The next-generation cloud-native core network will more than triple Three’s current capacity, increasing it to 9 terabits per second (Tbps), ensuring the scalability needed to support the rapid growth in data usage.
Data consumption on Three’s network has surged in recent years, surpassing 2 Tbps in December 2024.
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This milestone, driven by streaming Premier League matches on Amazon Prime, gaming updates, and increased home broadband usage, follows the network hitting 1 Tbps just two years earlier—a mark that took nearly two decades to achieve.
With an average monthly usage of 31.5GB per customer in 2024, Three leads UK mobile operators in data consumption, recording traffic levels 2.4 times higher than the national average.
Ericsson’s dual-mode 5G Core and Cloud Native Infrastructure solutions will power the new network. The architecture will be deployed across Three’s nationwide distributed data centre network, positioning the core closer to customers and enhancing latency and overall performance.
The system offers several key benefits, including scalable capacity growth, improved stability with reduced downtime, and in-service software upgrades, allowing updates without traffic disruption. It also enhances environmental efficiency with the latest technology.
Iain Milligan, chief network officer at Three said: “The last few years have seen a tsunami of data growth with traffic at peak times doubling in a little over two years. Our new core network with Ericsson ensures we are able to support our customers’ data usage over the medium and long-term.”
Installation is underway at Three’s data centres, with the infrastructure expected to be partially operational by year-end. Migration of traffic to the new core will occur gradually over the next few years.
Katherine Ainley, CEO of Ericsson UK & Ireland added: “We are incredibly proud to support Three UK in this next stage of their network transformation.
“This project is a significant milestone in our collaboration, and we're excited to help Three build a new core network to meet the ever-growing data demands of their customers.”
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