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27 Jan 2010 10:38
3 UK hits 10,000 3G site landmark
UK’s biggest 3G network adds coverage and capacity for data-hungry customers
3 UK activated its 10,000th 3G site this week as part of a huge programme of work to improve and extend what is already the UK’s biggest 3G network*.
The 10,000th site was connected in Shooters Hill, South-East London, bringing better 3G coverage and more capacity to the area. The site went online on Friday evening, just one of hundreds of other sites connected this month as 3 UK takes mobile broadband to new communities and gives improved coverage to existing customers in urban areas.
The site was added to the network as part of an expansion drive that should see 3’s network reach around 13,000 sites this year. The 10,000th site brings 3G population coverage to nearly 93%*.
Graham Baxter, CTO at 3 UK said: ‘Over the past two years the continued growth of internet communications, smartphone use and mobile broadband uptake have brought the need for good 3G network coverage into sharp focus for millions of consumers. Our network is already the biggest 3G network in the UK. Now we’re adding new coverage and capacity across the country to meet demand and bring the benefits of 3G to people who’ve never had access in their area before.’
The network roll out sits alongside a new consumer-friendly policy designed to better advise people of their coverage opportunities and resolve issues if customers find they do not have coverage at home.
3 UK is in the process of consolidating its 3G network infrastructure with T-Mobile through the Mobile Broadband Network Limited joint venture. MBNL is enabling both 3 and T-Mobile to deliver 3G services to more customers across the UK with around half the number of masts otherwise required.
Notes to Editors:
*Our claims of 3G coverage are based on the positioning of our sites, residential population figures and an estimation of the reach of our network. Our 3G network reaches 92.75% of the UK population and covers 99.5% for voice and text. Other networks use more generous estimations of network coverage that may give larger coverage figures – but not as much actual coverage.
Each mobile network uses its own standards to measure population coverage, which can make it difficult for consumers to get a clear view of 3G coverage. 3 is calling for a common, independent view to help consumers compare 3G networks.
For more information contact:
About Three UK: Three is a communications company focused on bringing the benefits of the internet to mobile communications. We offer attractive pricing and give our customers the widest choice of ways to stay connected at home or abroad. To do this we're building the UK's best high-speed mobile broadband network. Three UK is a member of the HWL group of 3G companies, which include 3G operations in Australia, Austria, Denmark, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Macau and Sweden.
Three facts about Three:
- Three launched the UK's first 3G network offering national coverage for calls and texts, and has over 93.95% population coverage for 3G services. As we consolidate our radio access network with T-Mobile we expect to reach almost complete UK population coverage for 3G by the end of 2010.
- Three has more than 5.8 million active customers in the UK and over 26.8 million worldwide.
- Three is the UK market-leader for Mobile Broadband, and came first in the most recent YouGov survey of Mobile Broadband customers.For more information about Three UK, please visit www.three.co.uk or call the Three Media Office on 0845 6038333.