverage and speed around the UK?

[Lenny HB]

In my experience Three has some very large gaps in their coverage, and some rural areas in particular are just not covered, so whilst I appreciate their great deals on data, I would never commit wholeheartedly to them again.

I find EE the best for overall coverage,

Three use EE mast so coverage won't be any different.

I've found Three good in the UK but when roaming they throttle the speed.

 

[HugoBNB]

I had been with Vodafone for as long as I can remember. I tried a 3 pay monthly SIM at the beginning of the year. Took it to Spain, USA and Southern Caribbean. I was so impressed with the coverage that I ditched Vodafone and have a good deal not with 3.
In the UK (mainly Northumberland due to CV-19) I would say 3 wins but, there is not a lot in it.
Hope this helps.

 

[Boris7]

No EE or Three coverage here just outside Daventry, only O2 Sucks really

Three use EE mast so coverage won't be any different.

We’re in Nether Heyford and EE works fine, but as you travel around the local villages it drops in and out all the time.

Three use EE mast so coverage won't be any different.

Not sure why you think that?

We’ve stayed with EE because the 3 signal at out second home is hopeless, but EE works fine.

'Piggybacking' and which network really provides your mobile signal

Piggybacking: Which virtual network provides your mobile phone signal?

www.moneysavingexpert.com

 

[denisejoe]

I’ve just got an 2 year unlimited data Three network SIM and Hueiai (sorry I can’t spell it, let alone say it) 535 router deal for £17 pm for the house and am thinking of getting a MiFi device with Three unlimited data contract for the motorhome. I suspect the 4G coverage round the England is a lot worse than my current excellent EE 4G data contract, which is coming to the end in October.

Please, how good is Three‘s 4G network coverage and speed around England please?

Thanks

Make up a 12v lead for the router it works on 12v anyway, i got mine made at local computer repair shop cost £5 with both ends and 2 mts cable

 

[Minxy]

Make up a 12v lead for the router it works on 12v anyway, i got mine made at local computer repair shop cost £5 with both ends and 2 mts cable

... I already suggested that. He can't he needs to leave it at home for his stuff to work whilst he's away.

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[Minxy]

If you want to stick to Three Fonehouse have a deal for a 12 month sim for £18 pcm which with cashback brings it down to £10 a month.

[Broken Link Removed]

 

[lorger]

If your home one is unlimited why buy a second one for the van when you could take the sim from home.

just noticed his reasons for not doing this

 

[Lenny HB]

Not sure why you think that?

When Three started up in the UK they did a deal with T Mobile to use their masts, T Mobile was taken over by EE. Local mast near us has a label on it for EE & Three.

 

[DandG5515]

Three do have thier own network of masts, I don't know how much is piggybacked as well. Oftel had an interactive map on website showing power output and operator of masts. I used this alot for diverting landline to best network for work calls. Three had the best coverage for me at home and I used miwifi for a number of years as we didn't have fibre. Unfortunately Thier customer services let me down and won't deal with them

Unfortunately for security they removed the mast map from the oftel website.

 

[gus-lopez]

Try this for a DEFINITIVE answer

Check your network coverage | Support | Three

Check network coverage for 4G, and 5G in your area. Our 4G network covers 99% of the UK population (outdoor coverage). And we’re the UK’s Fastest 5G Network.

www.three.co.uk

I have a handset on Three unlimited data , a Tablet on Three (and my wifes handset) had no problems so far in many years being with three

Now I know why I get no signal Mid Devon up to North Devon & across Exmoor. Not a lot better circa north of Brighton. the Uk is the only place I have any trouble with the 3 mifi & UK phone signal.

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[PeteH]

I would be reluctant to rely of the 3 Coverage Map?, and probably for that matter most of them as they are generic. The reason I say that is that in any specific area, the coverage can depend of what part of the signal frequency your particular brand of phone is using. There is/was online a site which stated which specific frequencies are allocated to a specific supplier, some of which are shared. It was a year or two back so I no longer have the link.

 

[Landy Andy]

Three and EE are different here. Three make good promises, but the service (signal) was shocking, but even worse was the service (customer service) when trying to get out of the contract within the 14 day clause, and take my number with me. Will try to avoid Three as much as possible since. EE on the other hand have been fantastic to deal with.

 

[PeteH]

Three and EE are different here. Three make good promises, but the service (signal) was shocking, but even worse was the service (customer service) when trying to get out of the contract within the 14 day clause, and take my number with me. Will try to avoid Three as much as possible since. EE on the other hand have been fantastic to deal with.

Except for fact I have just discovered in the last few minutes.. They ar stoping supports for IOS 10 and lower. If like me you have a gen 2 I pad it won't upgrade beyond IOS 9. Why the fu*** do they do that? Actually we all know it's to try an force peeps to buy expensive new toys

 

[DandG5515]

Yes discovered that this week eBay app no longer on io10 just had to spend £340 on new ipad

 

[The Green's]

Three use EE mast so coverage won't be any different.

I call "fake news"

The coverage varies as they are two distinct networks. There is movement towards mast sharing in rural areas, not sure what has actually happened with that so far, but there is still no way you can say they have the same coverage.

I have PAYG data SIMs for both EE and Three and my experiences suggest they still have very different coverage.

To back that up, Three (on the left) and EE (on the right) themselves report different coverage, such as this area of Yorkshire, centered roughly on Winestead. The coverage obviously radiates from different mast locations -

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[Off da Grid]

PAYG sims on EE will not access the full spectrum of frequencies they are blocked, only get the full use of the spectrum on contract with them.
Before I switched to EE from 3 I bought a PAYG sim on EE to test the network on the same phone, to find out it was only just better than 3.
From work on top of a hill the mast is line of site, signal was still bad.
Doing a search on tinternet flagged this up don’t think 3 do this as the wife has 3 PAYG sim and it is as bad as my contract 3 sim was.
Switched to contract on EE 4G at 3 bars at work most of the tiime even though I can see the mast, but heaps better than 3 ever was in that location.
Only found a few not spots on EE, notably Dorset really bad for 3 and EE.
Was in Wales on a site in a valley a few summers ago full chat 4G on EE never did find the mast.

 

[Andy from Sandy]

If you have a phone which isn't tied to a contract you could go for the Vodafone deal which is on at present which I think may end early July:

100gb data & unlimited calls & texts, 24 month contract, costs £20 if you go direct to Vodafone but buy it via Fonehouse online and it reduced after cashback to £8 a month, you pay £20 a month direct to Vodafone and then submit the bills on line every now and then after which a proportion of the cashback is paid directly into your bank account so by the end you'll have all the cashback and instead of paying £480 you'll pay £192, saving £288 over the period.

That looks very good, thank you so much. Many years ago I had a similar deal with another phone seller and it worked out so cheap you that you could believe it was a mistake.

 

[Andy from Sandy]

We're having loads of problems with 3 at the moment. The speed is so variable that at times we can't even get a signal. Do a speed check one minute and it's 36 M; the next it won't even load a speed check! Another time it'll be really slow at 0.06 M download. They're supposed to be sending us upgraded SIM cards which supposedly will make the signal better?

I know the new 3 SIM cards are 5g ready but it will be long while before most areas have 5G coverage. If you are in a bad reception area like I am I don’t think changing the SIM card will improve 4G reception. I am about to have a directional 4G antenna installed in a 20 ft pole high up on the end wall of our house so hopefully I’ll get a strong and stable signal for our new 4G wifi router. Our iPhones can use Internet Calling so we will be able to receive and make normal phone calls via the Internet.

Your variable speedcheck results have two causes, 1) because of the lockdown, everybody is at home and many are streaming Netflix etc so all mobile networks are very congested, which slows down access. This will improve as life gets back to normal. 2) One minute you have good Speedtest results and the next minute they are bad or won’t even start - this is caused by bad signal strength and your phone or router is either Latching onto 4G reflections from buildings and other structures and then loosing them and logging onto a different cell tower which is further away. The only way to improve receptions is by using a suitable outdoor aerial as I am about to do. Fingers crossed it works!

 

[Andy from Sandy]

It can depend on how old your phone is not necessarily the network, although where we are 3 is not very good but EE is great. The newer phones work on more frequencies so get a better signal.
I found out they share the mast near me. EE is at the top of the mast.
I switched to EE and get 4g indoors when on 3 I could barely get a signal using the same phone.
If I do a speed check near the mast I get faster speeds on my mobile than at home on broadband on EE.
In other places my phone would not connect to 3’s 4g network.
So I did some research apparently they would prefer you not to use 4g as they haven’t got as much band width as everyone else.
When abroad it doesn’t matter what U.K. network your on go to network settings on your phone and choose the fastest local network.
It’s a load of baloney when it comes to network partners so don’t go with what ever network you home network specifies.

This is very interesting information about mast sharing. Within the next two years 3 are supposed to be upgrading most of their 4G cell sites with a new frequency which has a lot greater bandwidth. I am hoping I can make do with what they currently offer and in a couple of years there will be a speed bonus. It’s a good job we don’t have young children living at home doing on-line gaming etc.

 

[Andy from Sandy]

Try this for a DEFINITIVE answer

Check your network coverage | Support | Three

Check network coverage for 4G, and 5G in your area. Our 4G network covers 99% of the UK population (outdoor coverage). And we’re the UK’s Fastest 5G Network.

www.three.co.uk

I have a handset on Three unlimited data , a Tablet on Three (and my wifes handset) had no problems so far in many years being with three

That’s brilliant, are you getting good coverage wherever you travel to?

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[Andy from Sandy]

PAYG sims on EE will not access the full spectrum of frequencies they are blocked, only get the full use of the spectrum on contract with them.
Before I switched to EE from 3 I bought a PAYG sim on EE to test the network on the same phone, to find out it was only just better than 3.
From work on top of a hill the mast is line of site, signal was still bad.
Doing a search on tinternet flagged this up don’t think 3 do this as the wife has 3 PAYG sim and it is as bad as my contract 3 sim was.
Switched to contract on EE 4G at 3 bars at work most of the tiime even though I can see the mast, but heaps better than 3 ever was in that location.
Only found a few not spots on EE, notably Dorset really bad for 3 and EE.
Was in Wales on a site in a valley a few summers ago full chat 4G on EE never did find the mast.

Hi, I not convinced what you said about EE PAYG sims being hobbled is true. Most people see a Local mast and assume it belongs to their nerwork provider. It may not. It’s almost impossible to get your provider to tell you where your nearest mast is as it’s “commercially sensitive” information. If you can actually see your network provider’s mast than you must be able to get a good signal, unless its antennas are pointing away from you. Hope that is constructive.

 

[bigwood]

Just as lockdown started I had an Amazon voucher to,spend so I bought a Hauwie router thing, sorry not tech person. As recommended by daughters boyfriend I bough a 3 SIM card.
We had an EE plug in router to use when we were away in the van for e mails and internet for site searches. It was hopeless. I tried plugging it in at the front and back of the van. I had thought of using it abroad but it was just as bad. We sold it with promises of good internet throughout Europe.
I havnt tried it yet but from what he said 3 has provided him with good coverage both here and on holiday with us in Australia.
For what we need from the internet I hope this works when we are out again.

 

[Andy from Sandy]

Three use EE mast so coverage won't be any different.

I've found Three good in the UK but when roaming they throttle the speed.

Three share some of EE’s masts but not their actual transmitters, so their networks are kept separate. When I signed up the 3 sales lady told me EE share some of their masts, as if to say “how great we are”. The fact is EE share some of their masts with 3, as another poster has pointed out.

When roaming with 3 in another EU country you will be using that country’s networks (Orange etc. in Spain) so 3 can’t throttle your connection. The do however limit your monthly data consumption to 20GB, even if you have an Unlimited data deal. The is is similar to most/all other UK providers - it’s their “Fair Usage Policy”.

 

[Andy from Sandy]

I would be reluctant to rely of the 3 Coverage Map?, and probably for that matter most of them as they are generic. The reason I say that is that in any specific area, the coverage can depend of what part of the signal frequency your particular brand of phone is using. There is/was online a site which stated which specific frequencies are allocated to a specific supplier, some of which are shared. It was a year or two back so I no longer have the link.

That’s true PeteH, especially with older phones. My 4g router (including a 24 month data contract) was supplied by 3, basically free of charge as their sim without a router option was the same price (£17 pm). The frequencies handled by the router were the same as 3 use and probably what the other providers use for 4g (not 5g). My issue was to choose an external antenna that handled all three of these frequencies. I purchased a Poynting XPOL 00002 series 2. The series 2 is vital as the latest series 3 doesn’t cover one of these frequencies. And here is the cherry on the cake, over the next two years 3 say they are upgrading most of their cell sites to include this frequency, which will provide not only better coverage and bandwidth but also more capacity, in other words more people can use the network with less slowing down at peak times.

As for the accuracy of coverage maps, the 3 info for where I live indicates possible reception issues indoors, but not outdoors. I’m not worried about that as I am about to have a directional external 4G antenna put up on a 20ft pole high up on the side of the house. I’ll let you all know how it goes when that’s done.

This really sounds like I know what I am talking about, but I am getting this from various press releases from 3 and third party tech information on the internet, so you know it’s true.

 

[Andy from Sandy]

I would be reluctant to rely of the 3 Coverage Map?, and probably for that matter most of them as they are generic. The reason I say that is that in any specific area, the coverage can depend of what part of the signal frequency your particular brand of phone is using. There is/was online a site which stated which specific frequencies are allocated to a specific supplier, some of which are shared. It was a year or two back so I no longer have the link.

Hi PeteH, many of the bands are shared (such as band 20 etc) but as an Ex-radio ham I can’t see how specific blocks of frequencies within these bands are shared as they would surely interfere with other mobile provider’s signals. As far as I understand each mobile carrier purchased the right from OFCOM to use specific small ranges of frequencies (blocks) for their exclusive use. I Googled “What frequencies three network use” and found https://3g.co.uk/guides/what-frequencies-does-three-network-use

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[Andy from Sandy]

Make up a 12v lead for the router it works on 12v anyway, i got mine made at local computer repair shop cost £5 with both ends and 2 mts cable

That idea crossed my mind originally but I would be wary of a simple cable as the leisure battery would usually be more than 12 volts. It could be as high as 14.4 volts is the motorhome was plugged into the mains electricity or even more if you had solar panels. I would rather fit a proper 12 volt power adaptor for under £12 plus postage, such as:
12V 5A (60W) car/caravan cigarette lighter socket DC adapter for LCD TVs, LCD monitors, and other equipment. Input: DC 12V ~ 30V. Output DC 12V, 5A (MAX), 1 year warranty Amazon product ASIN B008A6GCXK
Other makes and resellers are available

 

[Andy from Sandy]

Three had the best coverage for me at home and I used miwifi for a number of years as we didn't have fibre. Unfortunately Thier customer services let me down and won't deal with them

Thanks DandG, I am hoping that once the external aerial has been fitted to my house that everything will just work well and that there will be no need to contact 3’s customer service.

Right now 3’s 4G service in my home in Bedfordshire, working only from the internal antennas of the 4g router, is just about acceptable for two light duty users at a time or one instance of Netflix streaming.