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Is SMARTY down? How to check SMARTY network status

SMARTY runs on Three's network, so the quickest check is SMARTY's network status checker at smarty.co.uk/network-status-checker: enter your postcode, no login needed. It uses Three's network data. If it shows no problem, check your plan hasn't paused after a failed renewal, then restart your phone and try Wi-Fi Calling.

Check the official network status

SMARTY's network status checker is public and only asks for a postcode. It is Three's own checker, embedded on SMARTY's site, and shows one of these: no network issues reported, fixing an issue in the area, improving the network in the area, heavy usage at times (varying data speeds), or working on the network in the area. SMARTY says it also shows when the information was last updated.

Official updates on X: @SMARTYMobileUK

Is it SMARTY or your phone?

  1. Enter your postcode in SMARTY's network status checker. If it says SMARTY is fixing an issue or working on the network nearby, it is a network fault and there is nothing to fix on your phone.
  2. Log in to the SMARTY app or dashboard. If a renewal payment failed, SMARTY pauses your plan: incoming calls and texts still work, but outgoing calls, texts and data stop. Also check you haven't used up your data allowance.
  3. Ask someone nearby on SMARTY, or on Three, iD Mobile or Superdrug Mobile, which also run on Three. If their phone works and yours does not, the problem is more likely your phone, SIM or account.
  4. Turn flight mode on and off and restart your phone. Three switched off 3G in November 2025, so your phone needs 4G Calling (VoLTE) that works on SMARTY for calls.
  5. If you have Wi-Fi, turn on Wi-Fi Calling so you can still call and text.
  6. If lots of people nearby have lost service and the checker shows nothing, check the Three network status page, @ThreeUKSupport on X and Downdetector (downdetector.co.uk), which shows user reports, not Three or SMARTY data.

Outage, or weak signal where you are?

If SMARTY's checker shows no known problem, check how strong its signal should be at your postcode. This uses Ofcom's coverage data, not live status.

Try:

SMARTY runs on Three

SMARTY has no masts of its own. It uses Three's network, so a Three outage usually affects SMARTY and these other brands too.

Three iD Mobile Superdrug Mobile

SMARTY not working? Fixes to try

No signal or SOS only

SOS or "Emergency calls only" means your phone cannot connect to Three's network. SMARTY's first step for every connection problem is the network status checker. Then toggle flight mode, restart, and check your phone is unlocked and supports 4G Calling. SMARTY supports 4G and 5G only, not 2G or 3G.

Incoming calls work but you can't call, text or use data

This is usually a paused plan, not an outage. SMARTY pauses your plan if a renewal payment fails or auto-renew is off, and outgoing calls, texts and data stop until you renew. Update your card and renew in the app or dashboard.

Mobile data not working

Check your data allowance and that your plan renewed, then check the APN. SMARTY's settings are APN mob.asm.net with the username and password left blank (profile name 3 on Android). On Pixel, Nokia and Sony phones SMARTY also lists MCC 234, MNC 20, MVNO type GID and MVNO value 0309.

Texts and data work but calls fail

Since Three's 3G switch-off in November 2025, calls on SMARTY need 4G Calling (VoLTE). SMARTY says some VoLTE phones still don't work on SMARTY, even though they work on Three, including the Pixel 3, 3a and 4, Fairphone 3 and some Doro, Moto, Oppo, Redmi and ZTE models. Any iPhone 6 or newer is compatible.

New SIM or moved number not working

SMARTY SIMs are not activated automatically, and activation can take up to 2 hours. Check you put in the SMARTY SIM, not the Bonus SIM. If you are moving your number, SMARTY says a little downtime during the transfer is normal, and the move completes by the end of the next working day for a PAC submitted Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm.

eSIM won't install

SMARTY says the usual cause is a wrong 4-digit confirmation code, which can arrive as a Three confirmation code. Attempts are limited, so if it fails, request a new eSIM rather than retrying.

Weak signal indoors

Turn on Wi-Fi Calling in your phone's settings. SMARTY supports it but needs about 2Mbps of broadband, it doesn't work abroad, and SMARTY only guarantees it on phones it has tested.

SMARTY mobile data (APN) settings

Name
3
APN
mob.asm.net
Username
Leave blank
Password
Leave blank

Source: https://help.smarty.co.uk/en/articles/1155220-using-the-internet-after-you-ve-joined-smarty

Past SMARTY outages

  • 25 June 2025

    Three customers could not make calls from about 8am. SMARTY said it was aware of an issue affecting voice services. In December 2025 Ofcom opened an investigation into Three over the outage, including its effect on 999 calls.

    BBC News

  • 23 January 2025

    A fault on Three's voice network stopped calls from about 1pm, with more than 10,000 Downdetector reports for Three and several thousand more from SMARTY and iD Mobile users. Some reports said 999 calls failed.

    BBC News

  • 9 February 2024

    A Three outage from about 3pm hit customers sporadically across the country, and ISPreview reported it was also affecting Three's virtual network partners such as SMARTY. It was the first of three Three outages in four days, on 9, 10 and 12 February.

    ISPreview

  • 1 December 2023

    From about 6am, Three customers across the UK lost calls and mobile data on 3G, 4G and 5G. Data returned that night and calls in the early hours of 2 December. ISPreview said virtual operators using Three's network were hit too, which includes SMARTY, though it did not name SMARTY.

    ISPreview

Can you get compensation for a SMARTY outage?

SMARTY's terms say it can't guarantee continuous fault-free service and offer no credit or refund for network outages. The one compensation promise covers number transfers: if a move is delayed or you unexpectedly lose service while switching, and it's SMARTY's fault, you get compensation on your account within 30 days. Ofcom's automatic compensation scheme covers landline and broadband only. SMARTY plans roll monthly, so you can leave by turning off auto-renew at least 24 hours before your renewal date, with no refund for the rest of the month.

Fed up with SMARTY outages?

Switching to a brand on the same network will not help during an outage, because it uses the same masts. A SIM on a different network will. You keep your number by texting PAC to 65075.

Compare SIM-only deals SMARTY PAC code guide

SMARTY outage FAQs

Is there a problem with SMARTY today?
We can't tell you live. The official answer is SMARTY's network status checker, which shows known faults and planned work for your postcode. SMARTY runs on Three, so a Three outage is a SMARTY outage too. If your service is down and the checker shows nothing, check Three's status page, @ThreeUKSupport on X and Downdetector.
What network does SMARTY use?
Three. SMARTY is owned by Three and they share the same network. Since the Vodafone and Three merger, SMARTY says its customers are being moved onto both Three's and Vodafone's masts area by area from August 2025, with no SIM swap needed. SMARTY's customer service stays separate from Vodafone's and Three's.
If Three is down, is SMARTY down too?
Usually, yes. SMARTY, iD Mobile and Superdrug Mobile use Three's network, so a Three network fault normally affects them. In the Three calling outages of 23 January and 25 June 2025, SMARTY customers lost calls at the same time as Three customers.
Why can I receive calls but not make them on SMARTY?
Most likely your plan is paused. If a renewal payment fails, SMARTY pauses your plan: incoming calls and texts still work, but outgoing calls, texts and data stop. Log in to the app or dashboard to update your card and renew. If your plan is active, check your phone supports 4G Calling on SMARTY.
How do I report a SMARTY outage?
SMARTY has no general phone line. Use webchat at smarty.co.uk/contact, staffed 8am to 8pm every day, with the SMARTY Bot outside those hours. Customers with additional needs can call SMARTY's accessibility line on 0333 338 1047, 9am to 5pm on weekdays.
Will SMARTY compensate me for an outage?
Not under its terms. SMARTY's terms say it can't guarantee fault-free service and have no outage credit, and Ofcom's automatic compensation scheme only covers landline and broadband. SMARTY does pay compensation when a number transfer is delayed, or you lose service while switching, through its own fault. As plans roll monthly, you can leave at renewal.
How long do SMARTY outages usually last?
The national outages that hit SMARTY have lasted hours, not days. In the December 2023 Three outage, data came back the same night and calls early the next morning. The February 2024 outage that began around 3pm lasted several hours. Local faults and planned work can take longer, and SMARTY's checker shows these for your postcode.
Can I call 999 if SMARTY is down?
Usually, yes. SMARTY's terms say you can call 999 or 112 free, emergency calls still work while your service is suspended, and outside SMARTY coverage your phone tries another network. It may not help when the fault is in Three's own call system: Ofcom is investigating Three because the June 2025 outage affected emergency calls. If a 999 call fails, use a landline or someone else's phone.

Sources

Checked on 24 September 2026 against SMARTY's own pages and the news reports linked above. This page does not show live network status.