Although we may think that there are endless mobile network providers in UK, as a fact, there are only four (Vodafone, O2, Three and EE). Everybody else - so called “piggybacks” which use virtual networks- we like it or not, buys network space from one of these four giants. There are about fourty piggybacking companies in UK and if you ask me why it is important to know about them, think about this:
Let’s say that you live in a part of the country where the signal is poor and the only provider there is O2 or Vodafone. Do you really need to stick to their pricing and plan or is there a solution?
Imagine there is – via piggybacking. You may get the same coverage using maybe Giffgaff, which uses the network of O2 or Talk Mobile sitting on the network from Vodafone.
All right, we can get the benefit of smaller price from the piggyback company (an official name for them is Mobile Virtual Network Operator – MVNO), but is there anything we may unknowingly loose?
Unfortunately, there is, because even if you obtain from the piggyback an access to the parent network, you will not at the same time have access to all the perks available only for the parent companies, and so for example Giffgaff users never have access to O2 priority moments. Also, many users report that the signal strength over the MVNOs is not as good as on the parent networks, although some providers, like Ofcom, will claim that the strength is exactly the same.
Some MVNO will also not be able to provide the 4G via their services, like Talk Mobile for example, whereas the Vodafonewill.
The parents companies, like EE or Vodafonehave recently launched a program called Wi-Fi Calling. This program is not available for the MVNOs, works only with specific plans and only with chosen models (S6 Edge, S7 or S7 Edge or Samsung A3, A5, S6, bought directly from Vodafone, or any iPhone 6s, 6s Plus, SE oriPhone 7, 7 Plus).
Therefore, before we make any hasty decision, let us compare some data just to see what some parent companies and some piggybacks provide:
| VODAFONE |
O2 |
Giffgaff |
Virgine Media |
|
| Data |
250MB to 30GB |
250MB to 50GB |
100MB to unlimited |
500MB to 20G |
| Minutes |
150 to unlimited |
250 to unlimited |
150 to unlimited |
300 to 5000 |
| Texts |
0 to unlimited |
500 to unlimited |
500 to unlimited |
unlimited |
| Min. contract |
30 days |
30 days |
30 days |
30 days |
| Prices from |
£10pm |
£10pm |
£5pm |
£6pm |
| Wi-Fi Hotspots |
For contract and SIM only plans |
YES |
NO |
YES |
| Type of Contract |
Contract with phone, SIM only, pay as you go |
Contract with phone, SIM only, pay as you go |
SIM only, pay as you go |
Contract with phone, SIM only, pay as you go |
| International |
Included in 12mth SIM plans |
Via add-on |
Pay as you go basis |
Via WhatsApp SIM |
Remember – if you are not happy with your provider, under the consumer law, you can cancel the services within fourteen days after you sign up.
Now, let us see a bit into the mobile telephones market and plans offered. This small analysis may also help you to make a right choice.
What about O2?
1. They have great website, but at first look not to obvious. First you have to pick up the phone model, than you will be transferred to plans and tariffs.
2. Once you pick up the phone model, then the website will ask you what would you like to do with it (Calls & texts, Browsing & emails, Using apps, Streaming music, Streaming TV and Video or using Hotspots).
3. O2 offers plans from 1- 50 GB. With 1GB you will get unlimited minutes and texts, the contract is previewed for 24 months, you have to pay £129.99 upfront and the monthly tariff is £36. But with a recent deal you can get 4GB paying upfront only £19.99 with monthly fees of £46. Decent plans with them never go below £30. All the programs offer unlimited minutes and texts.
4. If you are a business owner and want to have mobile for you business, you will have to call them. Business tariffs are not offered on the website.
Quick look into Vodafone offers:
1. Personally, I think that their website is a bit less confusing but like with O2 the tariffs mostly depend from the phone you choose.
2. Some plans start already at £10. The price depends of course from Mobile Data Plane. iPhone 7 for example, with 1GB costs £37/m with £39 upfront payment. You go to 4GB plan then you pay upfront only £9 but the monthly fees are at £43 (with 3-months free trial of Secure Net).
3. For small business owners, if you like a mobile for your business, I suggest to call them as their website has no information about that particular service.
As you can see, there are not very big differences, and the choice, as usual, depends from your well defined needs as well as finances.
Grcae