Three UK Quietly Ends Lifetime Free 200MB Mobile Data Reward SIM
Mobile network operator Three UK has finally confirmed to ISPreview that they’ve withdrawn their old ‘Data Reward’ Pay As You Go (PAYG) plan for existing customers, which previously pledged that those who had already registered for it before 23rd May 2022 would “continue to receive … 200MB [of data] every month for life.”
As we’ve always said, consumers would be well advised NEVER to put their faith in “lifetime” style service or promotional pledges like this, as we’ve yet to see any mobile or broadband operators maintain such a commitment for more than a few years. Needless to say, we’ve seen quite a few of these come and go over the years, but they often end up being little more than paper tigers.
The latest example of this is Three UK’s original Data Reward SIM, which is a SIM card that came with 200MB (MegaBytes) of free mobile broadband data each month and was designed for use in iPads, tablets etc. But in order to get this you needed to buy a mobile SIM that came preloaded with data (e.g. £10 for 1GB preloaded, valid for 30 days), although after the initial purchase you never strictly needed to top up again to get the free data.
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Admittedly, an allowance of 200MB wouldn’t get you very far today, but it did have its uses for basic or occasional communications. The offer finally came to an end for new customers in May 2022, although Three UK had pledged to maintain it for existing customers “for life“.
Data Reward Pay As You Go Info. Page
On 3 February 2016, we introduced Data Reward Pay As You Go plans to join our existing Pay As You Go tariff. Data Reward customers who registered before 23 May 2022 at Three.co.uk/freedata were eligible to receive 200MB data free every month.
From 23 May 2022, we removed our Free 200MB offer from MBB PAYG Data Reward plans and no longer accept any new registrations.
Note: Customers who have registered already will continue to receive the 200MB every month for life and the following information is still applicable.
However, over the past few months’ we’ve seen the operator’s support staff make a variety of different claims about the status of the service (example), and some of ISPreview’s readers (here) recently asked us to investigate.
A Spokesperson for Three UK told ISPreview:
“Due to changes in our IT system, we are no longer able to offer customers our 200MB Data Reward Plan. We’re sorry to the customers impacted and are in the process of contacting them about their options.”
As it turns out, Three UK’s definition of “for life” is rather short, unless you happen to be a Mayfly or its aquatic larvae, that is.
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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Talkmobile has 5GB data plus unlimited text and calls for £5 month (1 month rolling contract). Would have thought this would be the better option anyway.
can’t beat free, especially for very low data usage applications.
My 3 data reward SIM stopped working ages ago and that was after being meticulous enough to use it from time to time. It still registers on the network, but can’t access websites other than three.co.uk & my3 has stopped recognising it too.
I’d be complaining to Ofcom of false advertising
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) would be more appropriate for this.
The ASA would be pointless, as the “misleading advert” has already been withdrawn.
IANAL but Ofcom might well be more appropriate as this looks like it may amount to a breach of contract.
The ASA has no teeth. All it can do is tell the advertiser not to repeat the advert.
Consumer protection legislation and/or breach of contract is likely what you need to use, via small claims court.
Work out the cost of taking a replacement 200MB/month service, multiplied by your expected lifespan, to claim for damages.
I’m sure Three will offer you a full refund.
There’s probebly small print that says “life = life of the Sim Card” rather then Life of the customer or some such Get out of Jail statement
Hi,
It would seem that Three has an obligation to provide the service as contracted.
It is unlikely that a court would order specific performance (i.e. order that Three did in fact provide the service until the customer died, although that is an option open to it) but I expect that a court would have no problem ordering the payment of a sum representing the loss to the customer of the withdrawal of the service.
That loss could be estimated fairly easily – find an equivalent 200MB/month service, estimate the remaining life of the customer and work out the Net Present Value of buying the equivalent service over that remaining life.
I haven’t trusted Three since they got rid of the One Plan whilst at the same time they were trying to say they “make it right”.
I always never belive in lifetime awarded – never is!
I’ve had this SIM/plan when it first came out, I now use it a separate old iPhone for banking apps, never to leave the house, but this SIM was in case I take it outside! Just tested 23Aug 10:22 and still working. The article last para did say 3 will honour this for life? Incidentally took SIM in a 3G mi-fi to Oz in 2000 and was good out there too, in no public WiFi areas. Once a month I do call this SIM number to ensure it keeps going.
I had a couple of these for many years that have now stopped working. For low usage data use I’ve replaced them with RWG data SIMs, £4.99 for a year and 100MB per month. These are Gamma SIMs on the three network.
Free Skype calls for life, no nasty mid contract price hikes, we’ll never charge for EU roaming…. Not their first broken promise!