List of mobile virtual network operators in the United Kingdom

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This is a list of mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) in the United Kingdom, which lease wireless telephone and data spectrum from the four major carriers EE, O2, Three and Vodafone for resale.

Active operators

Brand Host network Wireless technology Voice over LTE WiFi calling eSIM MVNE MVNO type Notes
2G 3G 4G 5G
1pMobile[1] EE Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Direct with MNO PAYG
Anywhere SIM[2] EE, O2, Three, Vodafone Yes Yes No No No No No
Asda Mobile Vodafone Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes [3] No Direct with MNO PAYG
BT Mobile EE Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Partial[note 1] Direct with MNO PAYM
CMLink EE Yes Yes Yes Yes No No ?[note 2] Transatel PAYG
Ecotalk EE Yes Yes Yes Coming soon[4] Coming soon[4] Coming soon[4] No Transatel PAYM
Extreme Connect O2 Yes Yes Yes Coming soon ? ? No
FreedomPop Three No Yes Yes ? Yes Yes No PAYM/PAYG
giffgaff O2 Yes Yes Yes Yes[5] No No No Direct with MNO PAYG MVNO indirectly run by host network.
Honest Mobile Three Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
iD Mobile Three No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Direct with MNO PAYM/PAYG
KC Mobile O2 Yes Yes Yes ? No No No
Lebara Vodafone Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Lycamobile O2 Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes
Now Mobile EE Yes Yes Yes ? No No No PAYM/PAYG
plan.com EE Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Direct with MNO PAYM
Plusnet Mobile EE Yes Yes Yes No No No No Transatel[6] PAYM
Popit Mobile EE Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No Transatel[6]
RWG Mobile[7][note 3] EE Yes Yes Yes No ? No No Direct with MNO PAYM/PAYG Initially for Welsh market, now nationwide
Sky Mobile O2 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Direct with MNO PAYM
SMARTY Three No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No MVNO run by host network.
Superdrug Mobile Three No Yes Yes No Coming soon Coming soon No Direct with MNO PAYM
Talkmobile Vodafone Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No PAYM
Tesco Mobile O2 Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes No Direct with MNO PAYM/PAYG
The Phone Co-op EE Yes Yes Yes Coming soon[4] Coming soon[4] Coming soon[4] No Transatel[6] PAYM/PAYG
ToTheMoon[8] EE Yes Yes Yes Coming soon[4] Coming soon[4] Coming soon[4] No Transatel PAYM
Truphone O2, EE from Autumn 2022[9] Yes Yes Yes Coming soon[9] No No Yes[10]
Ubigi EE Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Transatel PAYG
Utility Warehouse / Telecom Plus EE Yes Yes Yes Coming soon Yes Yes No
Vectone Mobile[11] EE Yes Yes No No No No No
Virgin Mobile O2[note 4] Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes[12] Direct with MNOs PAYM
VOXI Vodafone Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Direct with MNO PAYM MVNO run by host network, directly linked in with host's core systems.
  1. ^ BT Business customers only. Not available to consumers. "What is an eSIM? | How to set up eSIM? | BT Business". btbusiness.custhelp.com. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  2. ^ Supposedly has support, but unable to find references to eSIM on their UK site.
  3. ^ Iwithacircle Limited trading as RWG Mobile, since the insolvency of Red White & Green Communications Limited in 2021.
  4. ^ As of January 2023 all mobile network traffic is provided by O2. The Virgin Mobile brand and network will be closed by December 2023 with customers moving to O2 plans."Virgin Mobile customers begin move to O2 Plans". Virgin Media O2. 11 January 2023.

Defunct, merged and acquired operators

Brand Host network Defunct date Notes
AfriMobile Three 13 October 2020 Dissolved 13 October 2020
Andrews & Arnold Three 30 April 2013[13] Ceased operations when their upstream partner "pulled the plug".[14] Later relaunched on O2.
Blyk Orange 26 August 2009[15] Ceased operations.
Delight Mobile EE 30 November 2017[16] Existing customers were consolidated in the sister brand, Vectone Mobile.
Dialog Vizz Vodafone 1 January 2015 Ceased operations.
Dalya Mobile ? ? Liquidated.
Easymobile EE (T-Mobile) 13 December 2006[17] Ceased operations.
Econet Mobile EE 20 July 2015[18] Ceased UK operations.
Family Mobile EE 31 August 2015[19] Ceased operations.
Fresh Mobile EE (T-Mobile) 19 March 2010[20] Ceased operations. Existing customers were encouraged to move to the sister network, Talkmobile.
GT Mobile O2 July 2016 Existing customers were consolidated in the sister brand, Lycamobile.[21]
Kontakt Mobile Vodafone 15 December 2016[22] Ceased operations.
LIFE Mobile EE 29 November 2016[23] Acquired by Plusnet.
Mobile by Sainsbury's Vodafone 15 January 2016[24] Ceased operations.
Our Telecom EE 16 August 2016[25] Dissolved.
Ovivo Mobile Vodafone 19 March 2014[26] Ceased operations.
PG Mobile Three 2016[27] Ceased operations.
Post Office Mobile EE 8 August 2016[28][29] Ceased operations.
Priyo Mobile EE 5 November 2013[30] Ceased operations.
RSPCA Mobile EE October 2014 Ceased operations. Operated as a white-label under Shebang.[31]
Shebang Three 2015[32] Acquired by PG Mobile.
Simple Call Mobile EE 31 October 2014[33] Ceased operations.
Stan Mobile Three ? Ceased operations.
Talktalk Mobile Vodafone 2018[34] Ceased operations.
The People's Operator (TPO Mobile) Three 26 February 2019[35] Entered Administration. Existing customers were encouraged to move to SMARTY.[35]
U2i Mobile EE 11 July 2017[36] Ceased operations.
Vizz Africa Vodafone ? Ceased operations.

See also

References

  1. ^ Jackson, Mark (3 September 2021). "1pMobile UK Introduces Minimum Monthly Spend Requirement". ISPreview UK. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  2. ^ "Anywhere SIM helps avoid UK 'not spots,' but at a cost". Engadget. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  3. ^ "Introducing Wi-Fi Calling and 4G Calling for Asda mobile customers".
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Transatel - 5G". Transatel. 25 November 2020.
  5. ^ "giffgaff - 5G". giffgaff.
  6. ^ a b c "Transatel and BT renew award-winning partnership to enable 5G for UK MVNOs". Transatel. 25 November 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  7. ^ "FAQs". RWG Mobile. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  8. ^ "To The Moon? Mobile operator launches "FinTel" current account". AltFi. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  9. ^ a b Jackson, Mark (1 February 2022). "Mobile Operator Truphone Signs UK MVNO Deal with BT for EE UPDATE". ISPreview UK. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  10. ^ "iPhone and Android Dual SIM plans". www3.truphone.com. 21 September 2021. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  11. ^ "International SIM card guide: how to make cheap overseas calls on your mobile phone". Uswitch Mobile Phone Deals. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
  12. ^ "Esim profile download | Virgin Media". www.virginmedia.com. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  13. ^ "Andrews & Arnold Ltd - Telephony". Andrews & Arnold. Archived from the original on 30 April 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
  14. ^ "Andrews & Arnold Ltd - Telephony - SIP2SIM". Andrews & Arnold. Archived from the original on 18 March 2014. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
  15. ^ "A fond farewell to our UK members". Blyk. 27 July 2009. Archived from the original on 30 July 2009. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
  16. ^ "Delight Mobile - Home". Delight Mobile. Archived from the original on 24 February 2018. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  17. ^ "Easymobile to close down service". BBC News. 13 November 2006. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
  18. ^ "Pay as you go tariffs, Mobile SIM tariffs with econet mobile". 1 August 2015. Archived from the original on 1 August 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  19. ^ Kubiak, Paloma (7 July 2015). "Family Mobile to close, but unused credit will be refunded". Money Saving Expert. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
  20. ^ "Carphone Warehouse apologises for Fresh confusion". Mobile Today. 18 March 2010. Archived from the original on 29 July 2017. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
  21. ^ "Lycamobile a Global MVNO will withdraw GT Mobile from all its markets, which includes Australia, The Netherlands and the UK, and will now focus on its own main brand". MVNO Dynamics. 22 January 2014. Retrieved 3 September 2017.
  22. ^ "Kontakt Mobile - Home". Kontakt Mobile. Archived from the original on 10 December 2016. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  23. ^ "What's happening?". LIFE Mobile. Archived from the original on 15 November 2016. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
  24. ^ "Mobile by Sainsbury's - Mobile Phones, PAYG and SIM Only Deals". Archived from the original on 2 January 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
  25. ^ "OUR TELECOM LIMITED - Overview (Free company information from Companies House)".
  26. ^ Razavi, Lauren (24 March 2014). "Ovivo Mobile goes dark, leaving thousands without connectivity". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 April 2014.
  27. ^ Boland, Hannah (7 July 2016). "Personal Group To Wind Down PG Mobile Business By End Of Year". Morningstar. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
  28. ^ "Post Office Mobile | Order Free SIM". Post Office. Archived from the original on 7 August 2016. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
  29. ^ Majithia, Kavit (19 May 2016). "UK's Post Office to can MVNO venture". Mobile World Live. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
  30. ^ "PRIYO COMMUNICATIONS (UK) LIMITED - Overview". Companies House. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
  31. ^ "NEW BR/MVNO – RSPCA MOBILE, in cooperation with Shebang". MVNO Dynamics. 9 May 2012. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
  32. ^ Pearce, James (28 April 2015). "Personal Group to axe Shebang brand after MVNO buy - but Iain Humphrey stays - Mobile News Online | Mobile News Online". Mobile News. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
  33. ^ "simplecall mobile". Simple Call Mobile. Archived from the original on 24 November 2014. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
  34. ^ Rodgers, Tom. "TalkTalk Mobile killed off, customers offered O2 switch". SimOnlyDeals.co.uk. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
  35. ^ a b "The People's Operator". 13 February 2019. Archived from the original on 16 February 2019. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
  36. ^ "U2I NETWORK LTD". Companies House. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
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