Three UK
eSIMUK MNO (now merged with Vodafone UK) — CS-only £7/£8 budget monthly plans
Best for: Heavy UK/EU data users who don't mind contacting CS to unlock the cheaper monthly plans.
Overview
Three is a UK mobile network operator with its own 4G/5G infrastructure (99% population 4G coverage claim), merged with Vodafone UK. Public eSIM pricing starts around £10/60GB a month; the cheaper £7 (unlimited calls/texts + 3GB) and £8 (unlimited calls/texts + 8GB) monthly plans exist only via customer service. Any usage within 180 days keeps a PAYG number alive.
Three matters here as one of the four UK MNOs: its merger with Vodafone UK is completed, reshaping the UK market, and its network hosts iD Mobile as MVNO. For eSIM buyers the quirk is channel-based pricing: the storefront's best PAYG deal is £10/month for 60GB, while CS-only monthly plans at £7 (unlimited calls/texts, 3GB) and £8 (unlimited calls/texts, 8GB) are not published — you must chat with customer service to order them. Account login needs a Three UK number besides email/password.
Keep-alive for PAYG numbers: one charged event of any amount (an SMS or a call both count) per 180 days. Best suited to users physically in the UK/EU wanting big data on a top-tier network; the source review flags Three for heavy UK/EU data users rather than China-roaming cloud residents, and notes remote-area coverage as its weak spot.
Popular plans
| Plan | Data from | Validity | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| PAYG (storefront best) | 60GB | Monthly | £10 |
| CS-only monthly | 3GB / 8GB | Monthly | £7 / £8 |
CS-only plans are not published on the storefront — pricing per the 2026-03 source review of CS conversations.
Pros
- Own-network MNO quality, no MVNO priority penalty
- £7–£8 CS monthly plans undercut the storefront
- Relaxed PAYG keep-alive (any charged event / 180 days)
Things to note
- Cheapest plans hidden behind CS chat
- Login requires an existing Three UK number
- Weaker remote-area coverage; not China-roaming oriented
Key features
- UK MNO with own 4G/5G network (99% pop 4G claim)
- CS-only budget plans: £7 / 3GB and £8 / 8GB monthly
- PAYG keep-alive: one charged event per 180 days
- Merger with Vodafone UK completed