Thousands of Three Mobile customers experienced significant disruptions to their mobile services yesterday, prompting calls for compensation from the network provider. The outage, which began around 1 pm, prevented users from making calls and potentially affected emergency services. DownDetector, a website that tracks service interruptions, recorded over 10,000 reports of problems with Three Mobile’s network. While the company, boasting over 10 million UK customers, has acknowledged the issue and stated that services have “almost” fully resumed, it is conducting a case-by-case assessment for compensation claims. This approach differs from a previous outage in 2019 where a blanket £20 compensation was offered to affected users. The company is currently urging impacted customers to contact them directly, either via phone or online chat, to discuss potential compensation.
The timing of this outage coincided with Storm Eowyn, which battered parts of the UK. Three Mobile is actively investigating reports that the storm may have further exacerbated the situation, potentially impacting the ability of some users to connect with emergency services via 999 calls. While the company asserts that a normal volume of emergency calls were connected during the outage and that the service is now fully operational, they are continuing to investigate the reported 999 call failures to understand the extent of the impact and identify any necessary corrective measures. This incident underscores the vital importance of reliable mobile networks, particularly during severe weather events, and raises concerns about the potential consequences of network failures on public safety.
Adding to the complexity of the situation, Three Mobile is also grappling with a separate issue affecting calls made over Wi-Fi. The company has confirmed it is prioritizing this problem and working urgently to resolve it. This concurrent technical challenge, coupled with the widespread outage and the impact of Storm Eowyn, presents a significant operational hurdle for Three Mobile. The company has stated that they have deployed additional engineering resources and are developing contingency plans for areas most susceptible to weather-related disruptions, aiming to restore service as quickly and safely as possible.
The incident has sparked renewed discussion around consumer rights and the processes for obtaining compensation from telecommunications providers. Earlier this month, Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, announced its intention to introduce new regulations designed to expedite the compensation process for customers affected by service outages. Currently, customers who experience problems with their mobile service are advised to contact their provider’s customer service department, either by phone or through online channels. Three Mobile customers can reach the company by dialing 333 from their Three phone or 0333 338 1001 from other phones. Live chat support is also available through their website during specified hours.
Crucially, customers should gather evidence of the disruption, such as screenshots of error messages, timestamps of failed calls, or any other relevant documentation. If the issue remains unresolved after eight weeks, or if the customer is dissatisfied with the provider’s response, they can escalate the complaint to an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) scheme. Three Mobile customers can utilize either the Financial Ombudsman Service or the Communications Ombudsman, both of which offer independent adjudication on consumer complaints and can provide binding decisions regarding compensation or refunds.
This incident highlights the increasing reliance on mobile communication services and the significant disruption that outages can cause. The move by Ofcom to streamline the compensation process suggests a growing recognition of the need for more robust consumer protection in the telecommunications sector. Furthermore, the incident raises questions about the resilience of mobile networks, particularly in the face of extreme weather events, and the importance of providers having robust contingency plans in place to minimize disruption and ensure the continued availability of essential communication services. The ongoing investigation by Three Mobile will likely focus on identifying the root causes of the outage and implementing measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
