3 (Three) - United Kingdom
3 (Three) (United Kingdom) uses 1 UMTS band, 5 LTE bands, and 4 5G NR bands. Find out if your unlocked phone or mobile device will work with 3 (Three) (United Kingdom). See the tables below for details.
Check device compatibilityCarrier website: http://www.three.co.uk/
Last updated: 2024/08/04 - See latest updates
Three UK, also known as Hutchison 3G UK Limited, is a British telecommunications company based in Reading, England. It is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of CK Hutchison Holdings, a limited liability Cayman Islands company registered and listed in Hong Kong. Three UK is the fourth-largest mobile network operator in the United Kingdom, with approximately 10.6 million subscribers as of May 2024.
History
Three UK was launched on 3 March 2003 as the UK's first commercial 100% 3G network. Initially, it maintained a national roaming agreement with O2 to provide coverage parity with other networks. In 2006, Orange became the new national roaming partner. In 2010, Three adopted Orange 2G (later acquired by EE) as a fallback in areas where 3G was not available. By 2013, Three no longer provided significant 2G fallback coverage for most of the UK.
Network Coverage
Three UK's network covers 99% of the UK population, providing both 4G and 5G services. The company has been recognized for having the UK's fastest 5G network, with 100MHz of fine-tuned 5G performance. Three has been investing significantly in its network infrastructure, known as "The Big Network Build," to enhance speeds and coverage across both 4G and 5G networks.
Merger with Vodafone UK
In June 2023, it was proposed that Three UK would merge with Vodafone UK. This merger aims to address the UK's network investment challenge by creating a new, properly funded third infrastructure provider. The merger is currently undergoing review by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).
Awards and Recognition
Three UK has received numerous awards for its network performance and services. These include being named the Best Network for Mobile Broadband in 2010, Best Network for Roaming in 2018 and 2019, and the Fastest 5G Mobile Network from 2021 to 2023, among others.
Customer Services
Three offers a range of plans and deals, including SIM-only options, mobile broadband, and a variety of phone and tablet deals. The company also provides exclusive rewards and offers through its Three+ program, which includes partnerships with brands like Cineworld, Caffè Nero, and Uber Eats.
Community Initiatives
Three UK is involved in various community initiatives, such as partnering with Samaritans to connect people to emotional support and promoting mental health awareness through campaigns like #TalkMoreThanFootball.
Overall, Three UK is a significant player in the UK's mobile network market, known for its extensive coverage, fast 5G speeds, and innovative customer services.
Frequency Bands
UMTS
| Name | Interface | Description |
|---|---|---|
| B1 (2100 MHz) | UMTS | 3 (Three) United Kingdom uses the UMTS B1 (2100 MHz) frequency band. This band is utilized for UMTS services and supports various protocols including UMTS, HSDPA, and HSPA+. The deployment of this band is part of 3 (Three) United Kingdom's network infrastructure, enabling 3G services. |
Supported UMTS Protocols
| Name | Generation |
|---|---|
| UMTS | 3G |
| HSDPA | 3.5G |
| HSPA+ | 3.5G (4G speed) |
LTE
| Name | Interface | Description |
|---|---|---|
| B3 (1800 MHz +) | LTE | Three United Kingdom uses LTE Band 3 (1800 MHz +) for its 4G network. This band was deployed in September 2015. |
| B20 (800 MHz DD) | LTE | In the United Kingdom, LTE Band 20 (800 MHz DD) is used for its wide area coverage and deep penetration, particularly in regional and rural environments. It is also utilized for IoT applications like eMTC and NB-IoT. The deployment of this band in the UK is not specified in the provided sources. |
| B28 (700 MHz APT) | LTE | The 700 MHz APT band, also known as LTE B28, is used for 4G LTE networks in the United Kingdom. This frequency band operates between 703 MHz and 803 MHz, supporting channel bandwidths of 5, 10, 15, and 20 MHz. It is widely used by public mobile operators for LTE network deployments due to its excellent propagation characteristics, which allow signals to penetrate buildings and cover larger geographic areas with less infrastructure. The band is also utilized for public safety communications, with a portion of the spectrum allocated for public safety broadband services. The deployment of this band in the UK is not specified in the provided information. |
| B32 (1500 MHz L-band) | LTE | Three United Kingdom uses LTE B32 (1500 MHz L-band) for its mobile network. This frequency band was added to Three's network in 2024. |
| B1 (2100 MHz) | LTE | Three United Kingdom uses LTE band B1 (2100 MHz). This frequency band was added to Three's network on August 4, 2024. |
Supported LTE Protocols
| Name | Generation |
|---|---|
| LTE | 4G |
| LTE-A | 4G |
5G NR
| Name | Interface | Description |
|---|---|---|
| N1 (2100 MHz) | 5G NR | Three UK uses the 5G NR frequency band N1 (2100 MHz) for its 5G services. This band is designated by the 5G NR standard and covers the frequency range from 1920 to 2170 MHz. The duplex spacing for this band is 190 MHz, and it supports channel bandwidths of 5, 10, 15, and 20 MHz. The band is known for its excellent coverage and building penetration due to its propagation characteristics and improved by advanced processing techniques. |
| N28 (700 MHz) | 5G NR | Three United Kingdom uses frequency band 5G NR N28 (700 MHz) for 5G. This band is part of the low-band spectrum and is known for its excellent range and building penetration. It is used for both uplink and downlink operations, with the uplink ranging from 703 to 748 MHz and the downlink ranging from 758 to 803 MHz. The band supports channel bandwidths of 5, 10, 15, and 20 MHz. This frequency band is particularly useful for providing a core coverage layer and is suitable for IoT and low-rate applications. |
| N77 (3700 MHz) | 5G NR | Three United Kingdom has deployed the 5G NR frequency band n77, which operates at 3700 MHz. This band is commonly referred to as the 3.7 GHz band or C-band 5G. The deployment includes the use of the 3.605-3.68 GHz spectrum, allowing Three to use a contiguous 100 MHz at 3.58-3.68 GHz. |
| N78 (3500 MHz) | 5G NR | The United Kingdom uses the 5G NR N78 frequency band, which operates in the 3500 MHz range. This band is designated for Time Division Duplexing (TDD) and is widely used for 5G deployments due to its relatively common availability and potential for high capacity throughput. The n78 band spans from 3300 MHz to 3800 MHz, supporting channel bandwidths ranging from 10 MHz to 100 MHz. Advanced technologies like massive MIMO, beam-forming, and beam-tracking help mitigate the limited range and building penetration issues associated with higher frequencies. This band is particularly popular for its ability to support large channel widths, making it suitable for delivering high-capacity 5G services. |
Latest updates
- 2024/08/04 - Frequency LTE B1 (2100 MHz) added to 3 (Three) United Kingdom.
- 2024/08/04 - Frequency LTE B28 (700 MHz APT) added to 3 (Three) United Kingdom.
- 2024/08/04 - Frequency LTE B32 (1500 MHz L-band) added to 3 (Three) United Kingdom.
- 2024/08/04 - Frequency 5G NR N1 (2100 MHz) added to 3 (Three) United Kingdom.
- 2024/08/04 - Frequency 5G NR N28 (700 MHz) added to 3 (Three) United Kingdom.
- 2024/08/04 - Frequency 5G NR N77 (3700 MHz) added to 3 (Three) United Kingdom.
- 2024/08/04 - Frequency 5G NR N78 (3500 MHz) added to 3 (Three) United Kingdom.
