EE comes out as network top dog once again, but Three is catching up

EE is top dog once again in a ranking of network reliability, but it seems that Three might be starting to nip at its heels.

In a test by RootMetrics, EE came out as number one in every category with an overall reliability score of 90.5, with Three following closely behind with an overall reliability score of 89.9 - certainly not a bad showing from the numeric network.

In fact while EE edged the victory UK-wide, Three has the highest reliability score in Northern Ireland and Scotland and joint highest in Wales.

Comprehensive tests

These scores are awarded based on how consistently a network can carry out data, call and texting tasks in cities across the UK and are the culmination of over 900,000 tests.

So they should be fairly accurate, and a high reliability score suggests that Three has a consistently good service. It may not always be the fastest but it will get the job done.

Three also came second for text performance, mobile internet performance, speed and overall score, though it came dead last for call performance.

That's not entirely surprising as a recent report from Ofcom suggested that Three is the third best of the four networks for successfully connecting calls. But while Three certainly has work to do it does look like it's catching up with EE in most areas.

• Three will also let you roam for free.