No Signal, No Calls: Three UK Suffers Major Voice Service Blackout
The Story of Three (3) Mobile UK: From Creation to Today
Foundation and Early Development
Founded: 3 UK was launched on 3 March 2003 — the name "Three" symbolizes both the launch date (03/03) and the fact that it was the first 3G-only network in the UK.
Founder/Owner: It was created by Hutchison Whampoa, a multinational conglomerate based in Hong Kong, owned by billionaire Li Ka-shing.
Hutchison Whampoa is now part of CK Hutchison Holdings, which owns the "Three" brand in multiple countries.
What Made Three Different at Launch
3G Pioneer: Three was the first mobile operator in the UK to offer 3G services — meaning faster internet and video calling on mobile compared to older 2G networks.
It positioned itself as a disruptive challenger to the existing UK telecom giants like Vodafone, O2, Orange, and T-Mobile (which later became EE).
Growth and Expansion
Three initially struggled due to limited 3G coverage and handset issues, but rapidly improved by:
Expanding its network infrastructure
Offering unlimited data packages
Targeting younger and tech-savvy users
In the 2010s, Three became known for:
No roaming fees in 70+ countries ("Feel At Home")
Aggressive pricing and data-heavy plans
Leading legal challenges on behalf of consumer rights (e.g., net neutrality)
Network and Technology
Three operates on its own core network, with access to:
3G (original core strength)
4G LTE (rolled out in 2013)
5G (launched commercially in 2020)
Three UK invested heavily in 5G spectrum and owns more 5G bandwidth than any other UK operator, making it a potential leader in 5G capacity.
Mergers and Partnerships
Failed merger attempt: In 2015, Three attempted to buy O2 UK from Telefónica for £10.25 billion, but it was blocked by EU regulators in 2016 over competition concerns.
Current status: Three is still wholly owned by CK Hutchison Holdings but operates independently in the UK market.
Customer Base
As of 2025, Three UK has around 11 million customers, making it one of the "big four" mobile network operators in the UK, alongside:
EE (BT Group)
Vodafone
O2 (now merged with Virgin Media)
Recent Issues & Developments
On Wednesday, June 26, 2025, Three experienced a major voice service outage, leaving thousands of users unable to make calls.
Data services like 4G/5G continued to work.
This sparked frustration among users, especially businesses and emergency service users who rely on call connectivity.
Slogan & Identity
Past slogans included:
"The Network Built for the Internet"
"Make It Right"
"Phones Are Good"
Known for youth-centric, data-first, and internet-friendly branding.