Thousands of mobile users across the UK found themselves unable to make or receive calls on Wednesday morning, June 25, 2025, as a widespread outage hit Three UK and its associated networks. The disruption, which began shortly after 8:00 AM BST and peaked around 9:30 AM with over 9,300 reports on outage tracker Down Detector, left many frustrated and scrambling for alternatives.
Three UK, one of the country’s largest mobile providers with over 11 million customers, confirmed the issue via a statement on X (formerly Twitter), acknowledging an "issue affecting voice services" while assuring customers that data services such as 4G and 5G were functioning normally. The company apologized for the inconvenience and said it was working hard to resolve the problem.
The outage extended beyond Three’s direct customers, impacting networks that rely on its infrastructure, including iD Mobile and Smarty. Both providers issued statements confirming they were aware of the issue and working closely with Three to restore full service as soon as possible.
According to user reports on Down Detector, approximately 79% of those affected were unable to make voice calls, while 17% struggled to access any phone signal. Complaints flooded social media platforms, with customers detailing the real-world consequences of the outage. One user, working on a wind farm in the remote Scottish Highlands, lamented being unable to make or receive calls, calling the situation "a joke." Others shared stories of missed medical appointments, inability to contact emergency services, and disrupted work commitments.
"Absolutely horrendous! I have a young child who is ill and had to drive to the doctor’s surgery because I couldn’t call them," one customer posted. Another shared frustration over missed important calls, stating, "My girlfriend is awaiting a call back from the doctors. Your network is down meaning she can’t receive calls." The disruption, starting at the beginning of the working day, amplified the impact on both personal and professional lives.
The timing of the outage is notable as it comes just weeks after the completion of the merger between Three UK and Vodafone, which was finalized earlier in June 2025. The combined entity, named VodafoneThree and 51% owned by Vodafone, now forms the UK’s largest mobile network, boasting around 27 million customers. The merger promised expanded coverage, faster streaming, and improved reliability at no extra cost to users within months.
In an email to customers, the merged company had highlighted plans to offer "super-fast broadband to millions more" by combining 5G broadband with the UK’s largest full-fibre footprint. However, the recent outage has put the network’s reliability under scrutiny, with some users threatening to switch providers after repeated service disruptions.
Frustrated customers took to social media to demand compensation, with some doubting whether the company would offer any refunds. "Give us compensation, not a lousy sorry," one user tweeted. Another questioned, "Get your act together Three, not good enough. I take it we will see a discount in our bills this month?" While Three, Smarty, and iD Mobile are not part of Ofcom’s automatic compensation scheme for landline and broadband outages, customers can still file complaints to seek refunds or credits for significant service disruptions.
Three UK advised customers affected by the outage to use their live chat service, call customer support at '333' from their mobile, or fill out an online complaint form. If unresolved after eight weeks, customers can escalate their concerns to an independent Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) scheme. Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, does not investigate individual complaints but uses aggregated data to monitor network performance and may launch broader investigations if patterns of failure emerge.
This is not the first time Three has faced significant outages. Earlier in January 2025, the network experienced a string of disruptions lasting up to 17 hours, which also affected its partner networks Smarty and iD Mobile. During that period, many users reported being unable to dial emergency number 999, raising serious safety concerns. The recent outage has reignited worries about network resilience and the potential risks of relying on a single provider for critical communication services.
Despite the challenges, Three reassured customers that data services remained operational throughout the incident, which may have mitigated some of the inconvenience by allowing internet-based communication apps such as WhatsApp or FaceTime to function. Still, the inability to make traditional voice calls remains a significant issue for many, especially those in areas with limited broadband coverage or those relying on standard phone services for emergencies.
Geographically, the outage affected a broad swath of the UK, with reports coming from major cities including London, Birmingham, Manchester, Cardiff, and numerous other towns. The widespread nature of the disruption highlights the extensive reach and interconnectivity of modern mobile networks—and the vulnerabilities that come with such complexity.
As the day progressed, Three continued working to resolve the issue, but no specific cause or estimated time for full restoration was provided. The company’s prompt acknowledgment and ongoing updates were welcomed by some customers, but many remain skeptical given the frequency of recent outages.
With mobile connectivity now deeply embedded in everyday life, incidents like these serve as stark reminders of how dependent society has become on reliable communication networks. For many, the outage was more than just an inconvenience—it was a disruption to essential services, safety, and peace of mind. How VodafoneThree will respond and improve its infrastructure moving forward will be closely watched by both customers and industry observers alike.
