Why choose a Three SIM-only deal?
Dan Howdle
You’d be forgiven for thinking SIM deals are all roughly the same no matter who the provider, but each network has something unique to offer and Three is no different, with a range of features that make its SIM-only deals about much more than the standard data, texts and minutes.
Here are some of the reasons why you won't do much better than a SIM-only deal from Three:
Generous international roaming terms with Go Roam
For a fee, Three will let you use your call, text, and data allowance in 71 destinations. We’ll go into this in more detail in the roaming section below.
Additional rewards with the Three+ app
Three+ is a rewards app available for Three customers via the App Store or Google Play. Rewards include discounts for Cineworld cinemas, Gymshark apparel, Roccabox beauty products, The Telegraph newspaper subscription, Uber Eats food delivery, and many more.
Great value data
Three was one of the first providers to offer an unlimited data SIM. It’s available on a monthly rolling contract, on a 12-month deal or on a 24-month deal. If you don't need unlimited, Three also has a wide range of limits at competitive prices.
Unlimited tethering
Three allows its customers to use some or all of their data allowance as a personal hotspot, so you can get online with other devices even when there’s no wifi. Three is actually one of the only providers that also has no fair use policy, so if you intend to use your phone or tablet as a personal hotspot for other devices a lot you will never hit any sort of limit. Other providers often have a hidden limit per six-month period. Not so with Three.
Unlimited calls and texts
All Three’s SIM plans come with unlimited calls and texts. This is true for a number of providers but it’s good to know that when you’re not using WhatsApp or Messenger, you don’t need to worry about how many text messages you’re sending, and likewise, most common numbers you will call are included in your free calling package.
Control your spending
Three lets you block calls and texts to numbers that fall outside of your allowances such as 0845 and 118 numbers.
Is Three a good network?
Three is one of four UK mobile networks, the others being EE mobile, Vodafone mobile and O2 mobile. All other UK mobile providers are actually MVNOs (mobile virtual network operators) that piggyback onto one of these four. Three has always said that its network was built for the internet and claims it currently handles 28% of the UK’s mobile data traffic.
Three’s 4G network cover 99.9% of the UK population and supports 4G Super-Voice, which gives you a better indoor signal and gives you clearer voice calls over 4G. In the latest analysis published by OpenSignal, Three’s 4G network was given a 98.9% availability score, meaning OpenSignal’s testers could get a 4G signal nearly all the time.
According to the most recent report from consumer research group Opensignal, Three’s 5G network is the fastest of the four networks, which places it ahead of competitors including EE. See our Three Mobile review for full details.
Data and calling features
Increasingly, mobile providers are including additional data and calling features in their offerings to make using your phone, and therefore life, a bit easier. We’ve rounded up a few of the most popular ones and will now look at whether Three offers them or not, as well as looking at Three’s data speed.
- 5G data speed – Analysis from Opensignal shows that Three’s 5G network offers the second-fastest average download speeds after EE
- Data rollover – Three doesn’t offer any sort of data rollover scheme, but its plans tend to offer a lot of data, and there’s an unlimited data option if you want that
- Tethering – Three makes a point of saying you can use your data to create a personal hotspot and get online with another device (a process known as tethering). And there’s no limit for this – you can use your whole data allowance this way if you like
- Wifi calling – Three is one of an increasing number of providers offering wifi calling, a technology that lets you make calls and send texts over wifi when you don’t have access to a mobile signal
- Data gifting – Three doesn’t have any sort of data gifting scheme in place, but you can use tethering as a way of helping your friends and family to get online using your data allowance
- Spending caps – Three allows you to control your monthly spend by stopping your phone from calling certain numbers but the provider doesn’t have any sort of data cap in place
If you're unsure about some of the terms used here, or elsewhere on the site, our broadband jargon guide might help.
Roaming on Three
Three lets you use your data allowance throughout Europe with additional charges of £2 per day. Free roaming across Europe was required by law for UK mobile operators before the country exited the European Union, and Three complied. However, it now charges customers for that privilege as there’s no longer such a requirement.
Three’s Essential plans come with Go Roam in Europe, which means you can use your phone like at home in 49 European destinations. Advanced (more expensive, more data-heavy) plans come with Roam Around the World, which takes the total number of destinations in which you can use your allowance to 71. Note that the charge increases to £5 per day for non-European destinations.
Three’s Go Roam destinations are Aaland Islands, Australia, Austria, Azores, Balearic Islands, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canary Islands, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France (including Corsica, Mayotte and Reunion), French Guiana, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece (including Crete and Rhodes), Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guernsey, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Isle of Man, Israel, Italy (including Sardinia and Sicily), Jersey, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Madeira, Malta, Marie-Galante, Martinique, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Martin, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, United States (including Florida Keys), Uruguay, US Virgin Islands, Vatican City and Vietnam.
Three also offers something called a Data Passport, which allows you to use as much data as you like for a day, for £5. It’s available to Three customers with a pay monthly contract, including SIM-only contracts, and you can buy it from the Three website. You’ll also get a text from Three with a link to buy the Data Passport when you arrive in an eligible country.
You can use Three’s Data Passport in the UK as well as Aland Islands, Austria, Australia, Azerbaijan, Azores, Balearic Islands, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Canary Islands, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, French Guiana, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guernsey, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Isle of Man, Israel, Italy, Jersey, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Madeira, Malta, Malaysia, Martinique, Mayotte, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, Myanmar, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Réunion, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Martin, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, South Korea, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, US Virgin Islands, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, USA, Vatican City and Vietnam.
Frequently asked questions
What size SIM will I get from Three?
As is the case with other providers, Three will send you a SIM card with three different sizes on it – standard, micro and nano. You just need to pop out the size that fits your phone.
Can I keep my old number when switching to Three?
In most cases yes, you can keep your old number after you’ve moved to Three. You’ll need to get a PAC from your old provider and then you can move your number using the Three app or via the Three website.
How do I contact Three?
You can call 333 from a Three phone or 0333 338 1001 from any other phone to get in touch with Three customer services. Lines are open from 8AM to 8PM on Monday to Friday and 9AM to 6PM on Saturday and Sunday.
