Customers of Three can look forward to a new era of mobile connectivity as the mobile provider launches its 5G service nationwide.
Customers of the mobile network Three will finally be able to avail of its long-awaited 5G network which launched today. The new network will see customers who are signed up receive speeds of up to 1Gbps.
And while Three are by no means the first to enter the 5G race, with both Vodafone and Eir launching their respective 5G networks last year, it claims it is now the most extensive 5G network available to date, offering 35% population coverage from day one.
So, what can customers of Three look forward to with the official launch of its 5G network? We take a closer look in the article below.
The details
Today Three has officially launched its 5G mobile network across Ireland, boasting 35% population coverage. And with access to the service now available in every county, it makes Three the most extensive 5G mobile network available to date.
Three is currently investing €100m per year for the next four years in the rollout of its 5G services across the country, with 60% capacity expected to be reached by the end of 2021.
The 5G service on offer from Three will see customers receive speeds of up to 1Gbps, as promised by the network, making its 5G service up to 10 times faster than its previous 4G offering.
If you’re in need of a little refresher as to what exactly 5G is and how it works you can brush up on your knowledge by taking a look at our 5G guide right here.
With the launch of its new network, Three will also become the first provider to make 5G mobile services available to its Prepay customers, and at only €5 extra on selected plans. But more on this shortly.
And for those who are curious, Three’s 5G infrastructure is provided exclusively by Swedish telecommunications company Ericsson, and not Huawei, whose partnership with some networks in Europe and the US has been controversial due to security concerns.
How can I sign up?
Three is offering both prepay and bill pay customers access to its 5G network, however, customers looking to sign up will of course need to have a 5G compatible handset.
Three is currently offering a total of five 5G-ready handsets, with 15 in total expected to be available by the end of the year. This includes Apple’s 5G handset, which was announced in October.
Some of the 5G compatible handsets currently available from Three include: the Huawei Mate Xs 5G and Huawei P40 Pro 5G, as well as the Samsung S20 Ultra and Samsung S20 5G.
Prepay customers
As mentioned above, Three is the first mobile provider to make 5G available to prepay customers, which many customers, and consumers alike, will doubtlessly be thrilled about. Access to superfast 5G without having to sign up to a long bill pay contract? Super!
Prepay customers will be able to sign up by simply adding 5G as an add-on to their plan, and at the low cost of only €5 extra per month. However, the add-on does require a 5G phone, so if you don't already have one be prepared to pay up front for a handset if you're going down the prepay route.
Bill pay customers
While prepay customers will have to pay extra for the added coverage, some bill pay customers will have 5G included under certain plans, so best to check this out before signing up.
Where certain bill pay plans do not include 5G it will still be possible to include it as an add-on for €5 extra per month, similar to prepay customers.
Like anything where contracts are involved, we would always advise you to make sure you know what you’re signing up to before putting your name in ink. If you want 5G included in your bill pay plan and you don’t want to pay the €5 extra it’s best to check whether it's included in the first instance. Also, there's no point signing up to the service if 5G isn't yet available in your surrounding area.
Always compare
As we've said time and time again, always make sure you're choosing the best plan for you before signing up to any deal, regardless of how tempting it many seem at first. Comparing the market for what else is on offer will always stand you in good stead.
For example, if you're considering switching your mobile network provider and are unsure of what plan to sign up to, or if you simply want to save some money on your phone bills you can always choose a SIM-only deal, and at some very reasonable prices.
Take a look at some of the best SIM-only plans on offer at the moment right here on bonkers.ie.
Before making a decision on a phone plan, you might find it beneficial to review these 10 things to consider when choosing a mobile phone plan.
We also recently took a look at some of the 5G plans and offers available to Irish consumers and the networks which provide them in this blog.
Get in touch with your questions
If you're curious about any aspect of today's news, or if you have any other personal finance questions, don't be afraid to leave us a message in the comments below.
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