Three UK Zero Rates Data Use for Financial and Guidance Sites
Mobile operator Three UK has today announced that, as part of their measures to help tackle the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, they’ve enabled it so that customers can access seven financial advice and guidance websites without eating into their mobile broadband data allowance (i.e. zero rating).
The move means that customers on Three UK’s mobile network will be able to access StepChange, Business Debtline, National Debtline, Citizens Advice, Money Advice Plus, Money and Pensions Service and Money Helper without being charged for their data. O2 and Virgin Media (VMO2) made a similar move a few months ago (here).
Three already adopts zero-rating on a number of websites, including eight charity websites – the Samaritans, Refuge, National Domestic Abuse Hotline, Rape Crisis, GALOP, NSPCC, Women’s Aid, Male Survivors Partnership and Survivors Trust.
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Naturally, this does not make any difference to customers on Three’s unlimited data plans. In addition, Three customers who are struggling to pay their bill are being encouraged to contact Three’s customer service line by calling 333 free 7 days a week, so they can discuss their options with a customer service representative.
Elaine Carey, Three UK’s Chief Commercial Officer, said:
“Expanding our list of zero-rated websites ensures that all our customers are able to access financial advice and guidance whenever they may need it. Alongside our work with Samaritans and Good Things Foundation, this extends our commitments to support vulnerable individuals in communities across the country during what is an increasingly difficult time.”
However, we should point out that zero rating such websites does have its flaws, such as the fact that it often doesn’t extend to cover any included content or videos from third-parties on those same services (e.g. watching an embedded YouTube video on one of the websites or loading remote JavaScript libraries etc.). The reason for this is that such content comes from different domains and servers from the one that has been zero-rated. Most websites pull in at least some content from remote servers.
Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook, BlueSky, Threads.net and Linkedin.
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I think all mobile operators should be required to zero rate anything in the “gov.uk” domain.
And then just need some enterprising tech to set up a proxy for everybody to use :-).
unlimited data for me, but I wish they’d just fall back to a very very slow connection when out of data for people. Giving someone a 100kbps service costs them nothing, and isn’t it much use for anything other than the essentials
Infact with rcs text messaging and volte 4g calling relying on data i imagine it should be mandatory to provide a limited always on data connection. Plenty of times i have had to advise that the reason texts are not coming through is because of texts now relying on a data connection. Pluside for the networks would be that all calls could be carried over volte instead of reverting to 3g. Though apart from ee you will not be using volte if you got your phone sum free. They will lie and say you are, NO unless it says volte it aint. Why does it matter well most important thing is your super fast 5g connection drops to non use whilst a call is happeneing so good luck for any downloads or anyone using your device as a hotspot. Like its 2001 and dial up.