You know Three. They’re the network who are exclusively ranging the Lenovo P2. We reviewed the P2 and were properly impressed. Three are also the network covering 98% of the population and carry 35% of the UK’s mobile data.
They’re also famous for their Feel At Home offering. It basically lets you use your phone just as you would in the UK but in places like the USA, which is where we tested it. Sure, there’s a few caveats, but it’ll give you satnav, Google search and you’ll be able to do your social media business.
Today Three are announcing the end of roaming charges in two more destinations – Singapore and Brazil. It happens on the same day that other UK networks are abolishing just EU roaming charges – June 15th 2017.
If you’re a Three customer then it now means you’ll get 60 counties with no roaming charges. That’s 60 countries around the world where you don’t need to pay a penny extra to use your Three UK mobile handset.
Three are keen to point out that, whilst they (and other UK mobile networks) are enabling free roaming in EU counties on June 15th, Three have actually provided a lot of free roaming destinations for a number of years. Not only that, but their Feel At Home system is available in 17 destinations outside of Europe. You can even use it in Australia.
CEO of Three, Dave Dyson, tells us..
We are doing this proactively for the benefit of our customers and not because regulators are forcing us to do it. That’s what sets us apart and this approach means we will always be ahead of our competitors when it comes to fair overseas roaming. I am proud that our customers can now use their phones as if they were in the UK in more than 80% of the destinations they travel to. Our ambition is greater and we are moving quickly towards a goal of 100% of overseas travel, so our customers can stay connected and enjoy the freedom of using their phones whilst they’re abroad.
Meanwhile, Ernest Doku, telecoms expert at uSwitch.com, has highlighted the fact that Three have lowered the international calling charges for Pay As You Go customers. Now it’ll cost just 3p a minute in 20 countries.
These often extortionate fees charged by providers can quickly chomp through allowances or bundles, acting as the nudge for consumers to remove that much needed cap.
If Three can keep reducing their roaming rates while also extending the number of destinations covered, this could be a seriously competitive move in a market where differentiation is key.
Full details are available below, or you can head to Three.co.uk for more information.