Does the 3 (three) network work on a * UK * i phone ??

[thesheephair]

Is there ayway of it working ???

cheerrrs for any useful replies

oh i dont my if its a us phone or uk, just does it work on an iphone

 

[Ninja Dom]

Nope it doesn't work on any unlocked iPhone.

Three is a 3G only network and the iPhone is not a 3G phone.

 

[mysterywhiteboy]

Nope it doesn't work on any unlocked iPhone.

Three is a 3G only network and the iPhone is not a 3G phone.

Thanks for the shrewd insight Sherlock.

Three in actual fact falls back to GSM (on 02 I believe) if there is not a 3g signal so I have also been curious as to whether a Three sim would work in an unlocked iPhone.

Anyone with any experience of trying this?

 

[sparkyms]

Three falls back onto Orange when 3g signal is unavailable (their partnership with o2 ended in 2006).

However, Pay Monthly SIMs will not work, there is some limited success, so I have heard anyway, that some PAYG Three SIMs have worked in the iPhone.

 

[mysterywhiteboy]

Three falls back onto Orange when 3g signal is unavailable (their partnership with o2 ended in 2006).

However, Pay Monthly SIMs will not work, there is some limited success, so I have heard anyway, that some PAYG Three SIMs have worked in the iPhone.

Any reason why Pay Monthly SIMs don't work?

 

[dalvin200]

Let me just add my own personal experience..

I was on 3 when i got my imported iPhone..

I did on the off chance try my 3 sim in the iPhone after I unlocked it..

Didn't work.. "Incorrect SIM" (or something to that effect..)

Wasn't too bothered as my contract was up and I swiftly moved onto T-Mobile.

 

[sparkyms]

Any reason why Pay Monthly SIMs don't work?

Have no idea. I think the PAYG sims are 2.5 G, so they WILL just work in both types of phones.. whereas Pay Monthly are purely 3g sims which obviously are able to recieve a 2g signal.

That is probably completely and totally wrong, but I've heard a few stories that the PAYG ones do work.

 

[premsk]

Any more updates on this?

I spoke to customer care f three network. I doubt, its offshored,the guy who answered my call couldnt understand the difference between 3G and 2G. He says 3G or 2G is not sim related, but a network related.

Any more updates on this are appreciated. I asked him if he could gimme alternate 2.5G or GSM sim for my 3G sim. His answer was negative as he is not sure of it.

 

[josielinnea]

I could try tomorrow and borough my coworkers 3-sim and try it in my phone if noone else does that before

 

[timmillwood]

I have tested my Three contract sim in a US 1.1.1 unlocked iPhone and it does not work.

 

[premsk]

I did some googling to find out that 3 actually uses USIM, for 3G network, which is not recignised or compatible to iPhone. If you are using regular 2G/GSM card, you should be using orange network coverage and 3 should pay for orange. so, 3 wont let you have a replacement GSM sim. So, there should be noway you can have 3 working on iPhone.

have more info from this link

http://www.3g.co.uk/3GForum/archive/index.php/t-23620.html

 

[gazzzmoly]

i was just gunna say that!

3 use USIM which is pretty much a propriety technology in the uk.

unfortunatly only phones that have been developed with 3g in mind will support USIM and even then not all 3g phones support it,

shame really, even though the customer service is extreamly poor the text and minute allowance's are incredible reasonable. and 3 coverage is now really good.

my wife as an N95 with 3 and has never had a problem with the service.

 

[timmillwood]

I think Three are a great network and really hope they have a chance with the 3G iPhone.

 

[miniConvert]

Don't get too hung up on the USIM acronym.

Three UK, not having their own GSM network, detest their subscribers not using the 3G network when it's available as it costs them more if a subscriber is 'roaming' on Orange or O2's GSM.

In the past there have been many reports of success when a Three UK SIM is used in a GSM-only handset, but usually these successes have been short lived. Perhaps Three UK filter by IMEI number or maybe they have some other way of identifying the devices used on their network, but however they do it there's not much point in trying.

There's a little discussion about the issue here, and I'm sure there are probably other threads on it, too.

In essence, Ninja Dom's post is sound.

 

[iCantwait]

it is the only 1 (one) that doesn't

 

[josielinnea]

I could try tomorrow and borough my coworkers 3-sim and try it in my phone if noone else does that before

didn't work