Hutchison 3G Enterprises S.A.R.L.,[1] commonly known as Hutchison 3G (acronym H3G) and trading as 3 (Three), is the owner of a brand name that operates several mobile phone networks and broadband Internet providers in Hong Kong, Macau, Austria, Denmark, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

CK Hutchison Holdings owns direct majority interests of six networks through 3 Group Europe, including Austria, Denmark, Italy, Ireland, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

[9] In 2003, CK Hutchison Holdings stated that the name refers to their three global telecommunication services: 3G, GSM Dualband and CDMA.

[12] In 2012, a partnership with Vodafone was launched and 3 Hong Kong is a member of the Conexus Mobile Alliance.

[16] Tri Indonesia was founded as a company in 2000, received a 3G licence in 2003, and began operations on 29 March 2007, initially in the Jakarta area only.

3 currently has full GSM coverage in Java, Sumatera, Bali, Lombok, and Riau Islands.

[18] 3 Indonesia launched its new unlimited text and MMS service for a fee with Facebook on 8 April 2009, so registered 3 customers can update status, write on their "wall", or upload new pictures free of charge.

In 2013, Charoen Pokphand divested its telecommunication business in Indonesia by selling its share of 3 to Garibaldi Thohir and private equity firm which jointly owned by Patrick Walujo and Glenn Sugita Northstar Group.

3 Austria won a DVB-H license and launched the service in June 2008, with three devices and free usage of Mobile TV.

[30] On 3 February 2012 Hutchison Whampoa announced that it had bought Orange for US$1.7 billion,[31] from France Télécom which owned a 35% stake, and private equity firm Mid Europa Partners, which held the remaining 65%.

The combined business will create a mobile carrier with 2.8 million customers and more than 20 percent market share in Austria.

Customers are "at home" on both networks, i.e. Danish customer receive calls from Denmark without paying roaming fees when they are on 3 Sweden's network and it does not cost extra to call Danish telephone numbers.

In spring 2011 Three started, without Telenor, to build their own 3G Network on the UMTS 900-band which will give a bigger coverage.

[34] 3 Denmark and 3 Sweden has "3 Like Home" which makes it possible to use the phone as home in 50+ countries like (Austria, Cyprus, USA, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Ireland, UK, Spain, Portugal, Malta, Puerto Rico, Greece, San Marino, Singapore, Switzerland, Netherlands, France, Hong Kong, Italy, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Germany).

On 24 June 2013, it was announced that CK Hutchison Holdings would acquire Telefónica's Irish mobile operations, O2, for €780 million, to be merged into Three Ireland upon completion of the deal.

[38] On 27 January 2014, Three launched its 4G network in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick, Wexford and Waterford.

[41][42] 3 Italy (formerly known as Andala[43][44]) was founded in November 1999 and controlled by Sardinian Internet company Tiscali, Franco Bernabè and Sanpaolo IMI.

On 22 February 2006, 3 announced the first launch of HSDPA technology in Italy, marketed as "ADSM" (a contraction of "ADSL Mobile").

[49] In 2018, CK Hutchison acquired the 50% stake owned by VEON (formerly VimpelCom), to gain 100% ownership of Wind Tre.

On 9 December 2004, Three announced that it was the first network to meet its regulatory requirement of 80% population coverage in the UK.

Three's handsets and contracts are also sold by mobile telephony chains and independents throughout the UK, as well as online retailers.

In June 2023, it was announced that, subject to regulatory approval Vodafone UK and Three UK will merge to create Britain's biggest mobile network, with Vodafone owning 51% and CK Hutchison Holdings owning 49% of the new service.

[61] The merger received antitrust approval from the UK Competition and Markets Authority in December 2024, and is expected to close in the first half of 2025.

The 3G network covered Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, the Gold Coast, Canberra, Geelong, Frankston and Wollongong.

[64] The merger was approved by shareholders and regulators on 29 May 2009,[65] and Vodafone Hutchison Australia was established in June 2009.

[67] No new registrations to the Three brand were made after this time,[67][68] and from 30 August 2013, all Three Mobile systems and accounts were closed.

Like other mobile-provider Internet home pages, 3's portal is 'free to browse' for some content in most 3 countries including Ireland, UK and Australia in most price plans; the user pays a fixed price for each video, text or application downloaded.

In November 2007, 3 started to sell the Skypephone, which was developed in conjunction with the Chinese phone manufacturer Amoi and Skype, combining the functionality of a UMTS handset with free voice calls and instant messages from Skype.

[72] This service is available in Australia, Ireland and the UK; it has been discontinued in Austria, Denmark, Hong Kong, Italy and Sweden.

In February 2007, 3 introduced '3 Like Home', a service that in theory allows subscribers to use any 3-branded network (with the exception of 3 Indonesia) without having to pay additional roaming charges, instead paying the same amount for voice, data, and messaging services as they would do on their home network.