Thousands of mobile phone users experienced significant disruptions on Wednesday as the Three network suffered a major outage, preventing customers from making or receiving calls. According to reports compiled by outage detection website Down Detector, over 9,300 individuals logged issues, with 80% of them indicating they were unable to connect calls. Additionally, 17% of users reported a total loss of signal and 3% experienced internet connectivity issues.
A representative from Three UK acknowledged the problem, stating, “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.”
The disruptions began shortly after 8 am and affected not only Three customers but also those using iD Mobile and Smarty, which both operate on the same network. Frustrated users took to social media to voice their concerns, lamenting the frequency of the outages and sharing personal challenges, including one user who was unable to contact a breakdown service after their car broke down.
In light of the ongoing issues, Three offers a service update page on its website where customers can check the status of their network in their area by entering their postcode. There is also a potential for compensation, as internet service providers typically offer financial compensation of £8 for each day that service is not restored after two full days of outages.
While such outages can be distressing for users, it is reassuring that Three is actively working to resolve the issue and that options for compensation exist for those affected.