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Three phases out "The One Plan" and Unlimited tethering |
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#1 |
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: London, UK
Posts: 8,759
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Three phases out "The One Plan" and Unlimited tethering
Three confirmed this November that they will be phasing out “The One Plan” for existing customers. All customers will be moved off the plan once they are out of contract on to an alternative price plan. "The One Plan" was the only tariff from Three to include truly unlimited tethering.
Three launched “The One Plan” in 2010 as an all-inclusive plan giving customers 2000 cross network minutes, 5000 texts, 5000 3-3 minutes and 1GB of data. A year later Three made the plan even better by giving customers All You Can Eat Data with unlimited tethering. Three has been a fast growing network and congestion issues have been a huge talking point among Three customers and Three staff. The biggest issue happened during June last year when all of Three’s data centres were at 110-140% capacity. This prompted Three to rush through upgrades to their core network and re consider future price plans to stop this issue from arising in the future. Three stated that they would never remove unlimited data and this is something that has remained true, what is being targeted is tethering use. Tethering on a mobile network can amount to high data usage compared to general use on a mobile phone. Three recently introduced new Contract Handset tariffs where data use on the phone was still unlimited but tethering was limited to 2GB. Three also introduced new SIM Only plans in June where tethering was limited to 4GB. This plan of action was taken to protect Three’s data experience and ensure that new customers joining the network would not add to the congestion and capacity issues experienced previously. Despite these changes, Three still sees ~45% of the UK mobile data traffic run through its pipes and users on the One Plan are using an average of ~5.6GB per month. The top 10% of users on the One Plan use over 23GB each and 10% of all Three users account for ~60% of all data used on the Three network. What is happening? Three are phasing out “The One Plan” for existing customers in 2015. If you are out of contract and on “The One Plan” you will be contacted shortly to discuss moving over to a new price plan. This will either be at the same price or a higher price, the new price plans now include 0800 numbers for free and truly unlimited minutes and texts. Data will still remain unlimited but tethering will now be capped at 4GB. This will affect some but not affect others. For example, if you don't tether but use a lot of data on the phone you'll be fine as All You Can Eat Data is still on the new tariffs. But if you tether more than 4GB a month then you will be affected as you will just be able to use the unlimited data on the handset and will be blocked from tethering after using 4GB. How will this happen? You will receive a text message or call from Three advising that there will be some changes made to your price plan. When will this happen? If you have been contacted you will be asked if you wish to switch plans or not, if you agree you move to a new price plan. If you disagree then Three will cancel the plan with 30 days’ notice. You will be notified when this 30 day period starts. It is still not confirmed if Three will allow any users to stay on “The One Plan”. For now it looks like they won't. I’m still in contract If you’re still in contract then you won’t be affected for now. When your contract runs out then you’ll be given the same options as above. What now? No other network does unlimited tethering. They do more than 4GB though. So if tethering is vital then EE may be an option offering 20GB of tetherable data on their contract handset plans. Three has moved away from being a budget provider and is now trying to position itself as a premium brand by including value content such as 0800 numbers, feel at home and All you can eat data at an increased price. Three is trying too much to be like the other operators when their USP has always been that they are not like the other operators. Three is still the only network to offer All You Can Eat Data in the UK though and that is still a huge benefit to the majority. What can I do? Nothing tbh. You can complain if you want by sending an email to David.Dyson@three.co.uk Apologies for the new thread but I wanted to clean up all the information and put it into one easy place to access. Can we please use this thread for further discussion on this topic. |
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#2 |
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 14,541
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I fail to see what giving the CEO's email out is going to achieve, it'll be answered by one of the Glasgow team on his behalf as it isn't his real email address and it'll simply be met with the same statement you've given already.
They are hardly going to say, ok we'll let you keep using 100GB of tethering a month for £15, thanks. |
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#3 |
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: London, UK
Posts: 8,759
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Quote:
I fail to see what giving the CEO's email out is going to achieve, it'll be answered by one of the Glasgow team on his behalf as it isn't his real email address and it'll simply be met with the same statement you've given already.
They are hardly going to say, ok we'll let you keep using 100GB of tethering a month for £15, thanks. But we all know how people love to complain. |
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#4 |
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Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,319
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That's quite a poor move from Three. People can use 100GB on mobile data but limited to 4GB tethering. Doesn't make sense. Tethering limit should be at least 10-20GB.
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#5 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 14,541
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Quote:
That's kind of what I said haha. I said "Nothing" can be done.
But we all know how people love to complain. The notion of going to the CEO over your £15 phone plan and expecting him to decide to treat you differently than the company's position on the topic is... well.. you know. |
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#6 |
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Wales
Posts: 4,542
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I don't actually have any problem with this particularly. If it sees off the tethering freeloaders who abuse the service then that's fine with me. *Yes, I'm aware that you'll say you'll use it how you wish, but frankly I don't care too much for those arguments*
The tethering is something that I actually agree with Wavejock on, although he always posts in such an inflamatory manner, so therefore he deserves no credit for his views. What I won't accept, however, is being put onto a more expensive plan. I'll use my power as an existing customer to negotiate something good for my £15/month. |
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#7 |
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Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 100
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They should have not done this on first place, not to give unlimited tethering and get all customers, i personally cancelled my old contracts early and paid ETC just to get hands on this so called ONE PLAN to use it for long term, even though i haven't abused the network so far but sometimes you can be away from home broadband for weeks and this was a good alternate. My contract ends in Jan and iam sure ill be getting the text soon as well.
All i can say is GOOD LUCK 3 for what ever tactics you using. |
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#8 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: London, UK
Posts: 8,759
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Quote:
That's quite a poor move from Three. People can use 100GB on mobile data but limited to 4GB tethering. Doesn't make sense. Tethering limit should be at least 10-20GB.
Whoever decided 2GB was enough for 24m contracts and that 4GB was enough for SIM Only should be fired. Three spent a very long time marketing themselves as the "Network built for the Internet" yet they've really thrown a lot of that away now. Sure they still do Unlimited handset data, and sure it'll help the network in the long run but they are the smallest MNO in the UK and they're not exactly growing at a fast pace any more. Other networks in the UK are able to provide fixed data plans with more tethering than Three and sometimes even at a better price, and don't get me started on other countries. Three has moved away from its USP which was that it was a low cost network with a focus on data. Now its a premium brand that tries to sell itself on value by offering random crap that no one cares about like 0800 numbers and "free" 4G. Feel at Home is a good idea and one that I agree with and I'm looking forward to the new additions coming soon. But Three have really started to become another EE or another O2 when it comes to price and tariffs. The average data use on the network is 2.6GB yet their fixed allowances only go up to either 2GB on 24m or 4GB on SIM. You need to purchase an All You Can Eat data plan to truly use data and it's now priced sky high and for some who just want to use 5GB they can get a better deal on another network. Three just cares about profit at the end of the day and I don't blame them because every company does. But there was a time when they did come across as slightly genuine in wanting to provide the best deal for every customer to increase subscriber numbers. Now that they're near their subscriber target they've done a U-Turn. What Three need to realise is that many people still have the old perceptions that they are crap for signal and just a budget provider, now they're a premium provider. Three was always the provider that shook the market up and they've done it before, don't see them doing it again. OK i'm done. (BTW, all the views above are from the view of someone who knows about the mobile industry and calls himself a tech nerd or whatever the term is. The general public won't care about half of what I said and that is what Three are banking on, and it'll work) |
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#9 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 100
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One big advantage of 3 for me was upload speeds , it gives upto 25mb whereas my fibre optic VM gives 3mb upload, Sometimes very occasionally i do have upload upto 10gb data on servers & onedrive, but i usually do that at off-peak midnight after 12am just to get good upload speeds and not to load the network for others.
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#10 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 14,541
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Quote:
I don't actually have any problem with this particularly. If it sees off the tethering freeloaders who abuse the service then that's fine with me. *Yes, I'm aware that you'll say you'll use it how you wish, but frankly I don't care too much for those arguments*
The tethering is something that I actually agree with Wavejock on, although he always posts in such an inflamatory manner, so therefore he deserves no credit for his views. What I won't accept, however, is being put onto a more expensive plan. I'll use my power as an existing customer to negotiate something good for my £15/month. |
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#11 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Glasgow
Posts: 10,276
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Inevitable bad news for those who trusted 3 to deliver unlimited data.
Reality has bitten and what some have stated was the strength of the network now appears to be a huge weakness. 3 need bandwidth to cater for profitable smartphone buyers so no surprise the low revenue punters are being kicked off to make space for high monthly payment customers subscribing with high value smartphones that have a good margin for 3 to profit from. Not a good prospect for anyone seeing previous contract agreements being ripped up and thrown aside but I suppose what needs to be done for profit has to be done.....it's business after all and 3 have a lot of red ink to turn black. Expected personalisation that follows this post will be ignored. |
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#12 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: London, UK
Posts: 8,759
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Quote:
Inevitable bad news for those who trusted 3 to deliver unlimited data.
Reality has bitten and what some have stated was the strength of the network now appears to be a huge weakness. 3 need bandwidth to cater for profitable smartphone buyers so no surprise the low revenue punters are being kicked off to make space for them. Not a good prospect for anyone seeing previous contract agreements being ripped up and thrown aside but I suppose what needs to be done for profit has to be done..... I agree with the guys in the other thread. You should be banned from posting in any thread with "Three" in the title. And stop editing every post and talking about "personalisation". It's childish |
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#13 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Shropshire
Posts: 641
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Great news for normal phone and tethering users! No mobile network can ever judge how many teather'ers will be on a particular mast, any mast for any network only has limited resources... these need to be spread out instead of been 'hogged' by users downloading 20gb of data as if it is a fixed line connection.
IMO the revenue they'll lose from 'deserters' will be offset with the overall cost they put on the network. |
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#14 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Shropshire
Posts: 641
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Why do you keep posting the same crap over and over?
I agree with the guys in the other thread. You should be banned from posting in any thread with "Three" in the title. And stop editing every post and talking about "personalisation". It's childish |
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#15 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Glasgow
Posts: 10,276
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Quote:
IMO the revenue they'll lose from 'deserters' will be offset with the overall cost they put on the network.
What have 3 to offer now? Same phones, much the same deals and less 4G than any others...... not great! A rock and a hard place springs to mind! |
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#16 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: London, UK
Posts: 8,759
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You need to be 'banned' for being rude! He has some great points and I had no problems reading it... grow up!
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#17 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Retford
Posts: 20,449
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IMO the revenue they'll lose from 'deserters' will be offset with the overall cost they put on the network.
They've thrown in the towel like giffgaff did earlier this year, their USP is no longer applicable and they have become as vanilla and expensive as the rest. The only difference between them is going to be the name on the bill - not good for consumers. |
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#18 |
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Wales
Posts: 4,542
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I hate to break it to you but you're the only person on this forum who thinks that.
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#19 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 14,541
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Agreed, Jabbamk1 has been very helpful here, posting information and hints about changes before they happen and generally starting threads on interesting topics.
The other user just posts repeated attacks at Three, not just today but any day, any subject, any thing and often provocatively with use of very colourful phrases deliberately designed to bait other members, including, but not limited to re-posting known false information... repeatedly. |
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#20 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Scotland
Posts: 343
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So Three have lied when they said existing customers who have been on the One Plan before 2014 will stay on The One Plan with the unlimited tethering.
This is really pathetic of Three. 4G really doesn't mean anything now with 4GB untethering. Here was me thinking that if I continue my contract onto next year I'll still get unlimited AYCE tethering. It doesn't seem to be the case now.
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#21 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 260
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Thanks for sharing this info
I'm still not clear on what the price offered to us loyal customers will be. Frankly i want the same one plan tariff and will accept (begrudgingly) the 4GB tethering limit for the same £15 p/m. |
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#22 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: London, UK
Posts: 8,759
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Quote:
How many people who don't use tons of GB a month will they have cheesed off by doing this and who'll have lost their trust with Three (if they drop unlimited tethering and axe the One Plan, how long before AYCE gets the chop?) will no longer be loyal customers?
They've thrown in the towel like giffgaff did earlier this year, their USP is no longer applicable and they have become as vanilla and expensive as the rest. The only difference between them is going to be the name on the bill - not good for consumers. |
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#23 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 10,875
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Maybe they should have kept unlimited tethering but with a harsh speed reduction once you've used 2 or 4GB. Virgin Mobile advertises "unlimited" data, with speeds reduced to only 384k if you use over 3.5GB in a month, not sure if that includes tethering.
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#24 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: London, UK
Posts: 8,759
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Quote:
Thanks for sharing this info
I'm still not clear on what the price offered to us loyal customers will be. Frankly i want the same one plan tariff and will accept (begrudgingly) the 4GB tethering limit for the same £15 p/m. Basically you'll either pay the same or more for an equivalent tariff. You'll need to check with Three what the best tariff they can do for you will be. |
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#25 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 11,175
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Quote:
So Three have lied when they said existing customers who have been on the One Plan before 2014 will stay on The One Plan with the unlimited tethering.
This is really pathetic of Three. 4G really doesn't mean anything now with 4GB untethering. Here was me thinking that if I continue my contract onto next year I'll still get unlimited AYCE tethering. It doesn't seem to be the case now. ![]() Im not even interested in 4G as 3G is already easily fast enough. Bloody 4G. |
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