Three 5G MiFi review

The Three 5G MiFi – sometimes referred to as the Three 5G MiFi U50 – is what Three sells for 5G mobile broadband – meaning a battery-powered device that can broadcast a Wi-Fi network to get your other gadgets online.

If you’re set on Three and want a 5G mobile broadband device then this is your only option direct from the network – though you could always buy a mobile broadband device separately and put a Three SIM card in it, and there are alternative options on other networks.

But chances are you’ll be just fine with this, as it’s a capable little device.

Design

The Three 5G MiFi is a white rectangle with curvy corners and a black section on the front, which houses its various indicator lights – such as for signal and battery level.

It’s sleek if unassuming, and at 118 x 72 x 18mm it should fit in your pocket and could easily be carried in a small backpack or handbag – that’s important because this is designed to be a portable device, that you use when you’re away from your home Wi-Fi network.

Other aspects of the design include a USB-C port on the side (for charging it or using it while plugged in), and a Three logo on the front.

Setup

Like most 5G mobile broadband and home broadband devices, the Three 5G MiFi is extremely simple to set up.

All you really need to do is insert the SIM card and switch it on (charging it first if the battery is low). From there it should already be broadcasting a network that you can connect your laptop, tablet, or other gadgets to using the supplied network details.

And if you want to tweak the network name or password, you can do this via an online interface. Sadly though there’s no display on this, so you’re purely reliant either on the online interface or the indicator lights for knowing what’s going on with it.

Performance and speeds

The Three 5G MiFi is actually a rebranded ZTE U50 – a device that has maximum download speeds of 2.63Gbps. However, that’s faster than you can expect on any of the UK’s networks.

In fact, Three’s current plans top out at 100Mbps, but that’s still in the realms of 5G speeds, and you should get close to that level most of the time, since Three tends to excel in third-party tests.

For example, a January 2026 Opensignal study found that Three’s average 5G download speed was 187Mbps (though that requires a plan without a speed cap), while RootMetrics found in 2026 that Three’s median 5G download speed was 158.9Mbps.

So Three has a capable network and this is a capable device – one which also supports Wi-Fi 6, as well as dual-band 2.4GHz and 5GHz 802.11ax Wi-Fi.

Features and software

The Three 5G MiFi can get up to 32 devices connected to the internet. By home broadband standards that might not be many, but since this is designed primarily for when you’re out and about, it should be plenty. Still, it’s less than some rival devices (detailed below), and is something to consider if you hope to use this as backup for your home Wi-Fi or something.

It also has a 4,500mAh battery which is capable of eight hours of life when in active use. That’s a competitive spec, and while it’s not quite all day life, it should be enough to see you through the average work day.

Alternatives

If you are on Three, the main alternative is the Three 4G MiFi. This is a similar device but of course it’s limited to 4G speeds, so it’s a lot slower.

Looking elsewhere, there’s the Vodafone 5G Mobile Hotspot, but that’s actually exactly that same hardware as this, so the only difference is the network and plans.

You’ll find more differences on EE, where you can get the EE 5G WiFi, a device capable of getting over 100 gadgets online – so if 32 sounds too restrictive, that’s worth considering.

And on O2 there’s the Netgear Nighthawk M3 and the Netgear Nighthawk M7, which stand out primarily through having a screen. Beyond that, the M7 is a high-end device, with Wi-Fi 7 support.

Plans

The Three 5G MiFi is currently available on two plans, both of which come with unlimited data and speeds of up to 100Mbps.

The difference is in the duration – you can get a 24-month plan for £24 per month and nothing upfront, or a one-month rolling plan for £35 per month and £139 upfront.

This makes it one of the cheapest 5G mobile broadband options available direct from a UK network, so that’s a major perk. It’s even cheaper than the identical device on Vodafone – though at the time of writing you can get plans with no speed caps on Vodafone.

Conclusion

The Three 5G MiFi has just about everything most people should need from a 5G mobile broadband device. While it lacks a screen and some devices can get more gadgets online, it has all the basics covered.

On top of that it’s fast and affordable, so if you’re happy with Three’s coverage, it’s a strong choice. It’s just a shame that current plans have speed caps – even if they’re quite high.

Dimensions (mm): 118 x 72 x 18
Modem: 5G
Colours: White
Download speeds: Up to 2.63Gbps
Wi-Fi specs: Dual-band 802.11ax (2.4GHz & 5GHz)
Power: Battery powered
Launch date: Out now