Selecting a UK cell community supplier is extra difficult than ever. It’s not so simple as selecting between EE, O2, Three, and Vodafone.
These are the 4 predominant UK networks however there are additionally many different small corporations that use the 4 massive networks to offer cell providers, typically at a reduced charge.
The standard and velocity of your cell community is crucial to your capacity to work and play on the transfer, so which is finest? As with one of the best telephones, there’s no one-size-fits-all reply right here however there are a selection of worthwhile choices, providing a myriad of various advantages, catering to completely different wants.
Connectivity can range from place to position and everyday. Go to the web sites of all the key gamers and they’re going to inform you that they’ve nice protection, in every single place. The reality is extra nuanced.
If you happen to’ve already acquired a contract and are contemplating shopping for a new telephone or switching to a special community, right here’s discover out how lengthy is left in your contract, after which improve your contract early.
You may also be happy to listen to that text-to-switch makes it simpler than ever to swap to a brand new community within the UK.
It’s vital to ensure you know when your contract ends to be able to guarantee that you’re not being overcharged. In keeping with Residents Recommendation, in 2017 greater than six million folks have been nonetheless being charged for cell phones they’ve already paid for.
Find out how to get 5G
The most well liked subject within the cell house proper now’s 5G, which is rolling out throughout the UK. You could need to hold this in thoughts when selecting which community to change to.
In addition to a service that helps 5G (we cowl which of them do, don’t and can down under) you additionally want to make sure that you’ve acquired a 5G-capable telephone to be able to entry these sooner information speeds.
Discover out every part it’s good to learn about 5G within the UK right here.
What’s one of the best telephone community within the UK?
First, let’s take a look on the choices. There are literally solely 4 main cell networks within the UK, however there are a number of further choices that use branded providers that piggyback off of the infrastructure laid out by the massive 4. The latter are literally classed as Cell Digital Community Operators or MVNOs and don’t have their very own community house.
The large 4 are:
EE has the biggest variety of piggybackers, together with ASDA Cell, BT Cell, Plusnet, Virgin Cell (for now) and HMD Cell.
O2’s piggybackers embody Giffgaff, Tesco Cell and Sky Cell.
Three’s embody iD Cell and SMARTY, whereas Vodafone’s embody Speak Cell and VOXI.
It’s value maintaining this in thoughts when contemplating which supplier you’d like to make use of, as protection for the community you utilize could differ relying on the place you’re within the UK. You should utilize Ofcom’s protection checker to seek out out.
The issue with having simply 4 networks is that, if a type of 4 suffers any type of service outage, the probabilities are all of its piggybackers will too. For instance, in December 2018, O2 prospects and prospects of the entire O2 piggybackers went with out 4G for a complete day, inflicting chaos throughout the UK.
Beneath, we take a fast take a look at every operator and what they provide proper now.
In keeping with RootMetrics, EE is the supplier of one of the best cell protection throughout the UK. Vodafone is the second-best possibility, whereas Three is third in Wales and England adopted by O2, and vice versa for Northern Eire and Scotland.
There’s additionally the caveat of Virgin Media and O2’s merger, which went public on 1 June 2021. As the 2 manufacturers have began to remodel their companies to be able to function as a single entity (merely referred to as Virgin Media O2), present prospects who already subscribe to each Virgin Media’s dwelling broadband and an O2 cell plan have already began to see a shift in what advantages are being made accessible to them.
The primary true jointly-created Virgin Media O2 product – Volt – brings each double information on O2 cell plans and free upgraded Virgin Media dwelling broadband speeds. Those that already subscribe to providers from simply one of many two manufacturers may also profit from reductions and gives discovered with the opposite.
Lastly, when you’ve acquired (or are about to get) an iPhone, learn Greatest community for iPhone, which gives particular recommendation.
BT Cell
- EE piggybacker
- Good for BT Broadband prospects
- Affords 5G
- Discover out extra at BT.com
BT is without doubt one of the newer gamers available in the market, utilizing its branded providers on EE’s UK community. It’s possibility if you have already got BT Broadband as you possibly can apply to profit from a £5 month-to-month low cost in your cell plan.
What’s extra, BT Halo prospects (BT’s newest and most superior dwelling broadband providing) profit from double information in the event that they determine to choose up a BT Cell plan too, to not point out a 20% (minimal) low cost on any further Household SIMs.
BT additionally gives SIM-only plans for fairly respectable costs. Because it’s on EE’s community (which itself is a mix of the previous T-Cell and Orange UK networks) you’re prone to get glorious protection and good obtain speeds.
Discover out extra on BT’s web site.
EE
- One of many ‘massive 4’
- Nice protection throughout many of the UK
- Information caps
- Advantages for EE House Broadband prospects
- UK’s finest 5G community – in response to RootMetrics
- Discover out extra at EE.co.uk
EE is one thing of a behemoth within the UK cell market. It was purchased by BT in 2016 however that gained’t actually have an effect on your alternative of community.
EE’s community is comprised of the previous T-Cell and Orange frequencies, so there’s loads of protection nationally, with few black spots.
Its telephone contract costs could be a tad dear, however for sheer confidence in protection (and an enormous model title as well) it’s a stable alternative.
In August 2019 it introduced some actually limitless 4G (and extra lately 5G) information plans that additionally allow you to share as much as 120GB a month with every other EE cell line linked to your account.
You’ll get EU roaming (utilizing your commonplace plan allowances) for £2 a day, there are information caps accessible, and when you get EE House Broadband you may get a cell information enhance of as much as 20GB per thirty days.
EE has additionally gained uSwitch’s Quickest Cell Community for 3 years in a row, since 2019. It additionally gives one of the best and quickest general 5G protection in response to RootMetrics’s H1 2021 examine.
Discover out extra over on EE’s web site.
Giffgaff
- O2 piggybacker
- Easy SIM-only Goodybags which you could change or cancel any time
- Affords 5G
- Discover out extra at Giffgaff.com
Owned by O2, Giffgaff is somewhat operator however one with enticing SIM-only offers. Utilizing its proprietor’s community, it gives nice worth Goodybags, such because the £10 per thirty days, 15GB possibility.
It has additionally upped its £20 Goodybag information allowance from 20GB to 100GB, whereas £35 will get you limitless information (that’s speed-capped after you’ve used 80GB value).
It’s a effective alternative when you already personal a handset – simply get a SIM and also you’re good to go. Nevertheless, it does supply telephones on a contract when you want each.
Offered you arrange auto-renewing funds, you possibly can select from one in every of Giffgaff’s Golden Goodybags, which provide higher worth for cash, with bigger quantities of information.
Go to Giffgaff’s web site to seek out out extra.
HMD Cell
- EE piggybacker
- Unique to Nokia telephone house owners
- 5G and 4G
- EU roaming at no further price
- Discover out extra at HMDGlobal.com
Launching alongside the Nokia X20 and G10, in early Might 2021, HMD International additionally pulled the wraps off its new MVNO – HMD Cell – which turns the buying course of on its head considerably.
Relatively than shopping for a telephone and a plan from a service, these selecting up a telephone direct from Nokia’s web site even have the chance to pair it with an HMD Cell SIM.
HMD Cell goals to supply short-term plans with the advantages of a long-term contract; with 4 tariffs at the moment accessible, providing limitless calls and texts, together with 2GB, 10GB, 25GB or 50GB of information from £8 on a rolling 30-day contract.
It launched with 4G solely, however HMD has since introduced 5G compatibility.
Piggybacking off EE’s community additionally ensures nice nationwide protection too, and whereas EE has reintroduced a type of roaming costs, HMD Cell hasn’t – throughout the EU, a minimum of.
Discover out extra on HMD International’s web site.
O2
- One of many ‘massive 4’
- Received uSwitch’s Greatest Community Protection award ’19, ’20, ’21
- Unique advantages for Virgin Media & O2 prospects
- Affords 5G
- Discover out extra at O2.co.uk
O2 is a model that has been round since 2002 within the UK and operates as one of the crucial well-known operators round. The community boasts glorious protection and the corporate gives customers nice flexibility; equivalent to letting you pair telephone and tariffs plans of various size (as much as 36 months), independently.
O2’s latest merger with Virgin Media (to make Virgin Media O2), hasn’t straight impacted O2 prospects in any significant approach, aside from getting access to new advantages, on high of present perks, like O2 Precedence, which gives prospects entry to distinctive perks, like gig tickets.
As Virgin Media O2, the corporate additionally gained Rootmetrics’ UK Community Accessibility Award within the first half of 2021 too, to not point out it’s the one member of the ‘massive 4’ that hasn’t reinstated roaming costs throughout the EU, making it ideally suited for travellers.
Get extra data on O2’s web site.
Plusnet
- EE piggybacker
- Information caps
- No tethering costs
- No telephone contracts accessible, simply SIM-only choices
- 5G not but accessible
- Discover out extra at plus.internet
Plusnet, which was as soon as LIFE Cell, makes use of EE in the identical approach that BT Cell does, that means you possibly can anticipate actually dependable protection. It hasn’t but made the leap to 5G although, so it’s solely utilizing (a part of) the service’s 4G infrastructure in the intervening time (which continues to be famously strong, worry not).
Perks embody no further costs for tethering and the power to set a month-to-month value cap to cease any nasty surprises showing in your invoice. It’s SIM-only possibility with very cheap pricing.
It gained uSwitch’s ‘Greatest Community for Buyer Service’ and ‘Greatest Worth Pay Month-to-month Community’ awards in 2020.
Discover out extra and see offers on Plusnet’s web site.
Sky Cell
- O2 piggybacker
- Limitless streaming on Sky apps
- Piggybank Rewards
- Versatile plans
- uSwitch Community of the 12 months 2020
- Affords 5G
- Discover out extra at Sky.com
One of many latest additions to the UK cell market, Sky has turn into a ‘quad-play’ supplier by including cell to its TV, broadband and landline choices.
You simply pay for a way a lot information you need, on a plan that makes use of Virgin Media O2’s community. The corporate additionally seems to have eliminated the roadblock of unique advantages for present Sky prospects, that means perks like free limitless calls and texts are actually commonplace on each plan, for everybody.
There’s additionally a enjoyable characteristic referred to as Piggybank Rewards, which implies prospects can money of their unused information allowance for financial savings on telephones, tablets and equipment. That is a part of its ‘Roll’ plans, which additionally permit prospects to faucet into their unused information from earlier months at any time for as much as three years.
There are additionally good Swap contracts that permit prospects to improve their telephone yearly and Combine, which lets prospects change their information allowance every month.
Sky gained Greatest Pay Month-to-month Community and Greatest Worth Pay Month-to-month Community in uSwitch’s 2021 awards, in addition to ‘Community of the 12 months’, ‘Greatest Community for Information’ and ‘Greatest Pay Month-to-month Community’ final yr, as properly.
You’ll discover extra data on Sky Cell’s web site.
SMARTY
- Three piggybacker
- SIM-only community
- Easy and inexpensive
- Affords 5G
- Discover out extra at SMARTY.co.uk
SMARTY is a comparatively unknown SIM-only community, powered by Three.
It’s designed with simplicity and transparency in thoughts, providing three information low cost plans – which embody a refund for unused information, 5 aggressive information plans – providing 4GB to 50GB allowances, and one limitless plan. You may change or cancel your plan at any time.
This relative beginner gained uSwitch’s: ‘Greatest Worth SIM-only Community’ awards in 2019 and 2020, and ‘Greatest PAYG Community’ in 2021 and gained 5G at no further price in early 2022.
You’ll discover extra data on the SMARTY web site.
Tesco Cell
- O2 piggybacker
- Low-cost SIM offers
- Affords 5G plans, together with SIM-only
- Discover out extra at TescoMobile.com
Tesco Cell gives contracts, PAYG and SIM-only offers at respectable costs. As a result of it makes use of Virgin Media O2’s community, protection will likely be respectable and sometimes the subsidies for brand new handsets are good as well.
SIM-only costs begin at beneath £9 per thirty days, so when you’ve acquired a handset you already love, you might save some huge cash.
Alternatively, there’s the supply of six months free Clubcard Plus, which doubles the information in your cell contract, features a 10% low cost on two Tesco outlets a month (as much as £40 a month), will get you 10% off chosen Tesco manufacturers in-store – like F&F Clothes and double Clubcard factors, nabbing you 2 factors for each £1 in your Tesco Cell invoice – eligible on choose pay month-to-month contracts on Anytime Improve and SIM-only plans.
Discover out extra over on Tesco Cell’s web site.
Three
- One of many ‘massive 4’
- All-you-can-eat information accessible
- Go Binge information options
- Affords 5G
- Discover out extra at Three.co.uk
Three gives fairly priced ‘all-you-can-eat’ information bundles. That’s proper, limitless information. If you happen to can afford it, you may get one of the best handsets within the land with limitless web entry.
Plus, even when you don’t select an all you possibly can eat package deal, you’ll have the ability to stream exhibits from Netflix, TVPlayer, Dave and Historical past Channel, in addition to songs from Deezer, Apple Music and SoundCloud infinitely, with out it counting in the direction of your information allowance with the community’s ‘Go Binge’ characteristic.
Pay as you go charges are additionally fairly respectable when you don’t want as a lot information, minutes or texts.
As soon as the king of roaming plans (earlier than the consequences of Brexit took maintain), the service nonetheless gives respectable charges throughout the EU.
uSwitch additionally awarded Three the ‘Greatest Community for Roaming’ and the ‘Most Fashionable Cell Community’ in 2019, 2020 and 2021.
Click on right here for extra data over on Three’s web site.
- Vodafone piggybacker
- Information rollover
- Versatile plans
- Information-free messaging
- Affords 5G
- Discover out extra at VirginMedia.com
Virgin Media was late to the social gathering with 4G and 5G however has caught up and is a beautiful possibility when you already get your broadband connection and TV from Virgin Media O2, slicing down the variety of tech suppliers you must take care of.
It gives information rollover options and allows you to message on WhatsApp, Fb Messenger and Twitter with out consuming into your allowance. There’s the power to alter your plan each month, too.
As an MVNO, Virgin Media prospects are literally counting on Vodafone’s networks at current however with the Virgin Media O2 merger, there’s each likelihood it’ll all change to the O2 community, quickly sufficient.
Virgin Media’s web site gives extra data.
Vodafone
- One of many ‘massive 4’
- Huge information plans accessible
- Affords 5G
- Discover out extra at Vodafone.co.uk
Vodafone is a staple model within the UK cell market and its protection is great however it has suffered from stories of dangerous customer support over the previous few years.
Nevertheless, the precise community itself gives dependable quick 4G and 5G connectivity, and its SIM-only offers are properly priced.
You’ll discover extra data on Vodafone’s web site right here.
