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UK's largest mobile carrier will launch 5G in 16 cities next year
EE, the largest mobile carrier in the UK, is planning to launch its 5G network in 16 cities across the country in 2019. The carrier will flip the switch on the high-speed network in heavily trafficked areas in the UK's busiest cities. The initial launch will include London, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Belfast, Birmingham and Manchester.
Xiaomi is officially coming to the UK and Europe
In addition to filing what could be the world's largest IPO since Alibaba, Xiaomi is also spreading its wings and landing in the UK and other European markets. Thanks to a partnership with CK Hutchison, the Chinese electronics giant's smartphones will soon be available through the Hong Kong conglomerate's telecom subsidiary Three UK. You'll also find other Xiaomi products in A.S.Watson's retail locations in various parts of Europe in the future. The company offers a whole bunch of devices other than smartphones and laptops, including robotic vacuums, smart bikes, rice cookers, air purifiers and so on and so forth. It's unclear which ones will make their way to Europe, but the partnership also covers Xiaomi's Mi Ecosystem IoT and lifestyle products for certain markets in addition to phones.
Three and EE lose High Court fight over 5G spectrum auction
Ofcom has fended off two legal challenges that threatened to delay the UK's next mobile spectrum auction. Three and BT-owned EE had filed separate complaints over a proposed bidding war that was scheduled to take place later this year. Three argues that Ofcom should be stricter with its spectrum caps, limiting EE's spending power and potential allocation, while BT believes that there should be no restrictions whatsoever. The High Court disagreed with both today, believing that Ofcom had done its homework and properly modelled how different caps would affect the outcome of the bid and, subsequently, consumer choice in the UK.
Three expands ‘Feel at Home’ roaming to 11 more destinations
Three has always been ahead of the pack when it comes to international roaming; it abolished charges in Europe well before the European Union made it law last June. The network has also expanded its "Feel at Home" program to other locations outside of the continent, including Australia, Brazil and the US. Today, it's adding another 11 to the roster: Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Uruguay, Vietnam and Mayotte. That brings the total number of destinations to 71, well beyond its UK rivals. Dave Dyson, CEO of Three, says it's his "ambition" to offer "100 percent free roaming worldwide."
Three is adding 'free' Apple Music data to Go Binge plans
Zero-rated services, it seems, are here to stay. Almost every major UK network has revealed its own take on the concept, offering "free" data when you use specific apps on your phone. Three's version, Go Binge, launched in July with a handful of partners including Netflix, Deezer and SoundCloud. Today, to coincide with the launch of the iPhone X, the company has announced a new addition: Apple Music. The service joins the Go Binge family on November 27th and will be eligible for customers with an "advanced" contract or SIM-only plan with at least 4GB of data.
Three finally takes Ofcom to court over 5G spectrum auction
Three has followed through on its threat to take Ofcom to court. The mobile network operator, owned by Hutchison Whampoa, is unhappy with the planned rules for the next spectrum auction. It believes they're too gentle and will allow BT, EE and Vodafone to increase their dominance of UK airwaves, stifling competition in the process. "We confirm that we have filed a judicial review before the UK courts in relation to the competition measures that will apply in the upcoming spectrum auction," a Three spokesperson told Engadget. "It is absolutely vital that the regulator gets this auction right for the long-term benefit of all consumers."
Three’s ‘Go Binge’ plans offer ‘free’ data for Netflix streaming
To better compete with EE, Vodafone and O2, Three is introducing a zero-rating scheme in the UK. The network operator has teamed up with Netflix, TVPlayer, Deezer and SoundCloud to offer inclusive streaming with select mobile contracts. So when you watch or listen to these services on the go, they won't count towards your monthly data cap. The move, while contentious for net neutrality advocates, will no doubt be welcomed by consumers. There is, however, a pretty big catch: to take advantage of the new perk, you'll need to upgrade to a "Go Binge" plan, which Three admits will be slightly more expensive than your current, equivalent contract.
Three caught up in another embarassing data breach
A technical issue has given some Three customers access to another person's account information, including their name, address, phone number and call history. The scale of the problem isn't clear, but it's likely to be small. Three says it's received "less than 20" reports so far from customers, and is now investigating the matter. As the Guardian reports, the mistake has allowed a number of Three customers to view other people's personal information after logging in to their account online.
Three finds more customers affected by 2016 data breach
Three has revealed that a customer data breach it caught wind of last November was more extensive than first thought. Using stolen employee logins, ne'er-do-wells gained access to a database used to manage handset upgrades, comprising customer details such as names, addresses, dates of birth, mobile numbers and information about mobile contracts (but no financial data). Initially, just over 130,000 subscribers were said to be affected, but upon further investigation, another 76,373 accounts have now been added to that total. No fraudulent activity has been spotted, but all newly identified customers have been contacted, Three says.
Three UK breach puts millions of customers at risk
If you thought the last 12 months was pretty bad for data breaches, Three UK has some more concerning news. The company has confirmed that attackers successfully managed to access a database of 9 million customers using a stolen employee login, according to The Telegraph. The National Crime Agency says three men have been arrested but investigators are still piecing together who has been affected.
Three's mobile ad-blocking trial starts today
Three is trialling network-level ad-blocking in the UK today. The experiment, which is sure to put advertisers and publishers on edge, will affect a small number of Three customers that were approached beforehand. It's been described as a "technology test" for Shine, an ad-blocking specialist that Three has recruited to explore the idea.
Three to trial mobile ad blocking next month
Three will soon trial network-level ad blocking in the UK. Such a move was telegraphed back in February, when the carrier inked a deal with Shine, a company that specialises in the practice. The trial will take place on the week starting June 13th, for 24 hours. Three will contact customers beforehand and they'll be able to sign up through the carrier's website. The extent of the ad-blocking isn't clear, but Shine says it can handle "all of the mobile web," including display ads and display ads within apps.
Will.i.am's next wearable is available to pre-order
Rapper, singer and entrepreneur William Adams, best known as Will.i.am, is ready to unleash his next smartwatch on the world. It's called the Dial and is available to pre-order from Three in the UK, starting at £22 per month with a £49 upfront fee, or £25 per month with a one-off, £19 payment. That's right, you'll need to take out a new, separate contract to use this wraparound wearable. Unlike most smartwatches, however, it doesn't require a tethered phone. That's because it comes with a Three SIM card inside, allowing you to call, text and access the internet with nothing but what's on your wrist.
UK competition watchdog slams Three and O2 merger
The UK's competition watchdog has called on the European Commission to block a proposed acquisition of Telefonica UK, which runs O2, by Hutchison Whampoa, the company behind Three UK, unless both companies agree to a series of strong concessions. In a letter, Alex Chisholm, CEO for the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), says he will only approve if Hutchison Whampoa agrees to sell Three or O2 after the acquisition. Such a move is the only way, he argues, to retain adequate competition in the UK mobile industry. If this isn't possible, Chisholm suggests breaking off one of the networks and facilitating smaller sell-offs. "Absent such structural remedies, the only option available to the Commission is prohibition."
Will.i.am is back with another smartwatch
The charismatic musician William Adams, more commonly known as Will.i.am, is trying the whole smartwatch thing again. The Black Eyed Peas rapper-turned-solo artist has been working in the technology space for some time, launching a series of iPhone cases and a wrist-worn wearable called the Puls. Neither took off, but that hasn't stopped him from developing a new timepiece called the Dial. It's a self-contained device that takes a SIM card and will be available exclusively on Three in the UK.
UK carrier Three to block ads at the network level
In a landmark move for the UK's wireless industry, Three has inked a deal with Shine that will enable ad-blocking across its network. The decision will, according to Three, give customers "control, choice and greater transparency" over the ads that appear on their devices. It won't, however, eliminate advertising entirely -- just the worst offenders, the pair claim. The controversial technology will be used initially on Three's UK and Italian networks, before a "rapid roll-out" in other markets. The necessary changes have been implemented, however the scheme isn't live just yet -- Three says it'll explain the specifics "over the coming months."
Dixons Carphone is planning its own mobile network too
If Three's owner Hutchison Whampoa successfully buys O2, the pair could wield even greater power in the UK than we thought. Less than a week after Sky announced its plans for an O2-powered mobile network, Dixons Carphone is doing the same -- only it's struck a deal with Three. Details are scarce, but the FT reports the merged retailer will stand out with tariffs that allow customers to easily switch their minutes and data mid-contract. The idea being that if you have 5,000 texts, but find that you're only using half of them each month, you won't have to wait two years before downsizing your contract.
Three finally shares how many of its customers are using 4G
Three is a little different from the other major UK networks, because all of its contracts come with 4G coverage as standard. EE, O2 and Vodafone have dedicated LTE plans, allowing us to easily gauge the interest in its ultra-fast offerings, but for Three, where any customer can fall into a patch of 4G, it's trickier to quantify. The company has been quiet up until now, but today it's finally shared some figures: since switching on its 4G network a year ago, 3.1 million customers have benefited from the faster speeds. That means over a third of Three's 8 million subscribers have wandered into an area supported by its 4G network, which now covers 48 percent of the UK population. If you're keeping score, EE is out in front with 6 million 4G subscribers, followed by O2 with 3 million and Vodafone with 1.4 million. Although Three's numbers aren't directly comparable, they're still a useful yardstick.
Three kicks off same-day smartphone deliveries in London
Christmas is coming, and that might mean it's time to treat yourself or a loved-one to a phone upgrade. To get customers signing on with Three, the UK network has begun trialling a same-day delivery service in London, removing the need to walk into a store or wait around for an online order. Next-day deliveries are notoriously expensive but, similar to Amazon and Argos, Three hopes to stand apart with even faster shipments. The offer is restricted to "selected postcodes" and only covers the iPhone 6 and Samsung Galaxy S5, so the chances of you using it are probably pretty slim. Although you can check online to see if your address is eligible, Three requires that you call between 7AM and 3PM to actually complete an order. If approved, you'll be charged £15 for the privilege and should have a shiny new smartphone sitting on your doorstep before 6PM. Of course, if the trial is successful, there's always a chance Three will expand it to new areas and handsets, eradicating gadget lust for those of us just too busy (or lazy) to venture into town and speak to a rep.
Samsung Galaxy S5 will cost £69 in the UK on Three
It's a big day for Three as it becomes the first UK network to reveal how much it'll charge for the Galaxy S5 when it lands on April 11th. The handset will set you back £69 up front on a variety of two-year deals, the cheapest priced at £38 a month for 2GB data, while £44 a month gives you all-you-can-eat texts, minutes and data with an additional 2GB for tethering. No other UK network has tipped its hat thus-far, but we'll keep harassing them until they break down and tell us everything.
