Three Ireland‘s prepay customers faced a significant technical issue that rendered them unable to make calls, send texts, or use data services. Many saw their account balances inexplicably drop to €0, exacerbating frustrations. Despite assurances from Three Ireland that the problem was resolved, numerous customers continued to experience disruptions, highlighting broader concerns about the company’s service reliability and customer communication.

The Outage Unfolds

Early on March 16, prepay customers began reporting issues with their mobile services. Users were unable to make calls to other networks, send SMS messages, or access mobile data. Compounding the problem, some customers noticed their prepaid credit balances had plummeted to zero without any usage. Three Ireland acknowledged the disruption, stating, “Some Three prepay customers are currently experiencing issues with Call, SMS and Data services. Our technical team are working to resolve this disruption as soon as possible. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.” ​

Customer Frustration Mounts

The outage sparked widespread frustration among customers, many of whom relied on their mobile services for daily communication and work. One disgruntled user shared, “€70 credit I’d built up just vanished this morning, 14 days into my plan. No internet, and no way to top … Please fix your systems and also please … .” ​

Another affected customer expressed, “I have been working all day & … . It’s been down for 15 hours … ?” ​

Three Ireland’s Response

By midday, Three Ireland announced that the issue had been resolved, assuring customers that no credit would be lost due to the technical glitch. They advised those still experiencing problems to reboot their devices: “We can confirm the … . We’d like to reassure you that no … . We apologise for any inconvenience caused.”

Lingering Issues and Customer Dissatisfaction

Despite the company’s assurances, many customers continued to face service disruptions well into the evening. Reports of missing credit balances, inability to make calls, and lack of mobile data persisted. The prolonged nature of the outage and perceived inadequate communication from Three Ireland intensified customer dissatisfaction.

Historical Context: Previous Service Issues

This incident is not isolated. In December 2024, Three Ireland was mandated to refund nearly €3.76 million to approximately 14,000 customers due to failures in notifying them about roaming charges, as required by EU regulations. An investigation by the Communications Regulator (ComReg) revealed that the company did not provide appropriate notifications when customers reached default roaming limits of €50 or €100.

Impact on Three Ireland’s Reputation

Repeated technical issues and regulatory breaches have taken a toll on Three Ireland’s reputation. Customers are increasingly vocal about their dissatisfaction, citing concerns over service reliability and the company’s responsiveness to problems. The recent outage has led some to consider switching providers, reflecting a potential loss of consumer trust.​

Industry Implications

The challenges faced by Three Ireland underscore the critical importance of robust technical infrastructure and effective customer communication in the telecommunications industry. As mobile services become ever more integral to daily life, providers must ensure reliability and transparency to maintain customer loyalty. Regulatory bodies like ComReg play a vital role in holding companies accountable, ensuring consumer rights are protected.

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