The Four Networks and What Each One Actually Offers
UK mobile plans come in two broad shapes: SIM-only deals, where you keep your existing handset and pay only for the airtime, and handset contracts, where the cost of a new phone is folded into your monthly bill over 12 to 36 months. SIM-only is almost always the cheaper route if your phone is less than three years old, while handset contracts make sense when you want a new iPhone or Galaxy without a large upfront payment.
EE
EE consistently leads independent speed tests. Their 4G coverage reaches roughly 99% of the population, and their 5G rollout now covers more than 200 towns and cities across the UK, with an average 5G download speed around 185 Mbps. That performance comes at a premium — SIM-only plans start at roughly £12–£14 a month for 5GB, rising to about £42 for unlimited data. EE also runs UK-based call centres and offers data rollover on some tiers, which is a small but genuinely useful perk for people who hate wasting unused gigabytes.
Three
Three is the value pick. Their unlimited data SIM-only plan starts around £20–£28 a month depending on the contract length, undercutting EE by a meaningful margin. The trade-off is coverage: Three reaches about 98% of the population for 4G, but their 5G footprint is smaller, and rural customers sometimes find signal drops in places where EE and O2 hold firm. On the flip side, Three includes Go Roam in 71 destinations at no extra cost, which makes them the obvious choice for frequent travellers to Europe and beyond.
O2
O2 positions itself as the customer-service network. They have consistently recorded the lowest complaint rates among the big four in Ofcom reports, and their Priority app offers discounts on everything from cinema tickets to high-street coffee. Coverage is strong in London and other major cities, with 5G reaching about 76–80% of the population. SIM-only deals start around £12 a month for 5GB and climb to roughly £28–£38 for unlimited, depending on promotions. O2 also introduced 30-day rolling business contracts recently, which is handy if you hate being locked in.
Vodafone
Vodafone is the internationalist's network. Their roaming passes and inclusive packages cover more than 100 destinations, and their speeds are respectable at around 140 Mbps on 5G. Prices sit between Three and EE — about £12–£13 for 10GB and roughly £25–£40 for unlimited data. Vodafone's Secure Net service adds a layer of scam and malware protection, which is increasingly valuable given how many SMS fraud attempts British phone numbers receive.
The Smaller Players Are Worth a Look
Beyond the big four sit virtual networks like giffgaff, Lebara, SMARTY and ID Mobile. These run on the same physical infrastructure as their host networks — giffgaff and Lebara use O2's network, SMARTY uses Three, and ID Mobile uses Three as well — but they charge less because they do not maintain their own shops or customer service centres. A 20GB plan on a virtual network can easily cost £10–£12 a month, versus £15–£18 on the equivalent big-network plan.
The catch is that virtual networks often deprioritise your data during peak hours. That means your speeds can dip in crowded places like central London at lunchtime, even though your coverage map looks identical to the host network. For light users who mostly browse, message and stream on Wi-Fi, that trade-off is more than acceptable. For anyone who relies on mobile data for work or lives in a busy city centre, it is worth paying the extra few pounds to stay on the priority tier.
A Quick Comparison Table
| Plan Type | Example Network | Monthly Cost Range | Ideal For | Strengths | Watch Outs |
|---|
| SIM-only 5GB | Three | £5–£7 | Light users | Lowest price, no contract hassle | Coverage gaps in rural areas |
| SIM-only 10GB | Vodafone | £13–£15 | Commuters | Roaming passes, Secure Net | Pricier than virtual rivals |
| SIM-only 25GB | O2 | £18–£20 | Everyday users | Priority perks, low complaint rates | 5G footprint smaller than EE |
| SIM-only Unlimited | EE | £32–£42 | Heavy streamers | Fastest speeds, best coverage | Premium price |
| SIM-only Unlimited | Three | £20–£28 | Budget heavy users | Cheapest unlimited, Go Roam | Deprioritised during peak |
| Handset 25GB | Samsung Galaxy A-series | £14–£24 | Value phone buyers | Phone included, no upfront cost | 24–36 month commitment |
| Handset 100GB | Pixel / iPhone tier | £35–£65 | Premium phone buyers | Latest flagship spread over months | Total cost exceeds SIM-free |
How to Choose Without Regretting It Later
Start with coverage, not price. Before you commit, check the coverage map for the places you actually spend time — your flat, your office, your commute route, your parents' house in the countryside. A plan that saves you £8 a month is worthless if you cannot get a signal in the village where your partner's family lives. Ofcom publishes independent coverage data, and every network offers a postcode checker on its website.
Then work out your data habits honestly. The average UK user consumes somewhere in the region of 10–20GB a month, but that figure hides huge variation. If you stream music on your commute, watch Netflix on the train and hotspot your laptop in coffee shops, you are probably closer to 30–50GB. If you mostly use Wi-Fi at home and work, 5–10GB might genuinely be enough. Most providers offer data usage checkers inside their apps, so look at your last three months of usage before choosing.
Finally, think about contract length. The UK market has shifted heavily toward 24-month and even 36-month handset contracts, which lower the monthly price but lock you in for a long time. If you like upgrading phones often, a shorter 12-month SIM-only deal paired with buying your handset separately can work out better. If you are happy to keep a phone for several years, a longer contract spreads the cost smoothly and you never have to think about it again.
What UK Customers Frequently Miss
Two details trip up almost everyone. First, price rises: many contracts now include a mid-contract price increase clause, meaning your bill can go up in line with inflation and an additional percentage each year. That £20-a-month deal might be £22 or £23 by the following spring. Read the terms before you sign, and factor the likely increase into your budget.
Second, roaming outside Europe. Since Brexit, EU roaming is still included on most major network plans — EE, O2 and Vodafone include it as standard, and Three's Go Roam covers 71 destinations — but destinations further afield charge extra. If you travel to the US, Asia or the Middle East regularly, check the roaming rates carefully. A dedicated travel eSIM for those trips often costs less than your UK network's daily roaming pass.
For seniors and less tech-confident users, the big four all offer simplified plans with larger text on bills, priority UK-based support lines and easy-to-use handsets. These plans are rarely the cheapest, but the peace of mind of speaking to a human being in Manchester or Glasgow rather than an automated menu can be worth the premium.
A Slightly Unconventional Tip
If you have decent credit and know roughly what you want, consider buying your phone SIM-free and pairing it with a cheap virtual-network SIM. This route costs more upfront — a mid-range handset might be £200–£400, a flagship £800–£1,200 — but your monthly bill drops to as little as £10–£15. Over a 24-month period, that often works out noticeably cheaper than a handset contract with the same phone and data allowance, and you keep the freedom to switch networks whenever you want.
On the other hand, if you prefer spreading the cost, handset contracts remain perfectly reasonable. Just remember that the headline monthly price usually excludes the upfront handset contribution, which on flagship phones can run from £30 to £229 before your first monthly payment lands.
Making the Switch
Switching networks in the UK is straightforward thanks to the Text to Switch system. You text "PAC" to 65075 to get your porting code, give it to your new provider, and your number moves across within a few working days. Your old contract ends, your new one begins, and you never lose your number. It takes about ten minutes of effort and can save you £5–£15 a month compared to staying loyal to a provider that expects you not to bother checking.
Whether you are a student in Manchester, a remote worker in the Scottish Highlands or a commuter in Birmingham, the right plan exists. Match the network to your geography, the data allowance to your habits, and the contract length to your patience. Then set a reminder to re-check the market every 12 months, because the UK mobile market moves quickly and the best deal today is rarely the best deal next year.
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