Three down: Network not working as users complain they have no service and are unable to connect to internet

Three has sponsored Chelsea – and thought the deal is at an end, the logo still appears on its shirts (Getty Images)

Three’s phone and internet service has gone offline, leaving vast numbers of phones without a connection.

Users complained that they had no service – and that usual fixes such as switching the device off and on were not bringing it back online.

Problems were reported in large numbers right across the country, according to tracking website Down Detector.

The company said on Twitter that it was aware of a problem and that it would be fixed “as soon as we can”.

“We’re aware of an issue and are working hard to get things back up and running as soon as we can,” Three’s support staff said, in a tweet that was sent to various users who complained.

It gave no indication of what the problem was or when it might be fixed.

“In the meantime, please try restarting your phone,” the company’s Twitter feed suggested, though various users responded to say that had not fixed the issue.

Three also offers a network status checker on its website. But it appeared to be showing that its “systems haven’t reported any network problems”, even in locations where users reported that their connection had gone offline.

Unlike with some providers of broadband or landline phone connections, there is no official automatic compensation scheme for outages on mobile networks such as Three. But the network does offer a variety of ways to complain, which users can find on its website.

The outage comes days after Three ended its sponsorship of Chelsea, in the wake of new sanctions being placed on the club’s owner Roman Abramovich. The club has still been playing with the network’s logo on its shirts, however.