You can get a 5G SIM Only Deal from £5/month in the UK. We compare 5G SIM cards from BT, EE, O2, Sky, Tesco, Three, Vodafone and VOXI.
In the UK, it’s now possible to get a SIM-only deal with 5G coverage from as little as £5/month. Compared to older 3G and 4G SIM cards, this gives you access to faster 5G download speeds. You’ll also benefit from greater network capacity and reduced latency when using the 5G network.
At the moment, 5G SIM-only deals are available to buy from BT Mobile, EE, O2, Sky Mobile, Tesco Mobile, Three, Vodafone and VOXI.
In this article, we’ll compare the 5G SIM Only Deals currently available in the UK. We’ll look at the 5G price plans available on each mobile network before summarising the benefits of 5G and compatible 5G-ready phones. We’ll also look at the 5G coverage that’s available on different UK networks.
Contents
Best 5G SIM Only Deals
At present, Three is our recommended networks if you’re looking for a 5G SIM-only plan:
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Three
For the ultimate 5G experience, get Three’s £16 unlimited data SIM card. This gives you unlimited data with no fair usage limits. You’ll also get inclusive roaming in 71 destinations through Three’s Go Roam offer. For a cheaper alternative, it’s also worth considering Three’s £8/month SIM card with 12GB of data. |
The following table shows a summary of what you can get with 5G SIM only deals:
Cheapest 5G SIM Only: | £5/month |
Unlimited Data on 5G: | £16/month |
Network: | Three |
Other 5G Networks: | BT, EE, O2, Sky, Tesco, Vodafone & VOXI |
For a more detailed comparison and for further information about the 5G SIM cards on each network, read on through the rest of this article.
Compare 5G SIM Only Deals
At the moment, you can get a 5G-ready SIM-only deal from eight UK mobile networks: BT Mobile, EE, O2, Sky Mobile, Tesco Mobile, Three, Vodafone and VOXI.
The following table shows a list of these 5G SIM card deals:
To benefit from the fastest 5G download speeds, you’ll need a 5G-ready phone and will need to be in a 5G coverage area. If you aren’t able to access 5G, you can still access older forms of coverage like 3G and 4G on any of these SIM cards.
In order to get 5G coverage on Sky Mobile for the prices listed above, you’ll need to join the Sky VIP loyalty programme for free. Alternatively, if you don’t join the Sky VIP programme, it’ll cost you an extra £5/month to get access to 5G.
5G SIM Cards: By Network
BT Mobile
On BT Mobile, you’ll get access to 5G coverage on the EE network in 125 towns and cities across the UK.
It’s possible to get a BT Mobile 5G SIM card from £10/month (or from £5/month if you’re a BT Broadband customer).
Network | Minutes | Texts | Data | Monthly Cost |
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | Unlimited | Unlimited | 1GB | £10.00 24 months |
![]() | Unlimited | Unlimited | 1GB | £12.00 12 months |
![]() | Unlimited | Unlimited | 6GB | £14.00 12 months |
![]() | Unlimited | Unlimited | 20GB | £15.00 24 months |
![]() | Unlimited | Unlimited | 15GB | £17.00 12 months |
![]() | Unlimited | Unlimited | 50GB | £20.00 24 months |
![]() | Unlimited | Unlimited | 40GB | £20.00 12 months |
![]() | Unlimited | Unlimited | 100GB | £25.00 24 months |
![]() | Unlimited | Unlimited | 60GB | £25.00 12 months |
![]() | Unlimited | Unlimited | 100GB | £30.00 12 months |
You’ll get inclusive access to the BT Sport app on your BT Mobile plan, providing it costs at least £20 per month (or £15 per month with the BT Broadband discount).
In addition, customers with BT Halo can get a 5G unlimited data plan from £20 per month. This is available in place of the 100GB data allowance which is available to other customers.
EE
EE was the UK’s first mobile network to offer 5G plans, having launched it all the way back in May 2019.
At the moment, EE’s 5G network covers 125 UK towns and cities. You can get the following 5G-enabled SIM cards to take advantage of faster 5G speeds on EE:
Network | Minutes | Texts | Data | Monthly Cost |
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | Unlimited | Unlimited | 120GB | £20.00 24 months |
![]() | Unlimited | Unlimited | 200GB | £23.00 24 months |
![]() | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | £37.00 24 months |
If you choose an EE Smart or Full Works price plan, you’ll get a Smart Benefit included with it. You’ll also get Reserve Data for when your allowance runs out. This allows you to stay connected for the rest of the month with unlimited data at a maximum speed of 2Mbps.
You’ll get uncapped download speeds on EE’s 5G network, unless you’re using Reserve Data. In theory, speeds can go all the way up to 1,000Mbps (1Gbps). However, EE says the average download speed on their 5G network is 205Mbps. A 600GB per month fair usage policy applies to unlimited data on EE.
See EE’s website for a full list of their 5G devices and for their 5G network coverage.
O2
O2 offers 5G coverage at no extra cost on their SIM-only plans, with prices starting from just £8/month. You can choose from a wide range of data allowances, including unlimited 5G data for £30/month (subject to a 650GB per month fair use limit).
All of O2’s 5G SIM cards include an O2 Extra such as 6 months of free Disney+. You’ll also get access to offers and discounts through the O2 Priority app.
Network | Minutes | Texts | Data | Monthly Cost |
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | Unlimited | Unlimited | 10GB | £8.00 12 months |
![]() | Unlimited | Unlimited | 12GB | £10.00 12 months |
![]() | Unlimited | Unlimited | 25GB | £15.00 18 months |
![]() | Unlimited | Unlimited | 25GB | £15.00 12 months |
![]() | Unlimited | Unlimited | 120GB | £20.00 12 months |
![]() | Unlimited | Unlimited | 150GB | £23.00 18 months |
![]() | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | £30.00 6 months half price 18 months |
At the time of writing, O2 offers 5G coverage in 155 UK towns and cities. See our guide to O2’s coverage and network for more information. Alternatively, O2 has a web page about their 5G rollout.
Sky Mobile
Sky offers 5G coverage on the Sky Mobile service at no extra cost to customers who enrol in the Sky VIP loyalty programme. This is free to join through the My Sky app and it’s our recommended way of getting access to 5G on Sky Mobile. Customers not wanting to enrol in the Sky VIP programme will need to pay an extra £5/month to get access to 5G.
The following Sky Mobile SIM-only deals will give you access to 5G coverage with Sky VIP:
Network | Minutes | Texts | Data | Monthly Cost |
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | Unlimited | Unlimited | 2GB | £6.00 12 months |
![]() | Unlimited | Unlimited | 6GB | £8.00 12 months |
![]() | Unlimited | Unlimited | 10GB | £12.00 12 months |
![]() | Unlimited | Unlimited | 25GB | £13.00 12 months |
![]() | Unlimited | Unlimited | 50GB | £25.00 12 months |
![]() | Unlimited | Unlimited | 60GB | £30.00 12 months |
On Sky Mobile, you can stream from Sky TV apps without using your data allowance. It’s also possible to rollover your unused data for up to 3 years in your Sky Piggybank.
Sky Mobile uses O2’s network for 5G coverage so you’ll get 5G in the same towns and cities as on O2. For more information, see our guide to the coverage on Sky Mobile. Alternatively, see Sky’s official website for information about their 5G service.
Tesco Mobile
Tesco Mobile launched their 5G service in March 2020, making use of 5G coverage from O2’s network. In order to get access to 5G, you’ll need to choose one of Tesco Mobile’s 5G SIM only contracts. These start from £15/month on a 12-month contract.
The following SIM-only contracts from Tesco Mobile will give you access to 5G coverage:
Network | Minutes | Texts | Data | Monthly Cost |
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | 5,000 | 5,000 | 6GB | £15.00 12 months |
![]() | 5,000 | 5,000 | 25GB | £20.00 12 months |
![]() | 5,000 | 5,000 | Unlimited | £30.00 12 months |
On Tesco Mobile, you’ll have access to 5G coverage in the same towns and cities as customers on O2. For more information, please see the official Tesco Mobile website.
Three
Three offers 5G coverage at no extra cost on all of their plans, with SIM-only deals currently starting from just £5/month.
At present, Three offers 5G coverage in 154 UK towns and cities. Compared to other UK mobile networks, they also have a lot more usable 5G spectrum. This has led them to claim they’re building the UK’s fastest 5G mobile network.
The following SIM-only deals from Three will give you access to 5G coverage:
Network | Minutes | Texts | Data | Monthly Cost |
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | 600 | Unlimited | 1GB | £5.00 12 months |
![]() | Unlimited | Unlimited | 4GB | £6.00 12 months |
![]() | Unlimited | Unlimited | 12GB | £8.00 12 months |
![]() | Unlimited | Unlimited | 30GB | £12.00 12 months |
![]() | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | £16.00 12 months |
Three also offers 5G home broadband, allowing you to get your devices at home connected to the internet at superfast 5G speeds.
For more information, see our guide to Three’s 5G network, Three’s SIM-only deals and Three’s UK network coverage. You can also see Three’s official website for information about their 5G service.
Vodafone
Vodafone offers 5G coverage on a range of price plans. You can choose a Vodafone unlimited data plan or a Vodafone Red plan with data from 5GB per month.
At present, you can choose from the following 5G SIM-only deals on Vodafone. Prices start at £15/month for a 5G-ready SIM card from Vodafone:
Network | Minutes | Texts | Data | Monthly Cost |
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | Unlimited | Unlimited | 15GB | £15.00 24 months |
![]() | Unlimited | Unlimited | 5GB | £16.00 12 months |
![]() | Unlimited | Unlimited | 40GB | £18.00 24 months |
![]() | Unlimited | Unlimited | 120GB | £20.00 24 months |
![]() | Unlimited | Unlimited | 20GB | £21.00 12 months |
![]() | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited 2Mbps max | £22.00 24 months |
![]() | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited 10Mbps max | £22.00 24 months |
![]() | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | £26.00 24 months |
On the Red 20GB, Unlimited and Unlimited Max price plans, you can optionally add a £7/month Entertainment package. This will give you inclusive access to YouTube Premium, Amazon Prime or Spotify Premium for the length of your contract. You’ll also get 100 UK-to-EU minutes included each month.
On Vodafone’s Unlimited Lite and Unlimited price plans, there’s a restriction on the maximum download speeds you’re able to obtain (2Mbps on Unlimited Lite and 10Mbps on Unlimited). You’ll need to choose the Unlimited Max price plan for unlimited data without speed limits on 5G. Customers on the Unlimited Max plan will also get access to Vodafone Global Roaming Plus. This allows you to use your mobile phone at no extra cost in 81 destinations.
Vodafone’s 5G SIM cards can optionally be taken together with fibre broadband as part of a Vodafone Together bundle. If you choose a Vodafone Together bundle, you’ll get a discounted price on Vodafone Superfast Broadband or Vodafone Gigafast Broadband.
VOXI
VOXI is a low-cost sub-brand of Vodafone, offering 5G coverage with no contract. On VOXI, you’ll get 5G coverage in all of the same places where 5G coverage is available from Vodafone.
On VOXI, 5G-ready plans start from £15/month, with endless social media and endless video included. The latter is particularly noteworthy as it allows you to stream unlimited amounts of data from YouTube, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video without using your data allowance.
You can also get unlimited 5G data with no contract on VOXI for £30/month.
Network | Minutes | Texts | Data | Monthly Cost |
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | Unlimited | Unlimited | 15GB | £15.00 1 month |
![]() | Unlimited | Unlimited | 45GB | £20.00 1 month |
![]() | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | £30.00 1 month |
For more information, read our full review of VOXI or see VOXI’s official website.
Other Networks
At the time of writing, most other mobile networks are still yet to confirm the exact launch date for their 5G services.
Normally, lower-cost mobile virtual network operators will get 5G coverage after their underlying coverage provider. This is because the four major networks (EE, O2, Three and Vodafone) initially want to keep 5G technology as an exclusive for their own customers. This pattern was seen when 4G launched in the UK, with smaller mobile networks getting it one or two years after the underlying coverage provider.
The following table keeps track of the 5G coverage provider for each mobile network and any announcements that have already been made around the launch date for 5G:
Mobile Network | 5G Coverage Provider | 5G Launch Date |
---|---|---|
1pMobile 5G | EE | TBC – “as soon as we have access” (see announcement) |
ASDA Mobile 5G | Vodafone | Early 2021 – ASDA Mobile will launch 5G using Vodafone’s network (see press release) |
giffgaff 5G | O2 | TBC – giffgaff has paused the distribution of 5G SIM cards for the time being. |
iD Mobile 5G | Three | TBC |
Lebara Mobile 5G | Vodafone | TBC |
Lycamobile 5G | O2 | TBC |
Plusnet Mobile 5G | EE | TBC – “no information regarding 5G” (see discussion) |
SMARTY 5G | Three | TBC – “coming soon” but no confirmed date (see website) |
Virgin Mobile 5G | O2 | TBC – pending merger of O2 and Virgin Media (see press release) |
For more information, see our full guide to mobile phone coverage in the UK.
Benefits of 5G
There are three main benefits to using a 5G mobile network:
- 5G has greater network capacity. 5G mobile networks have much more capacity for carrying data than older 3G and 4G networks. This means a lot more people can be using their devices before the mobile network gets congested in an area. This can be important in places like a sports stadium, a train station or other city centre locations where many people are using their phone at the same time.
- 5G has lower latency. Latency refers to the amount of time it takes for data to travel from your phone to the internet and back. On present-day 4G mobile networks, average latency is around 50ms (0.05 seconds). On 5G networks, this should drop to less than 10ms (0.01 seconds). This lower latency is important for online gaming, as well as new technologies like augmented reality.
- 5G offers faster download speeds. On 5G, it’s possible to get average download speeds of around 150-200Mbps. This compares to around 30Mbps for present-day 4G mobile networks. The fastest download speeds on 5G can be even faster than this (sometimes up to 1,000Mbps or 1Gbps). However, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to access these download speeds to begin with.
See our guide to mobile network download speeds for further information.
5G Handsets
To get the benefits of 5G technology, you’ll need a handset that supports the latest 5G mobile networks.
At the time of writing, 5G-ready phones are available from a range of manufacturers including Apple, Google, Huawei, Motorola, OnePlus, Samsung and Xiaomi.
The following 5G-ready phones are currently available to buy from UK networks:
- Apple iPhone 12
- Apple iPhone 12 Mini
- Apple iPhone 12 Pro
- Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
- Google Pixel 4a 5G
- Google Pixel 5
- Huawei Mate 20 X 5G
- Huawei Mate Xs 5G
- Huawei P40 Pro 5G
- LG V50 ThinQ
- Motorola Edge 5G
- Motorola G 5G Plus
- Nokia 8.3 5G
- OnePlus 7 Pro 5G
- OnePlus 8 5G
- OnePlus 8 Pro 5G
- OnePlus Nord
- OPPO Reno 5G
- Samsung Galaxy A51 5G
- Samsung Galaxy A90 5G
- Samsung Galaxy Fold 5G
- Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ 5G
- Samsung Galaxy Note 20 5G
- Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G
- Samsung Galaxy S10 5G
- Samsung Galaxy S20 5G
- Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G
- Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5G
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip
- Xiaomi Mi MIX 3 5G
You can also buy a 5G smartphone from various retailers on an unlocked basis.
If your handset doesn’t support 5G technology, you’ll still be able to access 3G and 4G coverage on a 5G-ready SIM card.
5G Coverage
To benefit from 5G technology, you’ll need to be in a 5G coverage area. At the moment, there’s a phased rollout of 5G coverage, mainly starting from the UK’s largest towns and cities.
The following table shows a list of towns and cities where 5G coverage is currently available on different networks. It also shows other towns and cities that have a confirmed launch date for 5G:
5G Network | Currently Live | Planned & Announced |
---|---|---|
EE (includes BT Mobile) Check coverage | 125 towns and cities live Aberdeen, Aldershot, Altrincham, Ashford Surrey, Ashton-under-Lyne, Barrhead, Bath, Belfast, Belshill, Birkenhead, Birmingham, Blackpool, Borehamwood, Bransholme, Brentwood, Bristol, Burton upon Trent, Bury, Cannock, Cardiff, Castleford, Castlereagh, Chatham, Chelmsford, Cheshunt, Chester-le-Street, Chesterfield, Chorley, Clevedon, Clifton, Clydebank, Coventry, Crawley, Cumbernauld, Dartford, Dinnington, Doncaster, Dudley, Edinburgh, Epsom, Gillingham, Glasgow, Grays, Grimsby, Guildford, Halifax, Hamilton, Harlow, Hoddesdon, Huddersfield, Hull, Ilkeston, Inchinnan, Ipswich, Jarrow, Kimberley, Kingston-upon-Thames, Leeds, Leicester, Lichfield, Lisburn, Liverpool, London, Loughborough, Loughton, Maidstone, Manchester, Middlesbrough, Milnrow, Minster, Mirfield, Motherwell, Neath, Newcastle, Newton-le-Willows, North Shields, Northampton, Nottingham, Nuneaton, Oldham, Oxford, Paisley, Plymouth, Pontefract, Porthcawl, Portishead, Potters Bar, Rochdale, Rochester, Romford, Rotherham, Royal Leamington Spa, Rugeley, Salford, Sheffield, Shipley, Solihull, South Shields, Southend-on-Sea, St Albans, Stafford, Staines-upon-Thames, Stevenage, Stirling, Stockport, Sunderland, Sutton Coldfield, Swadlincote, Swinton, Sydenham, Tamworth, Wakefield, Walsall, Waltham Abbey, Waltham Cross, Walton-on-Thames, Warwick, Washington, Watford, West Bromwich, Westhoughton, Weston-Super-Mare, Weybridge, Wickford, Wolverhampton | 7 towns and cities planned Cambridge, Derby, Gloucester, Peterborough, Portsmouth, Southampton, Worcester |
O2 (includes giffgaff, Sky Mobile, Tesco Mobile) Check coverage | 155 towns and cities live Aberdeen, Ambleside, Ashford, Aughton, Aylesbury, Banstead, Basildon, Basingstoke, Beaconsfield, Bedford, Belfast, Bilston, Birkenhead, Birmingham, Blackburn, Blackpool, Blaydon, Bolton, Bournemouth, Bradford, Bradley Stoke, Bridge of Don, Brighton, Bristol, Brombourgh, Bury St Edmunds, Byfleet, Cambridge, Cardiff, Chadwell St Mary, Chatham, Chelmsford, Cheltenham, Chesterfield, Chipstead, Clacton-on-Sea, Colchester, Coventry, Darlington, Dartford, Derby, Dewsbury, Dinas Powys, Doncaster, Dudley, Dundee, Dunstable, Durham, Dyce, Eastbourne, Edinburgh, Egham, Epsom, Esher, Eton, Falmer, Gateshead, Gatton Bottom, Gillingham, Glasgow, Gloucester, Gravesend, Grays, Great Yarmouth, Halifax, Harlington London, Harlow, Hastings, Hebburn, Hemel Hempstead, Hextable, High Wycombe, Hove, How Wood, Huddersfield, Hull, Inverness, Ipswich, Iver, Jarrow, Lancaster, Leeds, Leicester, Lincoln, Lisburn, Liverpool, Llandudno, London, Longford, Loughborough, Lowestoft, Luton, Maidstone, Manchester, Mansfield, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes, Monifieth, Morley, Musselburgh, New Denham, Newbury, Newcastle, Newtownabbey, North Shields, Northampton, Norwich, Nottingham, Nuneaton, Orpington, Oxford, Peterborough, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Potters Bar, Rainham, Reading, Redhill, Rochdale, Rotherham, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Rugby, Salford, Sheffield, Shepperton Green, Slough, Solihull, South Shields, Southampton, Southend-On-Sea, Staines-upon-Thames, Stevenage, Stockport, Stockton-on-Tees, Stoke-on-Trent, Stranraer, Sunbury, Sunderland, Swansea, Swindon, Thundersley, Tynemouth, Wakefield, Warrington, Washington, Watford, Wavertree, West Bromwich, Weybridge, Whickham, Whitley Bay, Windsor, Wolverhampton, Worthing, York | 2 towns and cities planned Guildford, Kingston-upon-Thames |
Three Check coverage | 154 towns and cities live Aberdeen, Abingdon-on-Thames, Adlington, Aldershot, Aldridge, Balloch, Barnsley, Barrow-in-Furness, Basildon, Bath, Bedford, Belfast, Billericay, Billingham, Birkenhead, Birmingham, Blackburn, Blackpool, Borehamwood, Bournemouth, Bradford, Brighton, Brimington, Bristol, Bromsgrove, Brookmans Park, Broughton Astley, Burton upon Trent, Cannock, Cardiff, Castlereagh, Chatham, Chelmsford, Cheltenham, Chesham, Christleton, Clayton-le-Woods, Clifton, Colchester, Copmanthorpe, Corringham, Coventry, Crawley, Crook, Cullingworth, Danderhall, Denholme, Derby, Dewsbury, Doncaster, Dundee, East Kilbride, Edinburgh, Ellesmere Port, Exmouth, Glasgow, Gorebridge, Grays, Greenock, Grimsby, Guildford, Hamilton, Hartley, Heanor, Heathcote, Hedge End, Hemel Hempstead, Hertford, Heswall, Horley, Horwich, Huddersfield, Hull, Huntingdon, Inchinnan, Ingleby Barwick, Ipswich, Irlam, Iver, Kings Hill, Kings Langley, Kirkheaton, Leeds, Leicester, Leyland, Lincoln, Liverpool, London, Lower Stondon, Luton, Maidenhead, Maidstone, Manchester, Mansfield, Marlow Bottom, Milton Keynes, Motherwell, Neston, Newcastle, Newhall, Newport, Newquay, Newton Aycliffe, Newton-le-Willows, Newtownabbey, Normanton, Northampton, Nottingham, Nuneaton, Ottershaw, Oxford, Peterborough, Plymouth, Porthcawl, Portsmouth, Preston, Reading, Redcar, Royston Yorkshire, Sheffield, Shelly Green, Slough, South Heighton, South Normanton, Southampton, Southend-on-Sea, Southport, St Albans, St Blazey, St Columb Road, Stevenage, Stockton-on-Tees, Stoke-on-Trent, Sunderland, Sunninghill, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Swadlincote, Swindon, Tamworth, Telford, Thornaby-on-Tees, Wakefield, Walton-on-Thames, Warrington, Washington, Westhoughton, Weybridge, Wickford, Wigan, Winterbourne, Worcester, Worksop, Writtle, York | |
Vodafone (includes Virgin Mobile, VOXI) Check coverage | 100 towns and cities live Aberdeen, Alexandria, Ambleside, Aughton, Basingstoke, Bebington, Belfast, Birkenhead, Birmingham, Bishopbriggs, Blaydon, Bolton, Bootle, Bournemouth, Bradford, Bristol, Cardiff, Cheadle, Cheltenham, Chesterfield, Clydebank, Crawley, Crosby, Dewsbury, Dinas Powys, Droylsden, Dudley, Dundee, Eccles, Edinburgh, Eston and South Bank, Felling, Gateshead, Glasgow, Gloucester, Gosforth, Guildford, Hebburn, Helensburgh, Horwich, Huddersfield, Hull, Huyton-with-Roby, Isle of Scilly, Jarrow, Killingworth, Kingswood, Lancaster, Leeds, Lisburn, Liverpool, Llandudno, London, Longbenton, Manchester, Mangotsfield, Middlesbrough, Morley, Mosborough, Newbury, Newcastle, Newtownabbey, North Shields, Oldbury, Paisley, Penarth, Pendlebury, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Prescot, Prestwich, Pudsey, Rawmarsh, Reading, Rochdale, Rotherham, Salford, Sheffield, Shipley, Solihull, South Shields, Southampton, Stockport, Stockton-on-Tees, Stoke-on-Trent, Stranraer, Stretford, Sunderland, Sutton Coldfield, Swansea, Swinton, Tynemouth, Urmston, Wallasey, Wallsend, Warrington, Washington, Whitley Bay, Wolverhampton, York | 1 towns and cities planned Blackpool |
If 5G coverage hasn’t yet launched in your area, you’ll still be able to receive coverage from older 3G and 4G mobile networks. See our full guide to 5G mobile coverage in the UK for more information.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which mobile networks offer 5G SIM only deals? | You can currently get a 5G SIM only deal from the following mobile networks:
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What’s the cheapest 5G SIM only deal in the UK? | The UK’s cheapest 5G-ready SIM only deal costs £5/month. Prices do vary by mobile network, however. The cheapest 5G price plan by mobile network is as follows:
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Can I get unlimited data on a 5G SIM card? | Yes, it’s possible to get unlimited data with 5G coverage on EE, O2, Tesco Mobile, Three, Vodafone and VOXI. Prices start from £16/month for unlimited data on 5G. |
What are the benefits of 5G coverage? | 5G coverage offers greater network capacity so download speeds are less likely to slow down in busy or congested areas. It also offers lower latency (~10ms) and faster download speeds (around 150-200Mbps on today’s 5G networks). |
Where is 5G coverage currently available? | 5G coverage is currently available in 320 UK towns and cities. The towns and cities that are covered by 5G will differ depending on the mobile network you’re using. See our guide to 5G mobile coverage in the UK. |
More Information
For more information about 5G, please see the BT Mobile, EE, O2, Sky Mobile, Tesco Mobile, Three or Vodafone websites.
Eric said:
I have now experimented with Vodafone Sims, and Yes, they work OK in Huaweis 5G router.
Even that I haven’t (on purpose) told them I am using their Sims on router instead of a phone.
Changed my Vodafone one recently to Voxi, as it was complicated to get a shorter contract with Vodafone. Works flawlessly on 5G and on unlimited tariff, 35£/month.
And not tied to a long contract !
Ken said:
Hi there,
Just a small update for everyone: EE have reintroduced their 5G SIM-only deals. Now starting from £22/month.
Ken
Pauline said:
If I have a sim only with mobile data, but turn on my wifi at home/work, do I need to turn off my mobile data in settings?
Ken replied:
Hi Pauline,
Thanks for your comment. There’s no need to turn off mobile data – your phone will prioritise the wi-fi signal if one is available.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Pauline replied:
Thank you again Ken.
Bart said:
If you buy your own router, can you use these deals for 5G home broadband?
Ken replied:
Hi Bart,
Thanks for your comment. Yes, you should be able to use these SIM cards inside a 4G or 5G router, as per Ofcom’s net neutrality regulations. O2 is the one exception to this – they have a provision in their terms and conditions preventing an unlimited data SIM card being used inside a mains-powered device.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Crispin said:
Hi there, fantastic website! I had a question regarding 5G sim only plans – do any of the UK carriers offer two sim’s for the one contract? Say for instance I wanted to go with three’s unlimited 5g offer and put the SIM in my Huawei 5g router – would it be possible to get another sim on the same contract for my 4g phone to make calls? Do you know if any carriers offer this? Otherwise I guess it’s a case of having two contracts – one for phone and another for router. Many Thanks!
Ken replied:
Hi Crispin,
Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, yes, it’s a case of getting two separate contracts. There are a couple of products that will allow you to share the data allowance between different SIM cards (e.g. EE offers data gifting on their SIM cards, allowing you to transfer data allowance between your router and your mobile phone SIM card), but this may not actually save you very much money compared to buying two separate contracts with the amount of data you need.
Ken
Crispin replied:
Many Thanks Ken!
John said:
Do you know which if any UK networks don’t use Huawei equipment for their 5G services? Thanks.
Ken replied:
Hi John,
As far as I know, O2 is the only mobile network not to be using Huawei equipment for 5G.
Ken
Cecil said:
Hi Ken, tesco launched their 5g today
Ken replied:
Hi Cecil,
Thanks for the heads up about this! I’m currently just in the process of updating the website to reflect to this!
Thanks again for letting me know 🙂
Ken
Roy Heaton said:
Hey Ken can’t find £6.00 sim only deals on Three cheapest they offer on their site is £10.00
Thanks
Ken replied:
Hi Roy,
Unfortunately, it looks like Three might have removed the £6/month deal. They currently offer 1GB for £5 and 8GB for £8, both of which are only available when you follow the link from this page. On their website, they offer plans from £10/month though you can get a larger allowance of data when ordering through the links on this website.
Hope this helps,
Ken
cecil said:
Hi Ken, sky mobile now offering 5g.
John Maher said:
Thank you for a lovely, clear website.
It might be worth pointing out whether it makes better economic sense to buy a 5G handset on contract at the moment, rather than an unlocked handset with a separate 5G SIM only deal.
cecil said:
voxi has 5g now.
Cecil said:
o2 now offering 5g! https://www.o2.co.uk/5G
JP said:
This is really helpful, thankyou! Do you happen to know if any 5G sim only deals are available on the 30 day contracts yet? Thankyou.
Ken replied:
Hi JP,
Yes. Vodafone offers some 30-day SIM-only deals with 5G. At the time of writing, they start from £17/month. You can see a list by going to my comparison table here and choosing the option to show only 1 month contracts.
Hope this helps!
Ken
JP replied:
Ah, now i look properly and see the filter there. Thanks so much for this. Fantasticly helpful research you’re doing and sharing.