FACT · UK MOBILE NETWORK OPERATOR
About Three UK
UK mobile operator with the fastest 5G download speed in London.
Key facts
What is it?
Three UK launched in 2003 as the UK's fourth mobile network operator, owned by Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison Holdings (the same group that owns Drei Austria). Three was the first UK operator to launch 3G and one of the earliest 5G launchers in 2019.
Three's defining metric is 5G download speed: Opensignal records 193.3 Mbps in London - the fastest of any UK operator. This makes Three the natural pick for users who stream high-bitrate video, tether laptops, or play cloud games over cellular.
The unlimited SIM-only contract starts from GBP 14/month - the cheapest unlimited tier from any UK Big Four. EU roaming is capped at 12 GB. The Three+ Rewards programme offers voucher discounts and free-trial subscriptions.
Three hosts the in-house MVNO SMARTY (Three-owned, 30-day rolling, often used by expats and price-conscious users) plus third-party MVNOs iD Mobile and Honest Mobile.
In late 2024, the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) approved the proposed merger of Three UK with Vodafone UK, which will create the UK's largest network by subscriber count.