Mobile guides
Advice on phone and SIM deals, switching networks and getting a signal where you live.
All guides
giffgaff vs O2: what you gain and give up
giffgaff is owned by Virgin Media O2 and uses O2's masts. We compare price locks, contracts, roaming, perks and service, with live deal prices.
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giffgaff vs SMARTY: how the budget SIMs differ
giffgaff uses O2's masts and SMARTY uses Three's. We compare contracts, price-rise promises, roaming, perks and service, with live deal prices.
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iD Mobile vs giffgaff: two budget SIMs compared
iD Mobile runs on Three and giffgaff on O2. We compare prices, credit checks, data rollover, roaming and service, using live deals and Ofcom data.
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iD Mobile vs SMARTY: two SIMs on Three's network
iD Mobile and SMARTY both use Three's masts. We compare prices, contracts, credit checks, roaming and extras, with live deals and each network's terms.
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O2 vs Vodafone: how the two big networks compare
O2 and Vodafone run their own masts. We compare coverage, April price rises, roaming, perks, family discounts and service, with live deal prices.
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Sky Mobile vs giffgaff: two ways onto O2's masts
Sky Mobile and giffgaff both use O2's network. We compare contracts, price rises, rollover, roaming and service, using live deals and Ofcom data.
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Sky Mobile vs O2: same masts, what's different?
Sky Mobile uses O2's network, so the signal is the same. We compare price, price rises, rollover, roaming and service, using live deals and Ofcom data.
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SMARTY vs Three: same network, different deal
SMARTY is owned by VodafoneThree and runs on Three's network. We compare contracts, price rises, credit checks, perks and roaming, with live prices.
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Talkmobile vs giffgaff: two budget SIMs compared
Talkmobile runs on Vodafone and giffgaff on O2. We compare prices, contracts, credit checks, roaming and customer service, with live deals and Ofcom data.
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Talkmobile vs Vodafone: same network compared
Talkmobile is Vodafone's budget brand on the same masts. We compare prices, price rises, credit checks, roaming and extras, with live deal prices.
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Tesco Mobile vs O2: which one suits you?
Tesco Mobile is half-owned by O2's parent and uses O2's masts. We compare frozen Clubcard Prices, perks, roaming and service, with live deal prices.
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VOXI vs Lebara: two SIMs on Vodafone's masts
VOXI and Lebara both use Vodafone's masts but suit different people. We compare social data, international minutes, roaming and contracts.
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SIM only vs pay monthly: which is cheaper?
Ofcom says a contract phone costs £200 more on average. Our cheapest deals flip it. When each route wins, and the end-of-term trap that keeps bills high.
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What does leaving a mobile contract early cost?
Most networks knock 2 to 4 percent off the payments left when you leave early. Every network's exit fee formula, the phone plan catch and the fee-free ways out.
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Which networks still include free EU roaming?
Three of the four big networks charge daily fees in Europe; most smaller ones still roam free. Every network's charges and caps, checked one by one.
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eSIM: how it works and who supports it in the UK
The SIM without the plastic: how eSIMs work, which of the eighteen networks we compare offer one, and the quirks worth knowing first.
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Which network does your SIM actually use?
Only four companies own UK mobile masts and every other network rents. Who runs on whose signal, and how to get big-network coverage on a small-network bill.
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How much mobile data do you need? Most people pay for far too much
Ofcom says most people use a fifth or less of the data they pay for. Find your real usage in two minutes and see what every allowance band costs right now.
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Which mobile network has the best coverage? What Ofcom's data shows
EE, O2, Three and Vodafone compared on Ofcom's own coverage measurements: 4G indoors, rural gaps, 5G, and how to check the address that matters most.
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How to switch mobile network and keep your number: PAC, STAC and INFO
Switch mobile network with one free text: how PAC, STAC and INFO codes work, what your old network cannot do, and what happens to your number and credit.
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SIM only mid-contract price rises: who raises prices, by how much, and your rights
Which UK mobile networks raise SIM only prices mid-contract, how much they add each April, and when you can leave without paying a penny.
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