3 mobile are owned by Hutchison Whampoa and operates exclusively on the 3G network. 3 mobile was launched on 3rd March 2003 and within 32 months acquired 3.2 million customers. Three mobile undertook one of the fastest network rollouts in history and is now a major player in the UK mobile phone market. 3 Mobile has a roaming agreement with Orange, meaning that it uses its network when there is no 3G coverage. Previously Three mobile used the O2 network. By 2005 3 Mobile has the largest number of 3G subscribers out of any network in the UK. Three Mobile also runs high street shops, their most famous located on Oxford Street in London and in the Mailbox in Birmingham. They also operate out of Superdrug stores in the UK.

Three was the first 3G mobile phone network in the UK. The extra services, which only 3G can offer has attracted million of customers. These great features and services combined with amazing value for money has resulted in Three becoming the UK's fastest growing network. Three is the UK's first 3G network and now has nearly 4 million customers. Previously there have been concerned about coverage but that all changed years ago, Three has 99% UK population coverage for voice and text, and the largest population coverage for video services (currently at 92%).

The performance of smartphones on the UK’s 3G networks is beginning to generate significant media attention. Issues such as network coverage and the role of data-intensive devices in stretching capacity to the limit are getting plenty of focus. Three added over 2,000 new sites since the beginning of 2009 and we’ll be adding another 3,000 this year to bring our 3G coverage to over 98% of the UK’s population .For Three customers this will mean quicker and more reliable connections and better coverage throughout the UK both indoors and outdoors. It is clear that 3G networks and their ability to deliver are now the story. So although we might be the newest player to the mobile market, when it comes to the future of mobile broadband connections, we are leading the way.

Three network is built for data and future-proofed for 4G technologies. Three invested billions of pounds in developing and expanding the network and this means all can connect more people to the internet in more places, while increasing the capacity to meet the ever-growing demand for data.

Over 90% of our customers are choosing smartphones and they’re increasingly opting for our all-you-can-eat data plans. These plans give you the freedom to get the most out of your smartphone, without fear of how much it’ll cost.

Smartphones are rapidly becoming the first port of call for accessing the internet for UK consumers. Over the past two years, internet use on mobile phones has grown dramatically. And as new users experience the benefits of all-you-can-eat data for the first time, they require more support from us.

So here to help people discover all the benefits of the mobile internet. And by having a network designed for data - and by inspiring people to explore new things - Three aim to take away any barriers that prevent our customers embracing it. Three also working hard to make it easier for customers to manage their accounts and their interactions with Three, by providing unique services that are made possible by our network and the mobile internet access it provides.

Three strives to challenge and change the mobile industry for the benefit of consumers. When Thre entered the market in 2003, the environment in which they operated was very different. Prices were high and consumers had little choice but to pay extortionate prices for poor quality mobile internet on their phones and mobile data services.

Since launch, Three gone on to offer all our customers affordable flat-rate mobile internet, low-cost Mobile Broadband (from just £10 a month) and free internet calls with Skype. So everyone can enjoy the benefits of the internet when they’re out and about.

Following the success of The One Plan and a huge surge in data usage by our customers, in March 2012 Three introduced two new tariff families with data at their heart. The Ultimate Internet plans offer all-you-can-eat data, for those who want to fully embrace the mobile internet without feeling restricted or worrying about costs. And for those who want to discover the mobile internet for the first time, The Essential Internet plans offer a 250MB allowance with absolutely zero chance of over-allowance charges - our text alerts warn customers when they’re reaching their data limits to ensure that they’re always in control of what they spend.

Three continue to challenge the market, in order to improve the industry for the benefit of consumers.