Three 100gb data, Unlimited calls & texts for £20 pcm (2 Viewers)

[Minxy]

We've just taken out Three's new phone contract, which I think this has been mentioned on other threads about mobile broadband etc, but thought I'd create this thread about this phone sim as it has LOADS of internet!

Firstly, how it works for us financially - we are currently paying £35.52 pcm (£426.24 pa):

• Mobile phones: £15 pcm (2 x £7.50) with Tesco for a basic smartphone each with 400 mins, loads of texts (can't remember how many!) and 500gb data pcm
• Mobile broadband: £20.52 for 40gb of data with Three

Details of Three phone contract:

• Costs £20 pcm (£240 pa)
• 100gb data pcm
• All you can eat mins and texts
• 12 month contract
• The whole 100gb of data can be tethered in the UK
• In Europe the data limit is 15gb pcm (was 13gb pcm) although it may be increased further
• 'Go Binge' can be used in the UK and Europe
• There is a 'fair usage' policy in place - this means if you use your data abroad Three 'may' look at your usage and if you've used it for more time away than in the UK in the preceding 4 month period (ie over 2 months continuously) they may apply a surcharge (no change to previous fair use policy on data usage).
• You get WUNTU perks which which are currently a free drink from Greggs, a £2 meal deal, and/or a £3 eat out deal (not looked into these in any great detail but sound good!).
• You can delay the start of the contract for 30 days to allow for the notice period on your existing phone and/or mobile data contract but if you want to start it, say, in 20 days you can simply ring up on the day before/day you want it to start from and they can activate it then.

The new phone contract for hubby above means we can tether to it and use it for internet access and I'll get a PAYG '1p sim' as I rarely use internet on mine and don't make many calls/texts anyway, and as the only requirement is to top-up it up with £10 every 4 months that only equates to £30 a year/£2.50 pcm, plenty enough for me and means we'll have a phone on Three and another on the EE network.

We've ordered a couple of new quad-core 3gb RAM 32gb ROM 12.0MP + 5.0MP Rear Camera Fingerprint Sensor Smartphones @ £93 each (gone up to £105 now) so they come to £186 plus the cost for the new phone contract and my PAYG will work out at £240 + £30 + £186 = £456 but for this small extra amount we'll get 60gb a month more data and only a 1 year contract (our contracts including phones were for 2 years).

Doing a more 'like for like' comparison, we'd 'save' £126.48 over the period, have much better phones and a hell of a lot more mins/texts/data!

Existing phones £15 pcm x 24 months = £360
Existing broadband: £20.52 pcm x 24 months = £492.48

Total cost for 2 years: £852.48​

New phone contract: £20 pcm x 24 months = £480
New PAYG phone sim: £30 pa x 2 years = £60
New phones: 2 x £93 = £186

Total cost for 2 years: £726.00
​

I've given 30 day's notice to cancel our Three data only contract and as our phones contacts are due to end on 7th December we can actually given 30 day's notice to cancel them in a month's time.

These are the phones we're getting:

https://uk.gearbest.com/cell-phones/pp_009642116173.html?wid=1349303
​

This is the Three phone sim:

http://www.three.co.uk/Store/SIM/Pl...vbM6clOtjcaAvnHEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds&aidset=1
​

This is the 1p mobile sim:

https://www.1pmobile.com/index.taf?...kyGQD9pEdlRD7DH4w8MNieE5UzitUs7EaApdAEALw_wcB

​

 

[Allanm]

Very similar to our “Free” sim in France, unlimited calls and texts and 100gb data in France, which reduces to 25gb outside France, all for €15.99 per month on a recurring monthly contract.
I use the sim in a mifi unit to give us internet access at home.

 

[Minxy]

I knew there was something else I forgot to mention and you've just reminded me Allenm ... yes, you can use the Three phone sim in a MIFI if you want as this restriction was removed by Three in March 2018 I believe.

I cancelled our Three data sim via phone last night and then spoke to another chap in phones sales to try to sort out the new phone contract but tried to tell me that the 15gb data limit in Europe was PER YEAR and simply would NOT accept that he was wrong so instead we went to the Three store in town to do it ... the girl there offered me a job as I knew all about it and was able to tell them what it was all about, which they confirmed, it's not something they are used to with customers!

I must update the Three info sheet I did that's in resources at some point!

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[34127]

So, just to clarify. If I get this Three contract, I can put the sim in my phone and tether to my laptop or tablet and get 100Gb of data every month, then I can get rid of my landline as well. @Minxy Girl

 

[Deleted member 29692]

So, just to clarify. If I get this Three contract, I can put the sim in my phone and tether to my laptop or tablet and get 100Gb of data every month, then I can get rid of my landline as well. @Minxy Girl

That depends what you use your home broadband for. There’s more to it than just the amount of “data” and no 4G connection from anyone anywhere is a replacement for real broadband and it never will be.

If it’s just one or two of you and your internet use is basic web browsing and email you would probably get away with it. If you’re a heavy user and/or have a lot of simultaneous connections then you won’t.

You have to remember that you will not have a dedicated connection, you will be sharing it with however many other people in your area/street/village use that network and are connecting to that cell at the same time.

The 100gb bit is pretty much irrelevant for your idea. It’s the available bandwidth that will make it work or fail for you and the only people who can give you any reliable info on that are people who are doing the same thing in the same area connecting to the same cell.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

@Minxy Girl as I know what Hutchison are like as a company what is their fair usage policy on the alleged 100gb? There will certainly be one even if they don’t exactly make it easy to find.

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[34127]

That depends what you use your home broadband for. There’s more to it than just the amount of “data” and no 4G connection from anyone anywhere is a replacement for real broadband and it never will be.

If it’s just one or two of you and your internet use is basic web browsing and email you would probably get away with it. If you’re a heavy user and/or have a lot of simultaneous connections then you won’t.

You have to remember that you will not have a dedicated connection, you will be sharing it with however many other people in your area/street/village use that network and are connecting to that cell at the same time.

The 100gb bit is pretty much irrelevant for your idea. It’s the available bandwidth that will make it work or fail for you and the only people who can give you any reliable info on that are people who are doing the same thing in the same area connecting to the same cell.

Thanks for your reply. I live alone and generally just use broadband for emails, browsing etc and not much else. I will check my actual data usage with my broadband supplier to see what I am actually using.

 

[EuroTrotters]

Very informative, must have taken you some time to type that all up Minxy Girl, thank you.

 

[34127]

Slightly off topic but what is the latest advice on buying a new tablet. Want it for emails, general browsing but I also want to run Adobe Photoshop and Gimp.

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[billym]

Be careful with the Go Binge bit in Europe.
Unless it has changed very recently it is not what it appears to be. It has been only up to the 13/ 15 gb limit.

 

[buttons]

We've just taken out Three's new phone contract, which I think this has been mentioned on other threads about mobile broadband etc, but thought I'd create this thread about this phone sim as it has LOADS of internet!
Firstly, how it works for us financially - we are currently paying £35.52 pcm (£426.24 pa):
Mobile phones: £15 pcm (2 x £7.50) with Tesco for a basic smartphone each with 400 mins, loads of texts (can't remember how many!) and 500gb data pcm

• Mobile broadband: £20.52 for 40gb of data with Three

Details of Three phone contract:

• Costs £20 pcm (£240 pa)
• 100gb data pcm
• All you can eat mins and texts
• 12 month contract
• The whole 100gb of data can be tethered in the UK
• In Europe the data limit is 15gb pcm (was 13gb pcm) although it may be increased further
• 'Go Binge' can be used in the UK and Europe
• There is a 'fair usage' policy in place - this means if you use your data abroad Three 'may' look at your usage and if you've used it for more time away than in the UK in the preceding 4 month period (ie over 2 months continuously) they may apply a surcharge (no change to previous fair use policy on data usage).
• You get WUNTU perks which which are currently a free drink from Greggs, a £2 meal deal, and/or a £3 eat out deal (not looked into these in any great detail but sound good!).
• You can delay the start of the contract for 30 days to allow for the notice period on your existing phone and/or mobile data contract but if you want to start it, say, in 20 days you can simply ring up on the day before/day you want it to start from and they can activate it then.

The new phone contract for hubby above means we can tether to it and use it for internet access and I'll get a PAYG '1p sim' as I rarely use internet on mine and don't make many calls/texts anyway, and as the only requirement is to top-up it up with £10 every 4 months that only equates to £30 a year/£2.50 pcm, plenty enough for me and means we'll have a phone on Three and another on the EE network.
We've ordered a couple of new quad-core 3gb RAM 32gb ROM 12.0MP + 5.0MP Rear Camera Fingerprint Sensor Smartphones @ £93 each (gone up to £105 now) so they come to £186 plus the cost for the new phone contract and my PAYG will work out at £240 + £30 + £186 = £456 but for this small extra amount we'll get 60gb a month more data and only a 1 year contract (our contracts including phones were for 2 years).
Doing a more 'like for like' comparison, we'd 'save' £126.48 over the period, have much better phones and a hell of a lot more mins/texts/data!
Existing phones £15 pcm x 24 months = £360

Existing broadband: £20.52 pcm x 24 months = £492.48

Total cost for 2 years: £852.48​

New phone contract: £20 pcm x 24 months = £480

New PAYG phone sim: £30 pa x 2 years = £60
New phones: 2 x £93 = £186

Total cost for 2 years: £726.00
I've given 30 day's notice to cancel our Three data only contract and as our phones contacts are due to end on 7th December we can actually given 30 day's notice to cancel them in a month's time.​

These are the phones we're getting:
https://uk.gearbest.com/cell-phones/pp_009642116173.html?wid=1349303

This is the Three phone sim:
http://www.three.co.uk/Store/SIM/Pl...vbM6clOtjcaAvnHEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds&aidset=1
This is the 1p mobile sim:
https://www.1pmobile.com/index.taf?...kyGQD9pEdlRD7DH4w8MNieE5UzitUs7EaApdAEALw_wcB​

I beat that by £2 a month
I noticed this £20 deal in the Three shop window. The chap offered me if I have two sim only he could do it for £18 a month each. I thought it was too good to miss so I have cancelled two other sims and now use these...Great deal.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

Be careful with the Go Binge bit in Europe.
Unless it has changed very recently it is not what it appears to be. It has been only up to the 13/ 15 gb limit.

Very little from that company is ever what it appears to be.

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[RowleyBirkinQC]

This may be out of date/inaccurate, but an example of the “fair usage policy” which was listed on a review of their “all you can eat” contract for international travel in October 2017...

“If your plan has an all-you-can-eat allowance, a fair usage policy will apply when you’re abroad. Each month, you can only use up to a maximum of 3000 minutes, 5000 texts and 12GB of internet (9GB if you’re on Pay As You Go). When you’re abroad, data speeds are also restricted to 2G and 3G.”

However, this may since have been revised.

Edit: link dated February 2018 https://kenstechtips.com/index.php/threes-feel-at-home#Fair_Usage_Policy

Random 3 mobile link...

http://support.three.co.uk/SRVS/CGI...nternetapps,varset_subcat=3583,Case=obj(3833)

 

[DBK]

Slightly off topic but what is the latest advice on buying a new tablet. Want it for emails, general browsing but I also want to run Adobe Photoshop and Gimp.

When you say Photoshop do you mean what is now called Lightroom CC, previously called Lightroom Mobile? If you want to run the full Photoshop you will need a laptop with Windows or something from Apple such as a MacBook. You can't run Photoshop on any tablet whether Android or Apple as far as I know.
Lightroom CC is now a very good app for editing images while away from home, I use it on all the photos I post of my trips. The screenshot below shows how you can now select a section of an image and then alter the selected bit only. In this example I've selected some shadows which I could then alter by lightening them. There are also presets to give a bit more impact and simple controls to sharpen the image.
But like Photoshop itself it will work better on an iOS devices and when my Android tablet dies I will probably replace it with an iPad or some sort.

 

[34127]

Thank you for your reply. I am using photoshop elements and last time I checked, a few years back, it didn't seem possible to run it or Gimp on a tablet, was just wondering if it was any different now.
Perhaps I should be looking for an ipad or notebook but don't have any knowledge of best way forward on this so any advice will be appreciated.

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[Deleted member 29692]

Thanks for your reply. I live alone and generally just use broadband for emails, browsing etc and not much else. I will check my actual data usage with my broadband supplier to see what I am actually using.

You’ll be fine in terms of the amount of data you use.
100gb is a hell of a lot in a month - if 3 get many people take up this offer and then try and actually use that much on a regular basis their already creaky infrastructure isn’t likely to cope.


Where mobile connections fall down is in terms of simultaneous or parallel connections. The first possible bottleneck is at your phone or MiFi or whatever you use. This will be capable of processing a finite amount of data per second. This capacity is shared between however many devices you connect.

The second point is at the mobile cell that your phone connects to. This will have a similar finite capacity shared between everyone who connects. This probably isn’t much of a problem if you live in a village but if you’re in a city it can be, especially at certain time of day.

I guess the other thing you need to be sure of is whether you can actually get a 4G signal on that network everywhere in your house. You wouldn’t be the first person to be caught out by that. Don’t rely on coverage maps either - they show outdoors in perfect conditions.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

You can't run Photoshop on any tablet whether Android or Apple as far as I know.

There is a mobile version but it’s horrible. It’s so limited as to be pointless.

 

[DBK]

Thank you for your reply. I am using photoshop elements and last time I checked, a few years back, it didn't seem possible to run it or Gimp on a tablet, was just wondering if it was any different now.
Perhaps I should be looking for an ipad or notebook but don't have any knowledge of best way forward on this so any advice will be appreciated.

The cheapest solution would be a Windows laptop (not a Windows tablet) but if the budget will stretch to a MacBook that would nice but probably not essential for Elements.

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[Minxy]

I beat that by £2 a month
I noticed this £20 deal in the Three shop window. The chap offered me if I have two sim only he could do it for £18 a month each. I thought it was too good to miss so I have cancelled two other sims and now use these...Great deal.

... but you've had to get 2 of them, we only needed one so quite happy to pay £20 a month for what we're getting.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

The cheapest solution would be a Windows laptop (not a Windows tablet) but if the budget will stretch to a MacBook that would nice but probably not essential for Elements.

If the budget will stretch to a MacBook then it would be a shame to restrict yourself to Elements.

Take the plunge into the full version even if it means investing in some lessons.

 

[Minxy]

So, just to clarify. If I get this Three contract, I can put the sim in my phone and tether to my laptop or tablet and get 100Gb of data every month, then I can get rid of my landline as well. @Minxy Girl

We've used mobile broadband on it's own for many years*, at first it was a bit hit and miss but now its very good, not as good as fibre I'll give you but not fibre prices either - for the vast majority of stuff we don't have any problems at all ... in fact I'm struggling to think of anything it causes issues with!

I wouldn't go back to landline based broadband as for 3 months of the year at least we'd be paying for something we can't on holiday which even with the cheapest deals (if we could get them here) would make it costly.

We do use the internet a lot but don't stream although hubby does download a lot of stuff without a problem. For normal browsing, emailing etc there's no issue at all even with both of us on.

* We've been with them for around 10 years I think, with the exception of 4 years ago when 3 were having major issues with installing new masts in our area due to the exceeding high demand - this was very much an exception though as Hull and it's surrounding area is the only part of the country where BT isn't available and we have to have landline provision from Kingston Communications so they in effect have the monopoly and were/are expensive, consequently when Three came to Hull a huge amount of people changed to Three compared to other places is the UK which I think Three just didn't expect it.

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[The Dotties]

Virgin and EE are doing the same deals, well they are through Carphone Warehouse.
If I got similar deals for our soon to expire contracts, is there a way to use the sims, via tethering, to watch the telly in the van? That would give us 200gb pcm

 

[chaser]

@Minxy Girl , dont know if you remember a couple of months ago we were discusing a three sim i had bought , pay and go , all you can eat data with tethering plus calls and texts for £24 for a month, well i can confirm it did everything it said , we have been in europe nearly five weeks and it never failed to connect , dont know how much actual data i used but it worked for the whole time with no problems, just as good as the data only ones do. although obviously only for the month.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

u but not fibre prices either

My Sky Fibre Unlimited is £15 per month.

Just saying

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[Millcourt]

Sounds like an amazing deal @Minxy Girl ………. but, having been caught out before, I am inclined to the view that "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!"

The cell phone handsets you are buying are being imported from the US. The last time I bought something by mail order from the US (a couple of years ago and slightly lower in value), I got stung for import duty and VAT to be paid before the Post Office would deliver. Are these the same phones as currently advertised on Amazon for £139.20?

Amazon product ASIN B07FKP27VJ
These are being shipped from Italy, I understand - so (until Brexit?) no liability for import duty or VAT. Also, I would feel more confident about refund/exchange from Amazon in the event of problems.

I have on several occasions mentioned the problems I have experienced with "3" when roaming - so not for me!

Hope it all works out fine for you and will be interested to hear how things turn out.

 

[Jim]

My Sky Fibre Unlimited is £15 per month.

Just saying

Best of luck taking it on the road with you

 

[Minxy]

Be careful with the Go Binge bit in Europe.
Unless it has changed very recently it is not what it appears to be. It has been only up to the 13/ 15 gb limit.

I've just had a read up on the Go Binge use in Europe and so long as you have some of your European data allowance left (ie 12gb for PAYG or 15gb on contract) you can continue to use it, so the 'limit' you mention isn't on the Go Binge itself, you just need to make sure you don't use up all of your European data allowance then can continue to use Go Binge without restriction.

As for use in Europe generally I've just taken this off the Three website which they haven't fully updated yet so I've indicated the relevant parts that I believe have changed:

WHAT'S INCLUDED
* Use of your data allowance in Go Roam in Europe destinations is included subject to a fair use limit. If you have a data allowance of 15GB or more, you can use up to a fair use limit of 15GB of your data allowance (or 12GB if you're on Pay As You Go) at no extra cost.

* Use of your data allowance in Go Roam Around the World destinations is included subject to a fair use limit. If you have a data allowance of 12GB or more, you can use up to a fair use limit of 12GB of your data allowance at no extra cost.

* Use of your call and text allowance in Go Roam in Europe destinations to make calls and texts: (1) back to the UK; and (2) between our Go Roam in Europe destinations is included.

* It's always free to receive calls and texts in a Go Roam destination. Don't forget that when you're calling or texting back to the UK, you'll need to replace the first 0 in the number you're calling or texting with +44.

* Use of your call and text allowance in Go Roam Around the World destinations to make calls and texts back to the UK is included.

WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED:
* In Go Roam in Europe destinations, use of your data allowance over our fair use limit of 15GB (or 12GB for Pay As You Go customers) is not included and incurs a surcharge of up to 0.50p/MB.

* In Go Roam Around the World destinations, use of your data allowance over our fair use limit of 12GB is not included or allowed.

* If you have all-you-can-eat texts, you can send up to 5,000 texts back to the UK a month from a Go Roam destination and if you have 3,000 or more minutes included in your allowance you can use up to 3,000 minutes at no extra cost. Use over these fair use limits is not included and chargeable.
I BELIEVE THIS RESTRICTION HAS NOW BEEN LIFTED TOO - I'LL INVESTIGATE FURTHER.

* Extended periods abroad are not included. Go Roam is designed for UK residents who are on holiday or business trips abroad. See sections entitled 'usage restrictions' on our Support page for more details.

* Using your phone as a Personal Hotspot (otherwise known as 'tethering') in a Go Roam Around the World destination is not included unless you've purchased our Data Passport.
THIS RESTRICTION HAS NOW BEEN LIFTED TOO.

* Using your call allowance to make calls to local or other international numbers in a Go Roam destination is not included, unless you are in one of our Go Roam in Europe destinations, where calls between our Go Roam in Europe destinations is included.

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[Deleted member 29692]

Best of luck taking it on the road with you

When I’m on the road my phone does all I need.

Most of the time when I’m away it’s nice to not have constant internet for a change. A real pet hate is pubs that have their WiFi details plastered everywhere.

The best places are the ones that don’t have a phone signal either

 

[Minxy]

Virgin and EE are doing the same deals, well they are through Carphone Warehouse.
If I got similar deals for our soon to expire contracts, is there a way to use the sims, via tethering, to watch the telly in the van? That would give us 200gb pcm

Can't see anyone else offering 100gb a month on there, Virgin £20 for 60gb, EE £25 for 30gb.

 

[Minxy]

Sounds like an amazing deal @Minxy Girl ………. but, having been caught out before, I am inclined to the view that "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!"

We've had quite a bit of stuff over the years from GearBest without any problems.

The cell phone handsets you are buying are being imported from the US. The last time I bought something by mail order from the US (a couple of years ago and slightly lower in value), I got stung for import duty and VAT to be paid before the Post Office would deliver.

They're coming from Germany so no issues with duty.

Are these the same phones as currently advertised on Amazon for £139.20?

Amazon product ASIN B07FKP27VJ

Yup, if you want the coloured ones they are more expensive, but they were just selling off some of the black ones as I assume they've got a lot left in stock.

These are being shipped from Italy, I understand - so (until Brexit?) no liability for import duty or VAT. Also, I would feel more confident about refund/exchange from Amazon in the event of problems.

See replies above.

I have on several occasions mentioned the problems I have experienced with "3" when roaming - so not for me!

Not for everyone but we've not had issues so works out fine for us.

Hope it all works out fine for you and will be interested to hear how things turn out.

Ta - will report back in due course.

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