Three started rolling out its 4G network in December, and now it boasts that all its customers are on a 4G tariff. Three offers 4G at no extra cost, so its customers haven’t had to do anything to be upgraded. (It’s worth remembering that Three is the smallest of the main networks in the UK as well — it has 7.9 million active customers, a spokesperson tells me, whereas EE has almost 27 million.)
Of course, a 4G tariff means nothing unless you have a 4G-capable device to use it with. According to Three, around 1.7 million of its customers use a 4G device.
A 4G tariff is also meaningless unless you’re in a part of the country that’s covered by 4G. Three’s rollout has so far reached 36 large towns and cities, including London, Birmingham, Manchester, Reading and Liverpool. The numerical network is on track to have 4G live in 50 cities and over 200 towns by the end of the year. By the end of next year, it says its 4G will cover 98 per cent of the population.
EE’s 4G already covers 70 per cent of the population. But then it had a year’s head start on the rest of the operators. It’s signed up 2 million people to 4G, which is impressive, given that they have to pay extra for it. Tesco Mobile has joined Three in offering 4G for no extra fee, so hopefully we’ll see prices come down. Or ideally, the others will get with the program and will stop charging for it altogether.
Have you used Three’s 4G service? What do you think of it? Is 4G a ripoff? Are you waiting for the prices to come down before you dip your toe in the water? Or is reasonable to charge extra for a faster service? Let me know in the comments, or on our Facebook page.