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Three mobile broadband

Three overview

  • Wide range of packages including pay monthly contracts with 1GB, 5GB or 15GB data allowance
  • PAYG mobile broadband available with data included - ideal for gifts
  • Great range of laptop specs available with a mobile broadband month contract
  • If you're an existing Three Mobile customer, you get 25% off any 18 month mobile broadband package.
  • Free delivery and 14 day returns policy

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Three Broadband Genie Road Test results

3 Road test
Three Huawei E367 dongle
Downloads
rating -5 stars5 stars
Uploads
rating -5 stars5 stars
Most stable
rating -4 stars4 stars
Coverage
rating -3 stars3 stars
Feelgood factor
rating -5 stars5 stars
Dongle software
rating -4 stars4 stars
Overall rating
rating -5 stars5 stars

May 2011

2011 Awards: Dongle on the Move Overall Winner, Best Downloader Winner, Best Uploader Winner, Most Stable runner-up & software runner-up

It's hard to describe just how far ahead of the competition Three's Huawei E367 was. Of our six award categories it aced three and was runner-up in two – and wasn't far off being placed in the last one, coverage, either. So what is Three doing so right?

At the time of writing (May 2011), the E367 is the only dongle of its kind on the UK market. It is packed with advanced chip technology and is designed for the coming 3G+ networks, which means it gets more out of mobile broadband now and will get even more in future. Three claims it is 40 per cent faster and we won't be disputing that here – it was certainly head and shoulders ahead of the competition.

So, the long and short of it: the Three E367 completed the most upload and download tests, with the fastest average and individual top speeds in both. It completed all but one of the upload and download tests to external sites (Facebook, BBC etc) and was the only dongle to complete all of the streaming tests we put it through. Quite simply a fantastic performance.

It has left us struggling for a negative, so we're not going to bother trying. All we will say is make sure you can get a good signal in your area if you do decide on Three – it's a great dongle, but it can't pull a signal out of the air if there isn't one to begin with!

Overall analysis of the Mobile Broadband Genie Road Trip 2011

by Chris Marling May 2011

About Three

While Three mobile broadband may have been late to the party as far as mobile network operators are concerned (being the fifth and final one to gain a 3G licence), it has concentrated hard on trying to lead the pack in terms of 3G mobile broadband. So far, it has pretty much succeeded.

UK residents have been bombarded with everything from free Three mobile broadband dongles and MiFi units to aggressive pricing campaigns. Over the past few years it has pulled back on some of its customer service problems too, while its network has gone from also-ran to contender.

Launched as a brand of the Hong Kong-based Hutchinson Whampoa Corporation, 3 UK's mobile network arrived in 2003. The company launched its mobile broadband in August 2007, undercutting its rivals, while its pay as you go version followed in December of the same year. 3 became the first mobile broadband operator to launch 'free' laptop deals in July 2008 and it now offers mobile internet contracts from less than £10 per month. It was also the first to market with mobile Wi-Fi dongles, which it has dubbed MiFi.

In 2008, 3 signed an agreement with rival network T-Mobile to combine their 3G access networks: at the time the biggest agreement of its type (it has since been trumped by a similar deal between Vodafone and O2). In 2011 Three began to offer truly unlimited mobile broadband to its smartphone customers, while also offering the biggest range of mobile broadband deals on dongles, MiFis and laptops in terms of data allowances.

Three customer reviews

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  • neutral

    by Paul at 23:18 on 16 May 2012Report abuse

    Let me get this straight- You're COMPLAINING about 100kps? When I was on o2, my max speed at any time was about 2kps! From your 'angry' comment, 3 sounds brilliant.

  • unhappy

    by Karen at 12:47 on 15 May 2012Report abuse

    Please stay away from 3,i was with them for 3 years and it was a nightmare! They are harrassing my family and I for not renewing for the forth year! They have overcharged me several times and they want me to pat another 60 euro for stopping my direct debit and cancelling with the wrong department of 3 which was customer care,they are the most vile rude people and are clueless on how to treat their customers,what a horrible crowd and you cannot understand a word of their broken english!!!!!!!

  • unhappy

    by Molo at 22:46 on 11 May 2012Report abuse

    Crap speed. Cannot even open the web page Unlimited s**t for 35 puinds. AVOID IT!!!

  • unhappy

    by fedup at 20:14 on 10 May 2012Report abuse

    3 mobile broadband is the worst i have ever experienced with rubbish signal and very slow on startup. Trying to cancel your contract with them is a excruciatingly long and painful process. Best to avoid!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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