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What is Pay As You Go?

Pay As You Go typically means just paying directly for your allowances, so you top up your phone and you’re only paying for what you actually use.

However, you can also often get Pay As You Go bundles which last a month and offer superior value – as long as you make use of their allowances. In either case, you’re not tied into a contract, so you’re free to change your bundle or even your network at any time.

Why Choose a Pay As You Go Plan on Three?

Pay As You Go has been around for a very long time, but it's come a long way since its inception. You can pick up Pay As You Go deals on Three that offer great value, choosing between a monthly bundle with up to unlimited data, or affordable rates of 10p per minute, 10p per text and 5p per megabyte.

Pay As You Go on Three also includes 5G data, and you aren’t locked into a lengthy mobile contract.

This makes Three Pay As You Go perfect for those looking for a short-term contract, as well as for those who want to control their spending - such as parents buying mobiles for their children.

The major downside of Pay As You Go plans is that you have to pay for the smartphone upfront. So those looking for even better value who also need a new handset should consider a contract phone.

Reasons you'll love Pay As You Go plans on Three:

  • 5G at no extra cost
  • All phones come unlocked
  • Free roaming abroad in 71 destinations (until May 23rd, 2022)
  • Tethering included
  • Low Pay As You Go rates
  • Free Wi-Fi on the London Underground
  • 4G Super-Voice (VoLTE) on supported handsets

Frequently Asked Questions

What SIM card size do I need?

Three will supply you with a trio-SIM, which contains all three possible SIM card sizes, so you don’t need to work out which SIM card size you need before placing your order.

That said, modern smartphones use nano SIMs (the smallest size), so that’s probably what you’ll need. The other options are micro SIMs (used by much older phones) and standard SIMs, which are hardly used by any phones these days – though some other devices such as mobile broadband routers sometimes use them.

If in doubt, just compare the three trio-SIM sizes to the SIM card slot in your phone, or Google your phone to find out which SIM card size you need. If you still have the documentation that came with your handset this will usually say as well.

What’s Three’s coverage like?

Three has comprehensive 4G coverage covering 99.8% of the UK population, while its 3G service covers 98.7%. 5G coverage isn’t quite as widespread yet, but even that is available in hundreds of places, and it’s improving all the time.

Can I keep my number when switching to Pay As You Go on Three?

Absolutely. Once you’ve got your new Three SIM card, just text ‘PAC’ from your old SIM to 65075. You’ll then be texted your PAC code, which you can give to Three on its number transfer form. Once that’s submitted, your old number will shortly be transferred to your new Three SIM card.

For more details, check out our full guide to keeping your number.

Can you tether on Pay As You Go SIM?

Yes, tethering is allowed on Three Pay As You Go, so you can use your data to get other devices online. Check out our full Three tethering guide for more details.

Is unlimited data available with Pay As You Go on Three?

There’s an unlimited data bundle available on Three Pay As You Go, so select that and you’ll have endless data for a month.

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