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Advice needed: Three has pulled 5G broadband from my postcode?

aveitch

Regular Member
I have a Huawei CPE Pro 1 and three 5G unlimited and this has worked great for the past year.
I was, however, looking forward to upgrading to a CPE Pro 2 when my contract was up (which it now is).

I use an Eero Pro and have been frustrated by my inability to put the router in Bridge mode which, I believe, the Pro 2 fixes.

When Three called me for another contract it transpired that they now only offer 4G in my neighbourhood (North London) so, despite my modem still getting 5G and me still being on a 5G plan (monthly now) I can't get another contract with them without them sending me a 4G router and being on a 4G plan.

According to them, I'd still be able to use the SIM card which would give me access to 5G but I'm skeptical since, if I sign a 4G contract, I think they'd be within their rights to just cancel that sim and send me a 4G one or just limit my account to 4G; I don't know how it works; there still seems to be some perceived arcane power within the SIM card that the industry has yet to wake up from.

I just checked and, sometime between when I spoke to three a few months ago and today they've actually stopped offering even 4G broadband in my area. The website says "we're on our way" and tries to sell me a MIFI. What on earth is going on?
Are they stopping home broadband altogether?

I can't get any answers out of three. I wondered whether anyone else has had this happen to them. The 5g antennas are still up. I'm getting 5G. But they won't admit it's there or that I'm using it.

I was considering just buying a CPE Pro 2 second hand but they're very expensive. Are there any other options I should consider that would work with a 3 sim? I wouldn't want to do invest in one if I were going to be forced to move to another provider who'd send me a modem for free.

A small part of me, btw, believes that I'm to blame with downloading whopping 50GB torrents etc etc and they're just like "we need to leave the area. We can't cope with this. Why is he downloading all of The Sopranos in 4k?"
 
I'm downloading a lot of TB /month . No issues so far

Many said that if you enter a postcode that's in a 5G area and then start a contract with your details from 4G (or wherever your card is registered) , you get the propper 5G router.

Otherwise, get a £9 unlimited 5g new sim plan and a router from ebay (270-300)
 
I'm downloading a lot of TB /month . No issues so far

Many said that if you enter a postcode that's in a 5G area and then start a contract with your details from 4G (or wherever your card is registered) , you get the propper 5G router.

Otherwise, get a £9 uimited 5g new sim plan and a router from ebay (270-300)
That's not a bad shout. let me see whether that works. : )
 
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I'm downloading a lot of TB /month . No issues so far

Many said that if you enter a postcode that's in a 5G area and then start a contract with your details from 4G (or wherever your card is registered) , you get the propper 5G router.

Otherwise, get a £9 unlimited 5g new sim plan and a router from ebay (270-300)
How do I know what router they're sending. They're very vague with the details. They simply say

"
Our 5G Hub offers plug and play broadband, which means you can start streaming fast. You don’t need a landline or an installation. Plug into a power socket and you’re ready.5G Hub connectivity4G LTE Cat 19 Up to 1.6Gbps DL / 150Mbps UL (Theoretical value. Actual speeds will depend on network coverage)5G NSA Up to 1.65Gbps DL / 250Mbps UL (Theoretical value. Actual speeds will depend on network coverage)Connect up to 64 devices

Connectivity​

1 Gigabit Ethernet Port & 1 Gigabit Ethernet or WAN Port1 SIM card slot (Nano-SIM)
 

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How do I know what router they're sending. They're very vague with the details. They simply say

"
Our 5G Hub offers plug and play broadband, which means you can start streaming fast. You don’t need a landline or an installation. Plug into a power socket and you’re ready.5G Hub connectivity4G LTE Cat 19 Up to 1.6Gbps DL / 150Mbps UL (Theoretical value. Actual speeds will depend on network coverage)5G NSA Up to 1.65Gbps DL / 250Mbps UL (Theoretical value. Actual speeds will depend on network coverage)Connect up to 64 devices

Connectivity​

1 Gigabit Ethernet Port & 1 Gigabit Ethernet or WAN Port1 SIM card slot (Nano-SIM)
You can always try customer service through sales department.

Tell them you have 2 properties: one in 5g fake postcode and one where your card is registered.
And you want the 5g device cause thats where you'll be daytime and home during nights and weekends. Ask them to confirm they'll send the one you're after. They do love a lie :)
 
I have a Huawei CPE Pro 1 and three 5G unlimited and this has worked great for the past year.
I was, however, looking forward to upgrading to a CPE Pro 2 when my contract was up (which it now is).

I use an Eero Pro and have been frustrated by my inability to put the router in Bridge mode which, I believe, the Pro 2 fixes.

When Three called me for another contract it transpired that they now only offer 4G in my neighbourhood (North London) so, despite my modem still getting 5G and me still being on a 5G plan (monthly now) I can't get another contract with them without them sending me a 4G router and being on a 4G plan.

According to them, I'd still be able to use the SIM card which would give me access to 5G but I'm skeptical since, if I sign a 4G contract, I think they'd be within their rights to just cancel that sim and send me a 4G one or just limit my account to 4G; I don't know how it works; there still seems to be some perceived arcane power within the SIM card that the industry has yet to wake up from.

I just checked and, sometime between when I spoke to three a few months ago and today they've actually stopped offering even 4G broadband in my area. The website says "we're on our way" and tries to sell me a MIFI. What on earth is going on?
Are they stopping home broadband altogether?

I can't get any answers out of three. I wondered whether anyone else has had this happen to them. The 5g antennas are still up. I'm getting 5G. But they won't admit it's there or that I'm using it.

I was considering just buying a CPE Pro 2 second hand but they're very expensive. Are there any other options I should consider that would work with a 3 sim? I wouldn't want to do invest in one if I were going to be forced to move to another provider who'd send me a modem for free.

A small part of me, btw, believes that I'm to blame with downloading whopping 50GB torrents etc etc and they're just like "we need to leave the area. We can't cope with this. Why is he downloading all of The Sopranos in 4k?"
You’ve probably been pulled of Relish postcode to Three postcode now.

All the big “integration” honchos were shown the door at Three for their massive failures and just slapping a Three logo on Relish which was known to have London signal speed problems.

Any Three sim will work on 3/4/5G it’s hardware dependent not sim.

We’re on our way means it’s saturated and upgrades are needed to the area.

MiFi isn’t dependent on one set of base stations Home Broadband is, they will sell you mobile broadband as it won’t create a massive impact on a saturated area, the idea is enough capacity exits on all areas for mobile broadband like mobile phones which is frankly a idea not a practice lol.

Openreach are to blame, if they actually spent money over th decades they needed to most people wouldn’t be going to Fixed Wireless.

Call retentions and ask how you can get a CPE Pro 2 with 1GB sim and maybe pay up the cost of the router over 24m on that, beg them nicely to be flexible with you as your are happy with the service and 5G but can’t upgrade to a better 5G router because they changed a postcode coverage map then you’ll have to leave.
 
You’ve probably been pulled of Relish postcode to Three postcode now.

All the big “integration” honchos were shown the door at Three for their massive failures and just slapping a Three logo on Relish which was known to have London signal speed problems.

Any Three sim will work on 3/4/5G it’s hardware dependent not sim.

We’re on our way means it’s saturated and upgrades are needed to the area.

MiFi isn’t dependent on one set of base stations Home Broadband is, they will sell you mobile broadband as it won’t create a massive impact on a saturated area, the idea is enough capacity exits on all areas for mobile broadband like mobile phones which is frankly a idea not a practice lol.

Openreach are to blame, if they actually spent money over th decades they needed to most people wouldn’t be going to Fixed Wireless.

Call retentions and ask how you can get a CPE Pro 2 with 1GB sim and maybe pay up the cost of the router over 24m on that, beg them nicely to be flexible with you as your are happy with the service and 5G but can’t upgrade to a better 5G router because they changed a postcode coverage map then you’ll have to leave.
I made the call to three complaints and they transferred me to an sales agent where I had what was an initially frustrating 20 minutes of her saying "we do not have 5g available in that area" and me saying "I have 5G and it is available" and then I just said look can you send me a CPE 2 and her suggesting I use a friend's address. Which I did.

So I'm now on unlimited 5G cpe 2 arriving and then I'll swap back the address. So all in all better result than I expected.

Now I just need to work out whether I should use the WiFi 6 of the CPE Pro or stick to my last-gen Eero Pro.

The only reason I wanted the CPE Pro 2 was for Bridge Mode. I'm so tired of dealing with my current set up which is
Internet -> CPE Pro -> Eero Pro -> Pi Hole -> Computer
 
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I made the call to three complaints and they transferred me to an sales agent where I had what was an initially frustrating 20 minutes of her saying "we do not have 5g available in that area" and me saying "I have 5G and it is available" and then I just said look can you send me a CPE 2 and her suggesting I use a friend's address. Which I did.

So I'm now on unlimited 5G cpe 2 arriving and then I'll swap back the address. So all in all better result than I expected.

Now I just need to work out whether I should use the WiFi 6 of the CPE Pro or stick to my last-gen Eero Pro.

The only reason I wanted the CPE Pro 2 was for Bridge Mode. I'm so tired of dealing with my current set up which is
Internet -> CPE Pro -> Eero Pro -> Pi Hole -> Computer
Hi aveitch, hope I'm wrong but I thought the three supplied CPE Pro 2 had bridge mode removed? :unsure:

My CPE Pro 2 has it, but I purchased it from Amazon.
 
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How on earth? And WHY oh WHY?
Can I put on different firmware? Any resources you could point me to?
As far as I know it's not an easy thing to do as there is hardly any firmware available.

Wait and see how you get on when your router arrives, they may have changed things but I wouldn't be surprised if they still dont want you to have bridge mode.

No idea why not.
 
I wonder whether the new three one has any value on eBay. If so, I'll order an unbranded one on amazon and sell this one.
 
Just realised I began the last two replies with "I wonder whether" which makes me feel like an idiot.

Anyway; current plan is to sell the CPE 1 I have and the CPE 2 that's arriving and use the proceeds to buy the CPE 2 I've always dreamed of. Any advice where to purchase and whether there are any better ones that accept a 3 5G sim I should consider?
 
Just realised I began the last two replies with "I wonder whether" which makes me feel like an idiot.

Anyway; current plan is to sell the CPE 1 I have and the CPE 2 that's arriving and use the proceeds to buy the CPE 2 I've always dreamed of. Any advice where to purchase and whether there are any better ones that accept a 3 5G sim I should consider?
Just a reminder that Three lend you 5g equipment now
"Equipment: Where we have provided any 5G Equipment this Equipment is not owned by you and is loaned to you for the duration of you taking our Services. The 5G Equipment is supplied to you at no cost and remains the property of Three at all times. When you stop taking our Services you must return the 5G Equipment. If you do not return the 5G Equipment within 28 days we will charge you a non-return charge (see Section 9.7)."

Just a heads up. Other folks have talked about it on the forum, i'm sure they have better knowledge on it. If i remember right, they don't enforce it? Don't hold me to that though
 
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You’ve probably been pulled of Relish postcode to Three postcode now.

All the big “integration” honchos were shown the door at Three for their massive failures and just slapping a Three logo on Relish which was known to have London signal speed problems.

Any Three sim will work on 3/4/5G it’s hardware dependent not sim.

We’re on our way means it’s saturated and upgrades are needed to the area.

MiFi isn’t dependent on one set of base stations Home Broadband is, they will sell you mobile broadband as it won’t create a massive impact on a saturated area, the idea is enough capacity exits on all areas for mobile broadband like mobile phones which is frankly a idea not a practice lol.

Openreach are to blame, if they actually spent money over th decades they needed to most people wouldn’t be going to Fixed Wireless.

Call retentions and ask how you can get a CPE Pro 2 with 1GB sim and maybe pay up the cost of the router over 24m on that, beg them nicely to be flexible with you as your are happy with the service and 5G but can’t upgrade to a better 5G router because they changed a postcode coverage map then you’ll have to leave.
This makes sense. I didn't realise that was what it was (the Relish connection).
 
If i remember right, they don't enforce it? Don't hold me to that though
Expect a message from me in two years when contract runs up saying you owe me money. 100% holding you to this.

TBF I expect in two years I could send them the one I have back or I could buy one and send them that back. I very much doubt they'd kick up a fuss about the serial number.

Mind you, that could come back to bite me in the ass.

Does anyone know a good place to buy a non-carrier altered CPE Pro 2 from? Checked amazon which has one "renewed"
And somewhere called "grooves-inc.co.uk" which has them for less money but do I trust grooves-inc?
 
As far as I know it's not an easy thing to do as there is hardly any firmware available.

Wait and see how you get on when your router arrives, they may have changed things but I wouldn't be surprised if they still dont want you to have bridge mode.

No idea why not.
On infamous website grooves-inc.co.uk raconteur "John F" gave the router one star saying

"Do not buy this router if you expect 5G. You are rolling the dice if you do. I bought this with the intent to connect to my Telco providers 5G. Huawei has neglected to add a significant capability, the ability to choose which connection you want the router to default to. This means if you have a 4G and a 5G signal broadcast within range of this router, the router will auto connect to the strongest signal. In most cases the 4G signal is stronger because 5G it is still being rolled out. In my case the 5G antenna was 1500m away and the 4G antenna was 1300m away. I have written and talked to Huawei and there is no planned release for updating the router firmware with this essential capability. So if you buy this, you may get lucky if your 5G antenna is closer than your 4G antenna, but the odds are not in your favour and this is a very expensive router. Good luck!""

Is this true? My CPE 1 rarely dropped to 5G so I don't see why the CPE 2 would unless something has changed.
 
It might, if they compare the imei number to the one on your account. I have no idea how their returns department is though and how they handle this stuff. I've sent back 2 4g routers and not once did they ask for the Imei number, they did ask for the cpe pro imei when i wanted to send that back.
 
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