Which mobile network works best where you live?
You need: Your postcode. Your postcode is sent to Ofcom's coverage service to look it up, and is not stored with anything about you.
Your postcode
The working behind the figure, with the maths shown rather than a shortcut.
Where the coverage figures come from
Ofcom, the UK's communications regulator, predicts 4G and 5G coverage at every address for each of the four networks that own masts: EE, Three, O2 and Vodafone. Since June 2025 its checker rates each address from good indoors and outdoors, through good outdoors only, to poor or none. This checker shows Ofcom's rating for each network at your postcode, either what most addresses there get or your own address.
Every other UK network rents one of those four networks' masts, so it gets the same signal: SMARTY and iD Mobile use Three's, giffgaff and Tesco Mobile use O2's, VOXI and Lebara use Vodafone's, and Lyca Mobile and Spusu use EE's. They often cost less for the same coverage.
Why a prediction can differ from your phone
Ofcom's figures are predictions from the networks' own data, checked against measurements. Thick walls, a basement flat, the floor you live on and the phone you use all make a difference, which is why indoor coverage is the harder test. If you can, check where you'll use your phone most: home, and work if you spend your days there.
Which mobile network has the best coverage in the UK?
Across the UK, Ofcom finds all four networks reach 99% or more of premises outdoors with 4G. The differences are local, which is why checking your own postcode matters more than a national ranking.
Do cheaper networks have worse coverage?
No. A network like SMARTY or Lyca Mobile uses the masts of one of the big four, so it gets the same coverage as that network. What can differ is the speed at busy times and the customer service, not where the signal reaches.
Is 5G included?
Ofcom's rating blends 4G and 5G. Whether you get 5G also depends on your plan and your phone supporting it.
Can I keep my number if I switch network?
Yes. Text PAC to 65075 and your network must send you a code within a minute. Give it to your new network and your number usually moves within one working day.