About Three Home Broadband
Are you in short-term accommodation or splitting your time up between various locations? Would you love to have access to fast internet, but your address isn’t set up for fibre broadband yet? You've landed on the right page. Three’s Home Broadband could be a great solution for you.
Three Home Broadband is a mobile broadband service, giving users the chance to get online through a 4G or 5G network. This service used to be offered to customers under the name 'Relish Broadband'.
Unlike many other broadband plans you’ll find on Broadband Genie, no cables are needed to get online. You don’t need a landline (so no extra line rental costs) and you won’t need to arrange any engineer visits. Instead, when you sign up for a Three home broadband package, you’ll receive a wireless broadband hub.
There’s almost no installation involved in setting up your home broadband with Three. Other than a few setting tweaks, it should be a case of plugging in the device. It’s as simple as getting online with your mobile phone.
Three home broadband is sometimes referred to as ‘Home-Fi’. Although the 4G and 5G hubs are technically mobile Wi-Fi devices, these home broadband hubs have a greater reach than a mobile dongle. Their signal is powerful enough to connect entire homes and businesses. Unlike a mobile broadband dongle, there’s no need to carry the hub around with you.
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What's a dongle?
A dongle is a small device that receives a mobile broadband signal. These contain a SIM card from your mobile broadband supplier.
You can get USB dongles that plug into a spare port or your computer, or a mobile Wi-Fi dongle (sometimes called ‘MiFi’) that broadcasts a wireless signal.
Three Home Broadband relies on Three’s wireless network signal. Coverage isn’t guaranteed across the country, so as well as checking out our comparison pages, it’s also important to use the Three Coverage Checker.
If you no longer make use of your landline, Three’s Home Broadband deals could be an economical way to get reliable, fast broadband without any extra set-up fees.
It’s also worth bearing in mind that as there’s no landline, it’s possible to layer a Three Home Broadband deal up on top of another broadband provider. As both the 4G and 5G home broadband are available on a rolling one-month basis as well as a longer 24-month contract length. This could be a great option if you need more temporary set-up, or as an emergency back-up option.
Let’s check out the broadband offers available with Three.
Three broadband: packages and speeds
Great news! All Three Broadband deals come with a 30-day money-back guarantee. There’s truly unlimited data included on all packages, too. Here’s what you can expect from both the 4G and 5G options:
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What does ‘truly unlimited data’ mean?
You can download or stream much as you like without any additional charges or restrictions.
5G Home Broadband
Three claims to offer an average download speed of 150Mb for its superfast home broadband, although it’s important to note that these 5G speeds aren’t guaranteed. Access to the Three’s 5G network may be limited. However, if you can get it, Three 5G Home Broadband will be fast enough to enjoy high quality 4K streaming.
4G Home Broadband
This is a good option for everyday home use. 4G Home Broadband is fast enough to be used as an alternative to line broadband. It’s possible to connect up to 64 devices to Three’s 4G hub. 4G coverage across the UK is excellent. If you order before 8pm, there’s next working day delivery.
Three Wi-Fi Hub router
In-depth: 5G Home Hub Router
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In-depth: 4G Home Hub Router
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Three Broadband app
The Three app allows customers to keep on top of their bills and usage. It can also help remind you when you’re out of contract and eligible for an upgrade, or free to switch broadband providers.
The app can also be used as a shortcut to accessing Three’s customer support through live chat.
Does Three offer home phone packages?
The beauty of Three’s Home Broadband is that it’s completely wireless and doesn’t require a landline. So it’s no surprise Three doesn’t offer any home phone packages. If you’d like to sign up to a Three mobile phone package and manage both your broadband and phone billing through one app, there are several options available.
Three Broadband and mobile deals
There are currently no bundled broadband and mobile phone deals available from Three.
If you’re looking for a more portable solution for fast internet on the move, there’s an option to sign up to Three’s mobile broadband package, also known as MiFi.
Available with an unlimited data plan, as well as plenty of other smaller options, the Huawai 4G Plus MiFi dongle bundled with this deal lets you connect up to 31 Wi-Fi enabled devices at once. Pocket-sized for portability, the device has a battery life of up to 9 hours. Three’s 4G MiFi is available on a rolling monthly contract, as well as 12 or 24 month plans. Prices for this start from around £12 a month.
Does Three offer broadband and TV bundles?
Three doesn’t offer any broadband or TV bundles. If you’re interested in trimming down your billing admin and signing up with a supplier who offers both, you can use our deals checker. Try it now to find out who offers bundled broadband and TV packages in your area.
Three broadband extras and free gifts
Keep an eye out for our round-up of broadband with free gifts. It’s not unusual for broadband providers to offer a number of perks and bonuses to lure new customers. In the past, Three rewards have included contracts with a whole year at half price.
Three Broadband: pros and cons
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Frequently asked questions about Three Home Broadband
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What network does Three use?
Three doesn’t rely on the Openreach network. Three Home and Three Mobile Broadband uses the same mobile network as its phones. Around 99% of the UK should be covered by its 4G service. Availability of the 5G mobile network will be more limited.
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Can I get Three Broadband in my area?
It’s important to check the coverage of Three's 4G or 5G service in your area before committing to any lengthy contract.
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How long are Three Broadband contracts?
Three Home Broadband is available on either a rolling monthly contract or 24-month contracts. Its Mobile Broadband (MiFi) also comes with a 12-month option.
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Are there upfront costs?
There are currently no set-up fees for a home broadband hub from Three on a 24-month contract. However, you'll have to pay around £28 for its 1-month rolling 4G Hub Unlimited Home Broadband. Just be aware, the hubs remain property of Three and must be returned when your contract ends. You must look after these devices as the replacement costs for lost or damaged hubs are high.
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How long will it take to install Three Broadband?
You won’t need an engineer visit to set up Three Home Broadband. Setting up your broadband connection should be as simple as plugging in the hub and connecting to your device. If you order before 8pm, you should receive your hub the next working day.
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Does Three have good customer service?
According to an Ofcom report on the best and worst telecoms customer service in May 2023, Three was one of the quickest companies to pick up the phone. It had the lowest average call waiting time out of all providers - thrashing the likes of EE and Vodafone.
However, it also had a lower overall satisfaction score of 83%, compared to the sector average of 87%. This means, although they’re quick to answer, many customers weren’t happy with how their complaints were handled. Signal strength was also a factor.
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How do I contact Three?
The easiest way to get help fast from Three is to use their Live Chat. This can be accessed through the Three website or its dedicated app. Live Chat is open between 8am-8pm Monday to Friday, or 9am-6pm at the weekends.
Alternatively, it’s possible to call and speak to a customer service representative by dialling 0333 338 1001. Three phone users can call 333, or if you’re calling from abroad, you'll need to dial +44 7782 333 333.If you want to speak to someone about mobile broadband, Three phone customers can dial 500. Alternatively, the numbers are 0333 338 1003 or +44 7782 333 500 from abroad.
Three’s call centres are open between 8am-8pm Monday to Friday, and 9am-6pm Saturday and Sunday.
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How do I cancel Three Broadband?
A handy way to check when you’re out of contract with Three is to use its dedicated app. This will notify you when you’re free to switch or upgrade.
If you’re not on a rolling monthly contract, it’s likely you’ll be on a 24-month contract with Three home broadband. If you’re still within this period, there will be an additional charge for cancelling early. There’s a termination notice of 30 days for cancellations.As always, it’s best to wait until your contract has ended before cancelling.
When you cancel Three Home Broadband, you’ll need to return your hubs within 14 days. These remain the property of Three throughout your contract. The cost of replacing the hubs is high. Currently, a missing or damaged 5G hub is priced at £350. The replacement fee for a Three 4G hub is £70.
For questions on cancelling Three Broadband, you can call 0330 686 8000.
Do these deals look interesting to you? If you'd like to dig deeper before you sign up to Three Home Broadband, you might want to read more on Three Broadband Review: Is Three Home Broadband any good?
We review every provider we list on Broadband Genie. Check out the following reviews for our thoughts on other ISPs: