48 has emerged as Ireland's best-value SIM-only deal in 2026. At €12.99/month for 200GB of 5G data, it undercuts GoMo on both price and data allowance. But is there a catch? Here's our complete review.
48 at a Glance
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Price | €12.99/month |
| Data | 200GB (5G) |
| Calls | Unlimited |
| Texts | Unlimited |
| Network | Three |
| 5G | Yes (free) |
| Contract | 30-day rolling |
| EU Roaming | 17GB |
What Is 48?
48 is Three Ireland's budget brand, similar to how GoMo is Eir's budget offering. It launched in 2012, originally targeting 18-22 year olds (hence the name—48 hours, 48 months, etc.). Today it's open to everyone and competes directly with GoMo and Clear Mobile.
48 uses the Three network infrastructure, so coverage and speeds are identical to Three's own customers.
48's Current Plan
€12.99/month (price for life)
- 200GB 5G data
- Unlimited calls
- Unlimited texts
- 17GB EU roaming data
- 30-day rolling contract (no lock-in)
The activation fee varies—48 frequently runs promotions with free SIM delivery and no activation fee. Check the website for current offers.
The Good: Why Choose 48
1. Best Price-to-Data Ratio
48 offers more data for less money than any competitor:
| Network | Price | Data | Per GB Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 48 | €12.99 | 200GB | 6.5c |
| GoMo | €14.99 | 120GB | 12.5c |
| Clear Mobile | €14.99 | Unlimited | N/A |
At 200GB, you'd need to use 6.5GB of data every single day to hit the limit. That's virtually unlimited for normal use.
2. Free 5G
48 includes 5G at no extra cost. This makes it Ireland's cheapest 5G plan—€2 cheaper than GoMo's 5G offering.
Three has invested heavily in 5G infrastructure, with coverage in cities, towns, and many suburban areas.
3. Price Lock
Like GoMo, 48 guarantees your €12.99 price won't increase. You won't face the year-two price hikes that plague some networks.
4. Prepay Flexibility
Unlike some competitors, 48 is prepay rather than bill pay. This means:
- No credit check required
- No direct debit needed
- Top up when you want
- Easy to cancel anytime
You simply top up €12.99 when you want to activate another month of service.
5. Three Network Coverage
Three covers 99% of Ireland's population with 4G. While historically weaker than Eir in rural areas, Three has improved significantly. In cities, Three's speeds are often among the fastest.
The Bad: 48's Drawbacks
1. Roaming Issues
This is 48's most consistent complaint. Users report:
- Patchy connections in UK and EU countries
- Slow speeds when roaming
- Occasional failure to connect at all
Not everyone experiences these issues, but they're common enough to note. If you travel frequently, test 48 on a short trip before fully committing.
2. No VoLTE or WiFi Calling
48 doesn't support Voice over LTE (VoLTE) or WiFi calling. This means:
- Calls use 3G/2G networks (lower quality)
- Poor indoor coverage can't be supplemented by WiFi
- Call quality may be worse than GoMo or Clear Mobile
This is a significant gap for users who make lots of calls or have weak indoor signal.
3. Online-Only Support
Like all budget networks, 48 has no phone support. Customer service is via:
- Live chat
- Social media
Response times can be slow, and complex issues are harder to resolve.
4. Three Network Weaknesses
Three's coverage, while good overall, has gaps:
- Some rural areas have weaker signal than Eir
- Indoor coverage can be patchy
- Some users report congestion in busy urban areas
Check Three's coverage map for your specific locations before switching.
5. Originally Youth-Focused Brand
48's marketing and aesthetic still skew young. While anyone can join, older users might find the branding off-putting (though this doesn't affect the service).
48 Coverage
48 coverage = Three coverage.
Where Three excels:
- Dublin and major cities
- Most towns
- 5G coverage areas
- Main transport routes
Where Three may struggle:
- Some rural areas (Eir often better)
- Deep indoor locations
- Remote areas
How to check: Use Three's coverage checker at three.ie/coverage and enter your postcode.
48 5G
48 includes free 5G wherever Three has rolled out the technology. As of 2026:
- All major cities have 5G
- Many towns covered
- Suburban expansion ongoing
Three has been aggressive with 5G rollout, often matching or exceeding Eir's coverage.
To use 5G:
- Have a 5G phone
- Be in a 5G area
- That's it—5G is automatic on 48
48 Roaming
48 includes EU roaming:
- Full calls and texts in EU
- 17GB data per month
- Includes UK
The roaming problem:
48's roaming is its weakest point. Common complaints:
- "Worked fine in Spain, couldn't connect in Germany"
- "UK roaming was terrible—kept losing signal"
- "Had to restart phone repeatedly to get data working"
These aren't universal experiences—many users report no issues. But the volume of complaints suggests roaming is less reliable than GoMo or Clear Mobile.
If roaming matters to you: Consider GoMo (16GB, Eir network) or Virgin Media (27GB, best roaming allowance) instead.
How 48 Compares
48 vs GoMo
| Feature | 48 | GoMo |
|---|---|---|
| Price | €12.99 | €14.99 |
| Data | 200GB | 120GB |
| 5G | Yes | Yes |
| Network | Three | Eir |
| EU Roaming | 17GB | 16GB |
| VoLTE | No | No |
Winner: 48 on value. GoMo if you need Eir coverage or prioritise roaming reliability.
48 vs Clear Mobile
| Feature | 48 | Clear Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Price | €12.99 | €12.99-€14.99 |
| Data | 200GB | Unlimited |
| Speed | Full 5G | Capped 5Mbps |
| Network | Three | Vodafone |
| VoLTE | No | Yes |
Winner: 48 for most users. Clear's 5Mbps speed cap makes 48's full-speed 200GB more practical.
48 vs Lycamobile
| Feature | 48 | Lycamobile |
|---|---|---|
| Price | €12.99 | €10 |
| Data | 200GB | Unlimited |
| 5G | Yes | No |
| International | No | 100 mins |
| Network | Three | Eir |
Winner: Lycamobile for budget or international callers. 48 for 5G and potentially faster speeds.
Who Should Choose 48?
48 is ideal for:
- Data-hungry users who want maximum GB per euro
- People in areas with strong Three coverage
- Anyone who wants 5G at the lowest price
- Users who don't travel frequently
- Those who prefer prepay over bill pay
48 may not suit:
- Frequent EU/UK travellers (roaming issues)
- Users in rural areas where Eir is stronger
- People who rely on WiFi calling for indoor coverage
- Anyone who needs phone-based customer support
- Heavy voice callers (no VoLTE means lower call quality)
How to Join 48
- Visit 48.ie and click "Join 48"
- Order a free SIM (or eSIM if supported)
- Enter your details and choose to port your number or get a new one
- Wait for delivery (1-3 days)
- Top up €12.99 to activate your first month
- Insert SIM and wait for number transfer (if porting)
Porting takes up to 24 hours. You can schedule it for a specific date.
Tips for 48 Users
Check Three coverage first: Don't assume coverage will be the same as your current network. Test with a Three user or check the coverage map.
Test roaming early: If you travel, test 48 on a short trip before relying on it for an important holiday or business trip.
Top up on time: 48 is prepay. Set a reminder to top up every 28 days to avoid losing service.
Use WiFi for calls when possible: Without VoLTE, call quality over mobile can be variable. WiFi calling would help, but 48 doesn't support it—so use apps like WhatsApp for important calls in weak signal areas.
Monitor data: 200GB is huge, but if you tether to laptops or stream 4K constantly, check your usage periodically.
The Verdict
Rating: 4.5/5
48 is Ireland's best-value SIM-only deal in 2026. You get 200GB of 5G data for €12.99/month—more data and a lower price than GoMo. For most people, that's an unbeatable combination.
The main caveats are roaming reliability and lack of VoLTE/WiFi calling. If you don't travel much and Three coverage works in your area, 48 is the obvious choice.
Choose 48 if: You want maximum value and Three network suits your location.
Consider alternatives if: You travel frequently (GoMo/Virgin) or need Eir network coverage (GoMo/Lycamobile).
Last updated: January 2026