Published: 4/07/2017
Three Review: All you can eat buffering
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Launched in 2005 becoming Ireland's fourth mobile network, Three was an underdog that pushed Vodafone and Meteor to improve their network. Branding themselves as the network for data users, Three grew its customer base quicker than any other network. Being the first to launch high speed 3G in Ireland, Three was on a path to transforming Ireland's digital society. But after a merger with O2 in 2015, Ireland's second largest mobile network, Three instantly leapfrogged Meteor adding 1.5 million O2 customers to its network and drew itself closer to Vodafone. However, the merger ended up as a disaster for Three customers as the network was inundated with 1.5 million new customers over night. Many customers complained of not being able to call, text or even use data for weeks after the merger. But after the dust having settled, has Three's €350 million 'Big Upgrade' program transformed its old network into a state of the art 4G network which rivals the industry leader, Vodafone?
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Elaine Carey, Chief Commercial Officer and Robert Finnegan, CEO of Three Ireland
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Coverage, Speed & Quality
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Three's network team had a mammoth task ahead of them in 2015 following the merger with O2. They were faced with two separate networks, built for two different types of users. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Three customers used significantly more data than their O2 counterparts, who used more calls and texts. This meant that Three's network was built to carry data on a newer 3G network while O2's network mainly consisted of 2G to carry calls, texts and data with a much smaller 3G network. So seeing this, Three began what they call 'The Big Upgrade' program to combine the two networks as one nationwide 'super network'. Three had promised to deliver a state of the art 4G for all their customers by the time of the projects completion. It's now only a few months before the projects completion with most of the planned upgrades now complete.
Unfortunately, Three does not have a state of the art network at the moment, its actually far from it. Three operates the poorest 4G network in Ireland, behind Meteor and especially Vodafone. While most urban areas are now covered by Three's 4G network, many areas remain covered by only Edge or 3G. Take my area as an example, driving less than five minutes out of the town results in me being shifted from mediocre 4G to Three's woeful Edge network which is useless for any kind of modern means of communicating via data. Another issue is that Three's ''State of the art 4G network'' isn't fast anyway. It's actually slower than their 3G network in my area, even with full signal. This is a trend that I've been noticing right across Ireland. Three's 4G speeds are terrible, especially when compared to Meteor and Vodafone. Sometimes I can't even load a video on 4G, and I'm constantly forced to watch the circle spinning letting me know its buffering. Three claims to be building a 4G+ network similar to Vodafone but I've never actually seen the 4G+ symbol on my phone, so for the moment I'm going to say its just another marketing stunt limited to small areas in large cities like Dublin. On Vodafone I get 4G+ in most of the areas where Three has standard 4G which should be frightening for Three. Another few disadvantages to Three's network include being the only network in Ireland to not support HD Voice. I should also mention that Three has yet to launch a worldwide 4G roaming service, something that Vodafone customers have enjoyed for quite some time. I'm predicting that within the next two years, Three's 4G network will be much closer in terms of coverage and speed to its rivals. Lucky for Three, they have almost 50% more spectrum than Vodafone, much of which they have yet to utilise. Doing a couple of speed tests only confirms the issues customers face using Three's network. In my area I can easily get over 80Mbps on Vodafone's 4G network but Three struggles to get 1Mbps on their 3G and 4G network. All my findings are backed up by Ookla, OpenSignal and ComReg who have found Three to be the slowest network in Ireland. So to conclude, don't be fooled by Three claiming they have a ''state of the art 4G network'' because they don't. It's terrible and the biggest reason why many people have chosen Vodafone over Three. If you don't live anywhere remotely near a large urban area, forget about Three because you'll be just stuck waiting on Edge or Three's awful 3G/4G network. |
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The chart above depicts the share of spectrum between Three, Meteor and Vodafone. While Vodafone has allocated more spectrum than any other network, Three has around 50% more total spectrum, most of which remains unused.
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Above are the shocking speeds I experienced while using my phone on 3G and 4G in New Ross, Co. Wexford on Three.
Three's coverage map depicting 4G coverage in Ireland. Purple indicates good 4G coverage. Yellow indicates poor 4G coverage.
Pay as you go: Plans & Pricing
Three deserves credit for its now famous pay as go plan which offers ''unlimited'' data for €20. This plan is probably the best out there (excluding Vodafone's new ''Vodafone X'' plans which are technically only available to students) for its sheer value and simplicity. Customers won't have to worry about going over a data limit and can keep their €20 credit. The plan has received some alterations in recent months which have made it less attractive. You no longer benefit from unlimited any network weekend calls or unlimited roaming.
Speaking of roaming, Three's decision to allow its customers use only 5GB in the EU is disappointing considering they brand themselves as the all you can eat data network. The plan now lasts 28 days, a similar tactic enforced by Vodafone and Meteor. Customers can avail of 3 months free Deezer premium and send as many texts as they want. I should make clear that when Three says ''unlimited'' or ''all you can eat data'' it really means 60GB of data after which your speeds may be throttled in congested areas.
If you have good Three coverage in your area and don't plan on travelling in the EU, you should really consider this plan.
Speaking of roaming, Three's decision to allow its customers use only 5GB in the EU is disappointing considering they brand themselves as the all you can eat data network. The plan now lasts 28 days, a similar tactic enforced by Vodafone and Meteor. Customers can avail of 3 months free Deezer premium and send as many texts as they want. I should make clear that when Three says ''unlimited'' or ''all you can eat data'' it really means 60GB of data after which your speeds may be throttled in congested areas.
If you have good Three coverage in your area and don't plan on travelling in the EU, you should really consider this plan.
Billpay Sim Only:
Three's €30 billpay Sim Only plan is pretty amazing. It is simply the best plan available in Ireland at the moment. As with all Sim Only plans you benefit from the flexibility of a 30 day contract allowing you to switch plan or change network whenever you desire.
As with all Three plans, you get ''unlimited data'' and unlimited Three to Three calls. Customers can enjoy unlimited calls and texts to any network, both in Ireland and in the EU. When it comes to EU roaming, Three has limited its customers to 7GB, enough for social media but insufficient for YouTube or Netflix streaming.
Obviously, 4G access is free. Another neat addition, you get three months of Deezer Premium free. I think this plan is perfect for virtually anyone who has a smartphone. You can use the internet the way it was meant to be used, without limits and can avail of free music streaming for three months.
As with all Three plans, you get ''unlimited data'' and unlimited Three to Three calls. Customers can enjoy unlimited calls and texts to any network, both in Ireland and in the EU. When it comes to EU roaming, Three has limited its customers to 7GB, enough for social media but insufficient for YouTube or Netflix streaming.
Obviously, 4G access is free. Another neat addition, you get three months of Deezer Premium free. I think this plan is perfect for virtually anyone who has a smartphone. You can use the internet the way it was meant to be used, without limits and can avail of free music streaming for three months.
Billpay:
Once again Three has some of the best billpay plans in the industry. A vital driver for profit, as seen by Vodafone's success, Three is trying to push existing and new customers onto more expensive billpay plans which lock customers on the network for two years too long. There are some benefits of choosing Billpay over Pay as you Go or even Billpay Sim Only but I generally advise people not to take the Billpay route if they want to save money and upgrade their phone frequently. The biggest advantage of going Billpay is the dramatically subsidized cost of buying a new device as the cost is spread out over two years.
All plans feature ''unlimited data'', free 4G access, unlimited Three to Three calls and three months free Deezer Premium. The exact details of the plans are shown below. The ''recommended'' plan, which happens to be the most expensive boasts unlimited calls and texts to any country in the EU and 7GB of EU roaming data. This plan is virtually identical to Three's Billpay Sim Only counterpart but costs twice the price every month for two years at €60.
For €45 customers enjoy 6GB of EU roaming data and 350 ''Flexi-Units'' for use anywhere in the EU. ''Flexi-Units'' as Three calls them are a confusing way to trick customers. This basically means that with 350 ''Flexi-Units'' customers get 350 call minutes OR 2 texts. Notice I emphasis that ''OR'' because you're not getting both 350 call minutes and 700 texts. The cheapest billpay plan, €30, gets you 100 ''Flexi-Units'' so its not the plan for those who spent their time sending SMS or calling their friends.
Altogether, I think Three's billpay plans are very good. They are certainly less attractive than their Pay as you Go and Billpay Sim Only counterparts but remain some of the best in the industry. I really think that Vodafone should take notice of Three's plans and begin offering unlimited data. I love Three's approach to data because I think it truly allows people to use their phones without the fear of going over their data limit.
All plans feature ''unlimited data'', free 4G access, unlimited Three to Three calls and three months free Deezer Premium. The exact details of the plans are shown below. The ''recommended'' plan, which happens to be the most expensive boasts unlimited calls and texts to any country in the EU and 7GB of EU roaming data. This plan is virtually identical to Three's Billpay Sim Only counterpart but costs twice the price every month for two years at €60.
For €45 customers enjoy 6GB of EU roaming data and 350 ''Flexi-Units'' for use anywhere in the EU. ''Flexi-Units'' as Three calls them are a confusing way to trick customers. This basically means that with 350 ''Flexi-Units'' customers get 350 call minutes OR 2 texts. Notice I emphasis that ''OR'' because you're not getting both 350 call minutes and 700 texts. The cheapest billpay plan, €30, gets you 100 ''Flexi-Units'' so its not the plan for those who spent their time sending SMS or calling their friends.
Altogether, I think Three's billpay plans are very good. They are certainly less attractive than their Pay as you Go and Billpay Sim Only counterparts but remain some of the best in the industry. I really think that Vodafone should take notice of Three's plans and begin offering unlimited data. I love Three's approach to data because I think it truly allows people to use their phones without the fear of going over their data limit.
DEvice Selection:
Three offers customers one of the widest range of devices available on any network. Like Vodafone, it has benefited from providing some exclusive smartphones. Three's selection of phones includes the biggest names in the business, including iPhones, Androids, Galaxy's and Huawei's so there's no shortage of choices. Below shows the devices currently available on Three's bill pay service.
Customer Care & other benefits
The quality of customer care among the mobile networks has come a long way in the past number of years. This is less true for Three though. I personally had a terrible customer care experience when I was using Three, others have reported better outcomes. I've contacted Three at least thirty times via their Twitter account, email support, online chat and phone helpline over a period spanning two years to deal with network coverage and speed issues, I was never once provided with useful information or compensated for the issues that I and everyone in my area faced. Every time I contacted Three I got a different answer. Some agents told me that speeds of 0.5Mbps on 4G were acceptable, some explained that Three's network was in the process of 'The Big Upgrade' and I would have to wait at least another year for an improvement and one agent even told me that my microwave or Christmas tree lights were the problem. It was a disaster to say the least, and the problem remains unresolved to this day. Three do provide many ways to get help for an issue but the issue is the quality of that help.
Similar to Vodafone's Cherry Points and Meteor's now discontinued 'Meteor Extras', Three has devised a service that gives a plethora of benefits to its customers. I think the service is excellent, giving customers rewards for staying with Three. Unlike Vodafone's service, 3Plus doesn't require you to top up to earn rewards. As long as you're a Three customer, you'll enjoy the benefits. And those benefits are vast and provide plenty of choice to everyone. You can access these benefits through the dedicated 3Plus app on your smartphone. My favourite feature of the service is the ability to get discounts on products or services such as cinema tickets, clothes and sportswear. Another feature allows customers to enter countless free competitions to win phones, concert and sports tickets along with trips and holidays. Three really should be proud of their 3Plus service and I hope they continue to improve and diversify their service so more and more people can reap its benefits. 3Plus has set the industry standard for adding value to mobile customers plans without increasing confusion or costing the customer more.
Similar to Vodafone's Cherry Points and Meteor's now discontinued 'Meteor Extras', Three has devised a service that gives a plethora of benefits to its customers. I think the service is excellent, giving customers rewards for staying with Three. Unlike Vodafone's service, 3Plus doesn't require you to top up to earn rewards. As long as you're a Three customer, you'll enjoy the benefits. And those benefits are vast and provide plenty of choice to everyone. You can access these benefits through the dedicated 3Plus app on your smartphone. My favourite feature of the service is the ability to get discounts on products or services such as cinema tickets, clothes and sportswear. Another feature allows customers to enter countless free competitions to win phones, concert and sports tickets along with trips and holidays. Three really should be proud of their 3Plus service and I hope they continue to improve and diversify their service so more and more people can reap its benefits. 3Plus has set the industry standard for adding value to mobile customers plans without increasing confusion or costing the customer more.
Verdict: The positives are overshadowed by the major negative
Three has the best plans out there, thats no secret. No other network can compete with any of Three's plans at the moment. Branding itself as the All you can Eat data network has pushed other networks such as Vodafone and Meteor to wake up and give customers more data for their money. Added benefits such as 3Plus and free Deezer Premium for three months are welcome enhancements to already great plans. Three's controversial decision to limit customers data allowance while roaming in the EU is disturbing, perhaps even hypocritical considering the company touts its plans as having unlimited data. And then there's Three's network. To put it simply, Three is two to three years behind both Meteor and Vodafone in terms of 4G coverage and speed. Heck, Vodafone's new 4G+ network is available in areas where Three has yet to deploy standard 4G. Three's network is a joke and it's claims of having a state of the art 4G network are lies. It's a shame really because Three has 50% more spectrum than any other network which has yet to be fully allocated. Three was a powerhouse of innovation, being the first in the world with high speed 3G, but that was before the O2 merger and past success isn't an indication of future performance. That said, if you live in an area with good Three coverage, I can't recommend a better network for the sheer value which its plans offer. But as I've always said, Unlimited data is only as good as the network is on.
