The UK’s biggest 3G network has been rated best mobile broadband provider for the second time running in an independent survey of UK consumers.

In the latest independent YouGov DongleTracker survey of Mobile Broadband users, Three outperformed other networks to take home the award for best mobile broadband provider, with customers rating Three as having the fastest connection speeds, as well as being number one for reliability, ease of use and value for money.

At the same time, YouGov SMIX* and iPhone survey** results see Three rated as the best network for speed and value by Smartphone customers using mobile internet and as the best network for the iPhone. In fact, Three’s smartphone customers are more likely to recommend their network than the customers of any other operator.

Three’s Director of Mobile Broadband, Joe Parker, said: “We’re thrilled that our customers have rated us the Number One Mobile Broadband provider in the UK for the second time running, but also that smartphone users, including iPhone customers, are seeing the value of our strong 3G network. It’s a huge accolade and we can’t thank our customers enough.

“At Three we’re always looking at how we can evolve our offerings to best meet our customers’ needs and hope that we can continue to impress them.”

The YouGov DongleTracker survey asked more than 2,000 customers from Three, Vodafone, Orange, O2 and T-Mobile, along with smaller providers, to rate the level of service they got from their provider on fifteen key points including installation of software, network coverage, getting connected, staying connected, reliability during the day and during the evening, download speeds, upload speeds, ease of use, customer services, billing and overall quality. Customers rated Three the best in eight of these categories.

These accolades come shortly after Three marked the completion of its massive three-year long network upgrade, which has seen heavy investment in improving data speeds and strengthening the 3G network as data usage on mobile devices continues to increases dramatically. This has added move coverage, equivalent in size to an area double the size of Wales, to what was already Britain’s biggest 3G network. As well as network improvements, Three continues to provide the best Mobile Broadband contract deals available, such as £15 for 15GB, great value PAYG offers and the UK’s most competitive iPad tariffs. Three has the largest share of the UK mobile broadband market - at around 35% - and has been the market-leader since launching the country’s first high-speed mobile data service in September 2007.