Just over a year after launching the UK's first 3G network, Hutchinson Whampoa's 3 has 361,000 subscribers, according to its financial results, published on Thursday.
The group has signed up just over one million subscribers worldwide, but this figure falls short of the company's original target of one million subscribers by the end of 2003 in the UK alone.
The disappointing results did not come as a surprise because in its financial results for the first six months of 2003, which were released last August, parent company Hutchison Whampoa revealed that it had signed up 155,000 3G customers in the UK. This was taken as firm evidence by analysts that Hutchison's 3 service was not going to hit its targets.
However, the company remains upbeat about its prospects and blames "SARS, the war in Iraq and an increasingly competitive world environment" for its "difficult year". In its financial report, 3 admitted its problems were intensified late last year because suppliers had difficulties delivering enough handsets, but the company said those problems have now been solved: "During the third quarter, suppliers only made limited deliveries, seriously impairing the Group's ability to increase its customer base… This issue has been resolved. The Group's suppliers commenced delivery of new handset models in commercial quantities and as a result of which sales have progressed very well."
The future for 3 could get worse as rivals prepare to launch competing 3G services. Unlike 3, which has concentrated its sales and marketing efforts on the consumer market and video calling services, T-Mobile and Vodafone will targeting the lucrative business market with data card products that allow notebook and PDA users to connect to the Internet at broadband-like speeds when a Wi-Fi connection isn't available.
Talkback
Im not suprised,,, customer service is abysmal, the network coverage is worse and you cant even use a 3g phone as a modem to access the web with a PDA as three have disabled this function,,,,
Make sure you know what the network is offering before signing any contract
Three is rubbish. Simply don't bother. I ended up with one - and the phone doesn't work. Customer service is RUBBISH (understatement), but Three simply do not care.
I am now awaiting my third handset in 3 months! Customer service is absymal. I wanted to cancel my contract as I felt the service I was (not) getting was not what I signed up for. They said I'd have to pay the cancellation fee. Additionally I lost all the extras I had downloaded due to a faulty phone and they said it wasn't their fault and they wouldn't compensate me! A truly terrible company.
Mr Mark Sear, as ever you are so correct, Three is not worth it. Solution looking for a problem... just like online oil transaportation trading... no one wanted it !
Would love to discuss sometime with you Mark, it's been too long
Contact me please, at NTL in Hook, Hants
I likewise wish I hadn't bothered to move to Three. The coverage is awful and customer service is non-existant. 75% of all calls I make fail whether on 3 or O2.
I think they're called Three as: they only have 3 customer service staff or only 3 cell-cites. It's certainly not because its a 3rd generation network.
As soon as my contract expires I'll be changing providors.
TOO RIGHT!!!!
THEY ASK FOR £150 TO GET MY PHONE UNLOCKED!!!
A COMPLETE DISGRACE!
IF I OWNED O2 OR ORANGE I WOULD PUT ON SUCH GOOD DEALS SO THAT 3 GETS SHUTDOWN!
AND GOES BANKRUPT!!!!!!