Is there anyone with long-term experience of Three 4G home broadband?

[Nick_A]

I was about to sign up for three home broadband until I came across the Trustpilot  broadband reviews site.

It's alarming to see that just in the first 10-20 reviews alone .... the comments from most users include the words "Terrible"  "Avoid" and "Rubbish". Some of these reviews were written just a few days ago.  The overall user rating for the service is just a very sad 1.7 out of 5.  I couldn't read more than about 15 or so of those on the first page because it was too depressing. And there are 80 or more further pages!

I am concerned that, just as some of the reviewers have experienced, that I will get through the 30 day trial period satisfactorily but then find, as some have done...... that after 5 weeks or so the service goes down the toilet. And then I'm stuck with paying off a two year contract for a bad service.

I don't think that is an unreasonable concern is it?

Is there any evidence of  similarly large numbers of users who have positive rather than negative experiences?

I thank you in advance of any advice and information received.

Nick

[Geluk]

I've used 3 then idMobile's 4G service for 4 years now; l live in a rural location and have been well impressed. I get around 25mbps d/load which was 12 times my ADSL!

[Nick_A]

Geluk

Thank you for your kind reply about my concerns with Three.  I'd not heard about idMobile,  so I have just looked them up - and they seem to offer some really good deals! I only wish they offered a router to insert their SIM into - i.e. so I could get broadband on my PC rather than my phone.   (It makes me wonder if I can get hold of a router with a SIM slot, and whether that would even work?. Hmmm.) Anyway, thanks again.

[Avondale]

I set my 86 year old father up with a Three 4G data SIM inside a Samsung Galaxy tablet. He does not have Broadband so that is his only access to the internet. 

Both his tablet and my smartphone get really fast Three internet access in his home ; and my 'phone also gets really good speeds in my home. But three points for you to note please :-

1. I have never had the need to contact Customer Services with a problem, but comments on this forum suggest that they are sometimes difficult to achieve resolution with. 

2. e-mails are occasionally received from Three advising of system maintenance and upgrades, but this work seems sometimes to go on for quite a few days. Hence, I wouldn't like to rely on Three as my only source of Broadband if access is critical (say working from home). 

3. the coverage checker map needs to be your reference point as that will tell you what you can expect from Three and is effectively your benchmark if you ever need to complain. 

I should say that my home Broadband is down at the moment, so I am writing this note on a laptop using my Three SIM in my 'phone as a hotspot. Three is brilliant when you are out and about or need an inexpensive SIM to access the internet as a backup. 

Do you intend using Three at home, and if so, have you considered Three 5G Broadband ? If you have ruled it out, I would be interested to know why !   

[Nick_A]

Avondale

Thank you for your your time and kind response to my concerns about Three.

In answer to your questions about 5G etc........ I come from the time when it took the entire morning and ALL afternoon just to download a small  50Mb driver update file for my modem  - that was of course on dial-up copper wire (in the prehistoric days before broadband). And even in more recent times - for the last 10+ years I've had no more than a max of 10-12 mbps ..... which is pathetic I know - but it's perfectly adequate for browsing, and downloading anything under 1gb.  So the answer to your question is that 4G should, I am told, be up to six times that speed ... and that's a massive performance increase in itself.  So goodness knows why I would need the speed of light offered by 5G. Mind you, I remember many years ago scornfully asking a friend  why he had just bought the first ever  '1 gigabyte hard drive' ..... when today of course I am the hypocrite running several multi-terabyte drives. (But anyway, 5G coverage is apparently a bit iffy here, and also it's more costly.)

I must admit I'm a little confused by your last paragraph... Here's the picture I get ......  what is wrong with it ?

You use home broadband by having a Three SIM inside a Three router. You remove the SIM and place it in your phone. You use the phone as the gateway  - instead of the router. So what's the difference? You were using broadband via a signal from your router to the Three masts. You are now using the signal from your phone to the Three masts. But you say your "home broadband is down."  How?

Unless you have a router with a copper or fibre connection and not an actual Three router, then I don't  understand how your broadband can be down. (?)  Or alternatively,  perhaps you mean you have signal trouble with the HOME-based router-to-mast signals - but signals are OK when you are out elsewhere with a laptop and your mobile.

And if and when signals are OK on the phone... then ..... (other than not having the benefits of multiple person and multiple device access, and access to firewall configurations etc.)  surely a router isn't actually a critical requirement??  - since presumably you can use the phone as the gateway/hotspot and connect to it via WiFi from a regular home-based PC ?

I bet that as soon as I press "Send" on this message I'll realize the simple answer and regret it.

[Avondale]

Nick

Please read my post again. I did not say that I have Three home Broadband. My Broadband is from another provider but my backup is the Three SIM in my 5G Samsung 'phone.   

[ffxmadman]

I am using three 4G broadband and I can confirm, my speed is on average 10mbps 😐, it does goes off from time to time. I have no other choice as there is no option for fast home fibre network in my area 

[Nick_A]

ffxmadman

Thank you kindly for your reply.  

Sorry to hear your predicament. That's terrible. Your  speed of 10mbps on 4G is only about the same as mine on an ancient copper telephone wire!  But at least I never have experienced any loss of service in 10 years or more. It's curious that when speaking directly to Three personnel in their retail outlet - they tell me I should get up to 70mbps if I switch to their 4G offer. So that probably  means "more like 10 - 12mbps" then!

I think I'll go back and ask them what they have to say about the large amount of negative reviews online.

Thanks again.

[Avondale]

Nick

Please bear in mind that if you purchase Three home Broadband, whether 4G or 5G, you have a thirty-day "cooling off" period, so if it doesn't work out for you, you can return the kit and not end up out of pocket. One of the moderators will probably elaborate on the T&Cs but it might be an avenue for you to consider.   

[unhappy_paul]

I live not far from a Three 5G mast (about 100 metres away). Service on 5G is terrible, very slow download speeds and frequent disconnects. Service on 4G/LTE is very good.