The UK has a wide selection of mobile networks to choose from, with tariffs to suit everyone from occasional users to business consumers using large quantities of data, minutes and texts. We have listed the UK’s mobile networks so that you can easily compare coverage, tariffs and get help from customer service.
Whether you have a question about a bill, a complaint or want to make changes to your service, you can get in touch with the biggest UK mobile networks by phone. Mobile Network Guide makes it easy for you to get the phone numbers for the biggest UK mobile networks, so that you can get answers to your questions and resolutions for your problems. The following companies are among the most popular mobile service providers in the UK. To get more information about any particular network, just click the links provided below.
O2
O2 is the second largest of the UK mobile phone networks with over 23.7 million subscribers. The mobile network is the trade name used for Telefónica UK Limited. Originally founded as Cellnet, O2 was established in 1985 and is headquartered in Slough, Berkshire. The company is owned by the Spanish telecom giant Telefonica. For consumer customers, O2 offers pay-as-you-go and monthly service options. Services are also offered for small businesses and enterprise customers. Select consumer customers can take advantage of O2 Priority, a service that provides discounts on merchandise and pre-sales on tickets for special events.
Vodafone
Vodafone UK is the third largest of all UK mobile networks. The company was established in 1982 and is headquartered in Newbury, Berkshire. Nearly 20 million people use Vodafone as their mobile provider, and the company has an excellent reputation for service and reliability. The company is a subsidiary of the Vodafone Group, a UK-based public limited company that provides mobile device service in more than 60 countries. Vodafone sells a number of popular tablets and smartphones and provides pay-as-you-go and monthly plans for personal use as well as a number of service plans for small businesses, large corporations and public sector companies.
EE
EE is the largest UK mobile phone network with more than 26 million subscribers. Established in 2010, the company was once known as Everything Everywhere and is owned by Deutsche Telekom and Orange S.A. As the largest mobile network in the UK, EE has a wide assortment of services available for customers. Plans vary from pay as you go to complete monthly plans for individuals and families and business service plans for small and large companies alike. Bundled plans are available for those who need multiple services.
Orange
Orange is one of the most well known networks and is owned by Orange S.A. of Paris, France. Today, Orange is no longer offering mobile service to customers in the UK. All existing plans have been converted to EE, the largest of the service providers. If you have questions about your former Orange plan or want to learn more about how to contact Orange, click the link provided. This will take you to our in-depth article regarding Orange and EE.
T-Mobile UK
T-Mobile UK was among one of the most well known providers. Because the company was large and known throughout the world, many people don’t realise that T-Mobile UK has merged with EE and suspended operations under the T-Mobile name. Former T-Mobile customers can click the link to learn more about how to get help with their former T-Mobile accounts and devices. You can also click this link to find out more about what to do if you’re interested in signing up for EE services.
Tesco Mobile
Tesco Mobile is the largest of the UK mobile networks to operate as a mobile virtual network. Founded in 2003, the company is headquartered in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, and has 4 million subscribers. Tesco Mobile uses the O2 network, which means that they offer 99 per cent coverage across the UK. The company also provides mobile service in Hungary, Ireland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Mostly known as a personal mobile service, Tesco Mobile offers monthly and pay-per-minute upfront purchase plan options. The company is known for their Clubcard programme, which provides customers with rewards for their loyalty.
Three (3)
Three (or 3) is the fourth largest operator with nearly 10 million subscribers. A brand in the Hutchison Whampoa Limited families, the service was launched in March 2003. There are many reasons why Three stands out among other UK mobile networks. The company is one of the few to charge the same rates for calling while abroad and while in the UK, and Three does not charge extra for 4G. 3 has received multiple awards for reliability and customer satisfaction, testifying to their customer service and quality infrastructure.
Virgin Mobile UK
Virgin Mobile UK has been one of the most well known mobile phone networks since its founding in 1999. Based in Swansea, Wales, the company is part of Virgin Media and offers service to customers throughout the UK. Virgin Mobile UK offers a variety of flexible tariff options, including pay as you go service and monthly service. Among the many options available is the well known UK unlimited SIM plan with a 30-day rolling contract that provides an unlimited number of minutes, data usage and text on a monthly basis.
Talkmobile
Talkmobile is a mobile virtual network operator located in the United Kingdom. Owned by The Carphone Warehoue, which is based in North Acton, London, Talkmobile operates on the Vodaphone network, providing 99.7 per cent coverage throughout the UK. The MVNO was founded in 2007 and offers many monthly plans, including the Monthly Smart Plan. Pay as you go options are also available. Currently, Talkmobile boasts more than 500,00 customers and is highly rated in consumer satisfaction surveys and on online review sites.
Mobile by Sainsbury’s
Mobile by Sainsbury’s is a unit of Sainsbury’s supermarkets. The program was launched in 2000 and is a mobile virtual network operator or MVNO. Customers receive service and support from Sainsbury’s customer service team, but the Vodafone infrastructure is used as the network. Vodafone is accessible in roughly 99.7 per cent of the UK, providing a wide coverage area for Sainsbury’s customers to enjoy. Mobile by Sainsbury’s is known for their free SIM card offer, which makes it possible to get a SIM for the service’s Pay as You Go programme with no upfront costs.