From rewards to monthly deals , phone networks are in constant fierce competition to try and retain current customers and attract new ones. With roughly 95% of households in the UK having access to a mobile phone (if you’re like us you’ve probably got a drawer full of old ones), having coverage is more important than ever.

Additionally, with many of us now being entirely or at least semi-dependent on cellular data , during our time spent outside of the home, a network that has strong coverage across the UK is surely going to be a big attraction.

If you’re looking at switching network provider and want to see who offers the best coverage , or if you live rurally and want to see which networks cover your area , read on!

Are All Networks Actually Networks?

Well, here’s an interesting thing. It turns out that despite there being a market proliferation of small networks that can seemingly offer customers the world, there are, in fact, only four main networks in the traditional sense in the UK . These are:

• EE
• O2
• Three
• Vodafone

“But, what about ID, or GiffGaff, or Tesco Mobile?” we hear you shout. Although they are service providers, they are considered Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) and essentially piggyback off of one of the above four’s network space . This means that they will have the same coverage as the network whose connections they use . Here you can see which network has which MVNOs:

You should also consider your geographical position in the UK and whether this may affect the quality of the coverage you receive . Generally speaking, more populated areas such as towns and cities will be covered by all four major networks, but for more rural locations, they may only be covered by one or two. You can use Ofcom’s handy mobile coverage checker if you’re in any doubt.

So, which network is best for you? Here are some key details on the ‘big four’ you should know about:

EE

EE is comprised of the combination of two legacy networks, Orange and T-Mobile . They were acquired by BT in 2016 and boast one of the highest rates of coverage in the UK .

EE claims to offer 99% population coverage , meaning that 99% of UK households are covered by one of their LTE towers. Additionally, they offer 90% geographical coverage , meaning that when you take a walk on the moors or in a national park, far away from civilisation, you can post about it on your favourite social media!

It’s also worth noting that EE generally offers the fastest connection speeds for 4G with some parts of London being able to reach a whopping 150Mbps, although this is heavily dependent on the phone and plan you have . Finally, and perhaps most importantly, EE came first in the RootMetrics 2019 study for best UK coverage.

O2

With O2, there is an element of paying a higher price for a more established brand . You could choose to go with one of its piggybackers, like GiffGaff , who would likely offer you a great package for a reduction in monthly price; however, you will miss out on other perks.

Firstly, O2 coverage is exceptional, and like EE, it offers 99% 4G population coverage . The network also boasts 90% geographical coverage , matching or exceeding EE on both terms. O2 won the uSwitch best network coverage award at the start of 2020 which suggests that they now have the most extensive coverage for UK customers, although the difference between O2’s 99% and EE’s 99% would be minimal.

However, data speed is slower than EE’s , reaching 16.9Mbps on average compared to EE’s 33.7Mbps . For people looking to use data to stream video and make large downloads frequently, this could be a game-changer.

O2 also offer their customers various perks such as Priority , Priority Moments and use of their Wi-Fi hotspots located around the country. If you live in a city then you’ll likely have much more use for these exclusive perks, but for people living in less populated areas, it could be negligible.

Vodafone

At some point or another, many of us have had a phone through Vodafone, although the brand’s popularity seems to have slumped in recent years as they do not offer the lowest prices , nor do they offer the highest data speeds and coverage . They are very much placed in the middle of the market, although this is not to say you shouldn’t choose them.

Vodafone, like EE and O2, offers customers 99% population 4G coverage , essentially setting them in line with their competitors. They also offer the second-fastest average data speed of the big four, with 25.1Mbps . This means that if you haven’t considered Vodafone as a viable option before, now is the time to sit up and take notice, as they continue to strive towards bringing an exceptional 5G network to the UK too.

If you travel frequently, Vodafone could be a great choice as selected plans on their Unlimited Max deals include free roaming charges to the USA and Australia , whereas regular customers would have to pay £6 per day to use their minutes, data and texts. If you’re thinking of going travelling or fly to these destinations on business frequently, then these savings could make a world of difference!

Three

Last, but certainly not least, Three has been a staple of the UK mobile phone arena for some years. For sheer data volume , Three is a great choice, as their unlimited data bundles are great value , allowing you to either get a phone on a monthly plan or pick up a SIM-only deal.

Three also offer an optional extra on some of their plans called Go Binge . This allows users access to some of the best video and audio streaming apps: Netflix, Apple Music, Soundcloud and TV Player to name a few, without impacting their data . This means you can keep hold of your allowance for other things like updating socials and checking emails.

Their Go Roam feature is also an excellent offering, allowing customers to use their minutes, texts and data in a variety of destinations including some big-hitters outside of the EU, such as the USA , countries in South America such as Peru and Columbia , along with Australia . Super helpful if you’re hitting the road on your travels. 

Like the others on the list, Three’s 4G network reaches 99.8% of the population and offers average data speed of 21.6Mbps , making it third on the list of the top four, fittingly.

Conclusion

When it comes to coverage in the UK, there’s very little to split the top four . EE and O2 are recent award winners for their breadth of coverage, making them the obvious choice, although, you’ll likely pay a little more for their packages . If you want to enjoy great coverage while still scooping a reasonably priced package, we’d suggest picking one of the MVNOs that piggybacks on the connection of EE or O2.

GiffGaff is a great option , especially if you’re looking for data-heavy, no-frills plans . It ranked highly for customer service and won uSwitch’s ‘Network of the Year’. However, it really depends on what you’re looking for from your network.

If you’re thinking of switching to a SIM-only deal , why not check out our range of top-grade handsets including refurbished iPhone XR unlocked , or our refurbished iPhone XS models .