Millions of mobile users across the UK were left frustrated on Tuesday morning after a major voice call outage affected Three UK’s mobile network. The issue, which began around 7:45 AM on June 25, left customers unable to make or receive calls for most of the day. The problem also hit other networks that rely on Three’s infrastructure, including iD Mobile and Smarty.
Interestingly, mobile data and internet services continued to work during the outage, meaning people could still browse the web or use social media. However, the inability to make basic phone calls, including to emergency services in some cases, caused serious concern among users.
Online monitoring site Downdetector showed a sharp spike in complaints, with over 9,000 users reporting issues during the peak of the outage. Most complaints were about failed outgoing or incoming calls, while a smaller number flagged problems with SMS or signal coverage.
The mobile provider quickly acknowledged the problem and said its technical teams were working to restore full service. While there was no clear explanation given for the cause of the disruption, Three confirmed that it was specifically a voice call issue and not related to data services.
Emergency Call Concerns and Gradual Return to Normal Service
One of the most serious parts of the outage was the failure of emergency services connectivity for some users. Several people took to social media to report being unable to dial 999. While Three later said emergency calling was working again for most users, the issue raised questions about network reliability during critical moments.
Throughout the day, Three UK issued updates on social media, apologising for the disruption and suggesting alternative ways to stay in touch, such as using internet-based apps like WhatsApp or Messenger. Customers were advised to keep checking their phones for restored services.
By late evening, around 10 PM, the company announced that voice services were returning to normal across most parts of the UK. However, some customers still reported patchy service or delayed access well into the following day.
This outage comes shortly after Three UK’s major merger with Vodafone UK, forming the joint venture known as VodafoneThree. While there’s no official link between the outage and the merger, the timing has raised concerns about the network’s stability during a major operational transition.
The network has not said whether affected customers will receive compensation, but users are encouraged to contact customer support if they experienced significant disruption.
