Three Broadband Deals: Plans, Prices & Coverage
Three is best known as a mobile phone network, but it also offers home broadband that works without a phone line, without an engineer visit, and without any cables running into your property. If that sounds too good to be true, there are some trade-offs you should know about before signing up.
Three’s home broadband runs entirely on its 4G and 5G mobile network. You get a SIM router delivered to your door, plug it in, and you’re online. It’s genuinely that simple. But because it relies on mobile signal rather than a dedicated cable, your experience depends heavily on how good Three’s coverage is at your specific address.
Want to see what’s actually available where you live? Check which providers cover your postcode before committing to anything.
Who are Three home broadband?
Three is a telecommunications provider founded in 2003 and based in Maidenhead, England. It launched as a mobile phone network and has since expanded into home broadband, offering wireless internet powered by its 4G and 5G infrastructure.
The key thing to understand is that Three’s broadband is mobile broadband repurposed for home use. It’s not a fixed-line product like what you’d get from BT or Sky. There’s no fibre optic cable running to your house, no copper phone line involved. Instead, the router contains a SIM card that picks up Three’s mobile signal and converts it into Wi-Fi for your home devices. (Think of it as a souped-up mobile hotspot, permanently plugged in.)
This distinction matters. Setup is instant, with no waiting weeks for an engineer. But it also means your speeds and reliability depend on the strength of Three’s signal at your address. If you’re wondering whether you even need a landline, we’ve got a separate guide on whether you need a landline for broadband.
Three broadband plans and pricing
As of April 2026, Three offers three home broadband deals, all on 24-month contracts with unlimited data and free setup. Here’s what’s currently available:
| Plan | Speed | Monthly price | Price from Apr 2027 | Price from Apr 2028 | First year cost | Full contract cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Three 5G Hub (24m) | 150Mbps | £14.00/mo | £17.50/mo | £21.00/mo | £168.00 | £378.00 |
| Three 5G Outdoor Hub (24m) | 150Mbps | £15.00/mo | £18.50/mo | £22.00/mo | £180.00 | £402.00 |
| Three 4G Hub (24m) | 10Mbps | £15.00/mo | £18.50/mo | £22.00/mo | £180.00 | £402.00 |
All three plans include unlimited data with no restrictions, free next-day delivery (if ordered before 8pm, Mon-Thu), and no landline requirement. The 5G Outdoor Hub also includes a free Eero mesh unit to help extend Wi-Fi coverage throughout your home.
How the 5G Hub compares to the 4G Hub
The 5G Hub is the standout option if your address gets a strong 5G signal, with average speeds of around 150Mbps. At £14/month it’s also the cheapest plan. The 4G Hub, by contrast, delivers an average of just 10 Mbps. That’s enough for basic browsing and standard-definition streaming, but it’ll struggle with a busy household.
If you’re between the two, the 5G Outdoor Hub sits at £15/month and is designed for addresses where the indoor 5G signal is weaker. The external unit receives the signal from the outside and feeds it into your home via the included mesh router.
How pricing changes over time
Don’t just look at the headline monthly price. Like most UK broadband providers, Three increases prices during the contract. The 5G Hub starts at £14/month, rises to £17.50/month from April 2027, then £21/month from April 2028. Over the full 24 months, you’ll pay £378 in total.
For context, a standard full-fibre deal from a fixed-line provider typically costs around £20-£40/month. Three’s pricing is competitive even after the increases, though you’re getting a lower download speed in return.
If you need to leave early, you may face termination charges. You can calculate any early termination fee on your current contract before making any decisions. And if you want tips on keeping costs down long-term, have a look at our guide on how to avoid broadband price increases.
Three broadband deals and incentives
Beyond the monthly pricing, Three bundles in a few extras. As of April 2026, always check Three’s website for the latest terms, as promotions change.
Up to £200 switching credit: If you’re leaving another provider and have to pay early exit fees, Three will reimburse up to £200. After signing up, you need to submit your final bill from your previous provider to Three, and they’ll refund up to £200.
30-day money-back guarantee: This is genuinely useful given the uncertainty around mobile broadband coverage. If Three’s service doesn’t work well at your address within the first 30 days, you can cancel for a full refund. That’s a meaningful safety net.
Free next-day delivery: Order before 8pm Monday to Thursday and the router arrives the next day. No installation appointment, no waiting around for an engineer.
What speeds can you expect from Three broadband?
Three advertises an average download speed of approximately 150Mbps on its 5G home broadband, according to a Three UK press release. In practical terms, 150Mbps is comfortably fast enough for a household of three or four people streaming HD or 4K content, video calling, and gaming at the same time.
That being said, broadband speeds will vary, and your actual experience will depend on the signal strength at your address. It really depends on whether you’re receiving 5G or 4G. On 4G, it’s only around 10Mbps.
To put Three’s speeds in context: Ofcom reported in December 2024 that 84% of UK premises now have access to gigabit-capable broadband (speeds of 1,000Mbps+), mostly through full fibre or cable connections. Three 5G sits below that speed, but it is still far better than an ADSL connection that many households get stuck on.
For gamers and video callers, latency matters as much as raw speed. On 5G in well-covered urban areas, latency can be around 17ms, which is acceptable for most online gaming. But it can fluctuate more than a fixed-line connection during peak hours. If low, consistent latency is critical for you, check out our guide on broadband speed requirements for gaming. You can also test your current broadband speed to see how your existing connection compares.
Three broadband vs fixed-line broadband
Three’s wireless broadband and traditional fixed-line broadband are very different products, and neither is outright better. It comes down to what you need.
Where Three wins: No landline needed, no engineer visit, genuine plug-and-play setup, and the router is portable (you can use it at a different address if Three signal is available there). You’re also looking at lower upfront costs and the flexibility of Three’s 30-day money-back guarantee.
Where fixed-line wins: Maximum speeds on full fibre can reach 1,000Mbps or more, compared to Three’s 150Mbps ceiling on 5G. Fixed-line connections also deliver more consistent speeds because the data travels along a dedicated cable to your property rather than over a shared mobile network. You won’t get speed dips during peak hours the way you might with mobile broadband.
For comparison, here’s how some major fixed-line providers price their broadband-only deals as of April 2026:
- EE broadband: Full Fibre 150 from £26.99/mo (150Mbps), up to Full Fibre 1.6GB at £39.99/mo
- Virgin Media: M125 from £21.99/mo (132Mbps), Gig1 at £27.99/mo (1,130Mbps)
- TalkTalk broadband: Full Fibre 150 from £24/mo (152Mbps), Full Fibre 900 at £36/mo
- BT: Fibre 2 from £26.99/mo (74Mbps), Full Fibre 900 at £34.99/mo
Fixed-line providers do generally cost more than Three’s headline prices, but they deliver higher speeds and more reliable connections. If you need consistent gigabit speeds for heavy usage, or you’re in a household with five or more people all online at once, a full-fibre deal is probably the better choice. Three makes more sense for renters who move often, people who don’t want a landline, and anyone in an area with a strong Three 5G signal who values simplicity and low cost.
How to switch to Three broadband
Switching to Three is straightforward, but there’s one important wrinkle: because you’re moving to mobile broadband rather than switching between fixed-line providers, your old contract doesn’t cancel automatically.
- Check coverage at your postcode using Three’s coverage checker and Switchity’s postcode checker
- Choose your plan and sign up on Three’s website
- Receive your router via free next-day delivery
- Plug in and connect your devices to the Wi-Fi network
- Cancel your old broadband contract separately. You must contact your current provider and cancel yourself
- Claim your switching credit by submitting your final bill from your old provider to Three (up to £200 reimbursed)
Before you switch, check whether your current contract has ended. If you’re still in your minimum term, you’ll likely face an early exit fee. Calculate any early termination fee on your current contract to see what you’d owe. And remember, Three’s 30-day money-back guarantee means you can try the service risk-free. If it doesn’t perform at your address, return the router within those first 30 days for a full refund.
Three broadband pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| No landline required, genuinely wireless with no engineer visit | Three’s own 5G covers only ~9-23% of the UK geographically |
| Competitive pricing, starting from £14/mo on the 5G Hub | Speeds (up to ~150Mbps on 5G) don’t match full fibre (1,000Mbps+), now available to 84% of UK premises |
| Up to £200 switching credit to offset exit fees | Prices rise significantly during the contract |
| 30-day money-back guarantee | No fixed-line option for users who need maximum consistency |
| Portable, can be used at another address with Three signal | Doesn’t bundle with a home phone service |
| Quick setup with free next-day delivery | 10Mb on 4G is limiting, only good enough for basic internet usage |
Is Three broadband right for you?
Three broadband is genuinely different from most home broadband products. No landline, no engineer, and you can be online within minutes of the router arriving. That simplicity is real, and for the right household it’s hard to beat. Plus, Three has an excellent Trustpilot score of 4.5 out of 5 stars with many users complimenting the service they are receiving.
It makes the most sense if you’re in an urban area with confirmed Three 5G signal, you value flexibility over maximum speed, you move frequently, or you simply don’t want to pay for a phone line you’ll never use. If you’re already a Three mobile customer, you might also want to check out Three SIM-only deals alongside your broadband.
But if you need consistent gigabit speeds, live somewhere with patchy Three signal, or you’re already getting a solid fibre deal at a similar price, you’re probably better off with a fixed-line provider. Check out our pages on EE broadband, Sky broadband, or TalkTalk broadband for alternatives.
The best way to decide? Check what’s actually available at your address rather than choosing a provider on headline price alone.
Check broadband deals at your postcode
Or if you’d like to see everything in one place, compare all broadband deals on Switchity.
