Three 4G Hub review: the cheapest way out of a notspot, if the signal is there
By Tom HartleyFigures checked 20 July 2026
The 4G Hub is Three's plug-in home broadband router. Unlimited data, the router thrown in, and a monthly price the other networks do not match. There is one honest catch, and the whole decision turns on it: Three's signal is the thinnest of the big networks once you leave a town. Where it reaches you, nothing is cheaper.
- ✓ Router included
- ✓ No landline
- ✓ No engineer visit
- ✓ Unlimited data
The figures that decide it
| Price from | £17 a month, unlimited data |
|---|---|
| Router | Included at no extra cost |
| Typical speed, 4G | 20 to 60 Mbps |
| Typical speed, 5G | 100 to 200 Mbps where covered |
| Contract | 24-month |
| Upfront | Usually £0 |
| Setup | Plug in, live in minutes |
| Devices | Up to 64 at once |
Who it suits, and who should pick EE instead
A good fit if
- Three's signal is solid at your address.
- You want the lowest monthly price for unlimited data.
- You are in or near a town, or on a route Three has built out.
- You want the router included and nothing to pay upfront.
Look elsewhere if
- You are deep in the countryside. This is where Three is weakest and EE reaches furthest.
- Three's coverage map looks patchy at your postcode. Do not talk yourself into it.
- No mobile network reaches you at all. That is a satellite job.
The verdict in full
Three is the price pick, and it is not close. The 4G Hub starts around £17 a month with unlimited data and the router in the box, which undercuts both EE and Vodafone for the same kind of connection. If you are choosing on cost alone, this is the answer.
Speed is fine for a normal household. On 4G, plan around 20 to 60 Mbps, enough for streaming and video calls without drama. Where Three has 5G, usually in and around towns, it climbs to 100 to 200 Mbps and starts to feel like fibre. As ever, the spot the router sits in matters more than the tariff.
Then the catch. Three has the smallest rural footprint of the four networks, so the network that offers the best price is also the one most likely to disappoint outside a town. That is not a reason to rule it out, but it is the reason to check the map properly before you order, and to be honest with yourself about a weak result rather than hopeful.
Put simply: if Three's signal holds at your address, it is the cheapest way out of a notspot and an easy recommendation. If the map looks thin, pay a little more for EE's wider reach and sleep better.
What you are actually getting
The lowest monthly price of the three networks
From about £17 a month for unlimited data, with the router included, Three sits below EE and Vodafone for a comparable plan.
Unlimited data, router in the box
No allowance to watch and nothing to buy up front. The Hub arrives, you plug it in, and the whole household shares one connection.
5G speed where a town reaches you
In Three's 5G areas the Hub runs at 100 to 200 Mbps, which competes with a mid-tier fibre line. Check coverage first, since 5G follows the towns.
Set up in minutes, by anyone
Plug the Hub into power, wait for the lights, connect. No engineer, no phone socket, no installation window.
Full specifications
| Networks | Three 4G and 5G |
|---|---|
| Data allowance | Unlimited |
| Download, 4G | 20 to 60 Mbps typical |
| Download, 5G | 100 to 200 Mbps in coverage |
| Upload | 5 to 20 Mbps typical |
| Connected devices | Up to 64 |
| Router | Included at no extra cost |
| Landline needed | No |
| Installation | Self-install, plug and play |
| Contract | 24-month |
| Upfront cost | Usually £0 |
Pros and cons
In its favour
- Cheapest unlimited plan of the three networks.
- Router included, nothing to pay upfront.
- Fibre-class speed on 5G where covered.
- Live the same day, no engineer, no landline.
- Unlimited data with no monthly cap.
Against it
- The thinnest rural coverage of the big networks. Check first.
- 5G follows the towns, so many notspots get 4G only.
- Tied to a 24-month contract at the headline price.
Do the coverage check first
With Three, the coverage check is where the decision is actually made. Run it at your exact postcode, and if you already carry a Three phone, walk the house and watch the signal bars where the Hub would sit. That is free field data no coverage map can give you. If the result is strong, you have found the cheapest fix going.
Common questions
Is the Three 4G Hub any good?
Where the signal reaches you, yes. It is the cheapest unlimited home broadband of the mobile networks, with the router included. The one weakness is rural coverage, so the answer depends entirely on your address.
Do I need a phone line?
No. The Hub runs on Three's mobile signal, so there is no landline and no line rental.
How fast is it?
On 4G, expect 20 to 60 Mbps. On 5G, where Three reaches you, it runs at 100 to 200 Mbps. The signal at the Hub decides the result more than the plan does.
What is the catch with Three?
Coverage. Three has the smallest rural footprint of the four networks, so the low price comes with a higher chance of a weak signal outside a town. Check the map before you order.
Three 4G Hub or Vodafone GigaCube?
Pick on coverage, not price. Three is cheaper, but if its map looks thin at your postcode, Vodafone or EE may reach you better. Read the Vodafone GigaCube review for the comparison.
Weighing it against the others? See the Vodafone GigaCube review, or how the networks compare for 4G home broadband and 5G home broadband. No mobile signal at all? Start with the full no-fibre guide.