Over 9,300 issues reported as angry users slam ‘unreliable’ network following yet another major outage – just months after last crisis
Three mobile customers across Britain have been left unable to make or receive calls this morning in yet another major network meltdown.
More than 9,300 frustrated users flooded outage detection site Down Detector with complaints as the crisis unfolded from around 7:45am today.
In a shocking development, some customers reported being unable to dial 999 emergency services – raising serious safety concerns across the country.
‘Can’t even call 999!’
One panicked user posted on Down Detector: “I can’t even call 999 – what if there’s an emergency?”
The alarming revelation has sparked fury among customers who rely on their mobiles as their only means of contacting emergency services.
Three has since claimed that 999 calls should be working, but numerous users continue to report problems reaching emergency services.
Fury over repeat failures
Angry customers have slammed Three for what they say is becoming a regular occurrence, with many pointing out this isn’t the first time they’ve experienced major outages.
“Not again! This is getting ridiculous,” one frustrated user wrote. “How many times is this going to happen?”
Another fumed: “This is why Three is the most unreliable network in the UK. Absolute shambles!”
Nationwide chaos
According to Down Detector’s outage map, the problems are hitting major cities across the UK particularly hard, with hotspots in:
- London
- Manchester
- Birmingham
- Cardiff
- Plymouth
- Hull
- Nottingham
The outage appears to be affecting voice services, with customers unable to make or receive calls – though data services and text messages are reportedly still working for most users.
‘Small percentage’ claim mocked
Three issued a statement claiming the issue was affecting only “a small percentage of voice services” – a claim that was immediately ridiculed by thousands of affected customers.
“Small percentage? The whole country can’t make calls!” one user responded on social media.
The network said: “We’re aware of an issue affecting voice services and are working hard to fix it. Data services are working normally. Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience caused.”
Partner networks hit
The crisis isn’t limited to Three customers – users of Smarty and ID Mobile, which piggyback on Three’s network, are also reporting identical problems.
Down Detector showed over 1,500 reports for ID Mobile and more than 500 for Smarty at the height of the outage.
No timeline for fix
When pressed for a timeline on when services would be restored, Three has remained frustratingly vague, with customer service representatives telling users they have “no timeframe” for a resolution.
Industry sources suggest that 27% of Three’s user base – potentially millions of customers – are being impacted by the fault.
History repeating
This latest meltdown comes just months after Three suffered a similar major outage in January 2025, when voice calls were also knocked out for several hours.
That incident saw nearly 10,000 reports on Down Detector and lasted well into the following day – leaving customers fearing a repeat of the lengthy disruption.
The January outage also saw reports of 999 calls failing to connect, prompting an investigation by telecoms regulator Ofcom.
Vodafone merger questions
The timing is particularly awkward for Three, which recently merged with Vodafone to create the UK’s biggest mobile network.
One customer asked on social media: “I was wondering if I could connect to Vodafone as a roaming network and call using it as you have now merged businesses?”
But Three confirmed it’s still too early for customers to benefit from the merged networks, with full integration not expected for several months.
Compensation demands
As the outage drags on, frustrated customers are already demanding compensation for the disruption to their services.
Consumer rights experts say affected customers may be entitled to compensation if they can prove financial loss due to the outage – particularly business users who rely on their phones for work.
Three has not yet commented on whether it will offer compensation to affected customers.
Live updates
This is a developing story. Three says it is “working hard” to fix the issue but has given no indication of when normal service will resume.
Customers are advised to use WhatsApp, FaceTime or other internet-based calling services as an alternative while the outage continues.