Is it just me or is Three coverage THE WORST?

[Issthu]

Years and years of paying to have poor to no signal regardless of which part of the country I'm in (Scotland, Yorkshire, Wales, Midlands, London, Kent) across many different types of phones. Data signal is so so bad. Especially in London. My page is struggling to load even now (for a simple forum). I've called so many times and had silly offers like "we'll reduce £2 off your bill", "have you tried resetting/wiping your phone?", "We're sorry, we value you, turn off data then on again." "Have you tried turning 5G off?". 

The signal when calling is also so bad, I frequently get told people can't hear me.

Three is such an awful network, the only reason I was staying is because I have been on the same network for over 11 years. But its time for me to switch now. Terrible network.

[Imad273786]

Its been a constant issue, three network has been getting terrible by the day. Ive been with them for nearly 6 years, and i have 2 main issues.

1) Network: its absolutely terrible, you cant get coverage anywhere, and if you do, its usually weak. Im currently using a s24 ultra with 5G, so there shouldnt be an issue, but wherever i go, the same issue occurs, weak signal and people telling me they cant hear me on call, and that my speech is muffled.

2) Usually with companies, after a certain time, with existing customers, they offer different plans with deals and discounts, theres alot of perks. I realised with three, its not the case. 6 years nearly, and they come up with deals which give u £2 to £5 off, which is terrible considering how customers make a company. 

To be honest, i think i may switch to EE when my contract expires, i hear their data coverage is quite good and i know from family and friends, theres alot of perks and benefits for existing customers. So yes, dont really recommend three, unless they fix their issues.

[Bassett]

Absolutely, Three network is pants and I'll be leaving soon as my contract ends. I may even bite the bullet and pay £500 to leave now. Vodaphone has been perfect for my works phone. going to try them next.

[Jagi]

You are right! It's been disaster. Whenever I am, I am not able to call someone. As soon as my contract ends I switch to different provider.

[Threeiswaful]

A year on, exactly the same for me - four counties, three addresses - same issue. Mobile internet rarely works wherever I live or work. As soon as I turn off WiFi I noticed had bad the signal crap. The cheeky prats also get very annoyed if you don't pay them for the terrible service as well. 

[KateS]

Hey there,

Ah, that's not so good. 

Have you had a look at the expected Coverage Checker for these areas? As well as our Network Status Checker for any known issues or work going on that could be impacting you.

How long have you had your current SIM card? Can I also check the make/model of your device, please?

Keen to help,
Kate

[Clive1664]

Went through all that in the local 3 shop. Useless 

[KateS]

Hey @Clive1664,

I'm sorry to hear that.

Can you give me a bit more information on the issues you're experiencing, please?

Is this a mobile data issue?
Have you checked out our Network Status Checker for the area?
How long have you had your current SIM?
Are you noticing issues everywhere or in certain areas?

Thanks,
Kate

[GeoffP]

Not sure how true this is, and perhaps someone else more knowledgeable than I can confirm this, but I've been told that with the roll-out of 5G over the last couple of years, 3G cell towers are being decommissioned leaving areas that aren't covered by 5G more susceptible to poor network coverage. So previously, if you weren't able to obtain a 4G connection, it would resolve to a lower bandwidth signal on 3G. This is because 5G uses shorter radio waves than its predecessors - 4G & 3G. This also means the range of this radio signal doesn't travel as far, so while 5G is great if you're near a 5G cell tower, generally in this country, and with three mobile, it's just #!@% 
I've been with three mobile since 2014. Back then and up until 2020, it was great, never had a problem. However, I've noticed a massive negative change in the reception, and I can only conclude this is down to recent infrastructure changes. My partner is on EE with the same phone, and her coverage seems significantly better than mine, so once my contract is up, after a decade as three mobile customer, I'm definitely switching. I realise that my experience with three mobile is subjective based on my location, but generally I think the sentiment is if you're experiencing poor coverage, researching local service quality and possibly switching to a carrier with better coverage in your area is a sound approach. Three mobile just isn't working for me anymore. 

[Womblelina]

You've summed up the problem very well. I've had the same issues and excuses from 3. Once this contract is over I'll be leaving them as well. What's the point of them giving me a cheap deal when I can't actually get a signal or use my phone.