iD Mobile offers unlimited data for £16 per month on a one-month rolling contract.

If you’re looking for a low-cost unlimited data plan, iD Mobile currently offers an £16 unlimited data SIM card. This gives you 4G coverage from the Three network and is available on a one-month rolling contract.

In this article, we’ll review iD Mobile’s unlimited data plan including what you get with it and the fair usage policy that applies. We’ll also compare iD Mobile’s unlimited data plan to what is available on other networks before looking at the coverage available. Finally, we’ll look at how you can keep your current phone number when moving from another network to iD Mobile.

Unlimited Data on iD Mobile

Unlimited Data Plans

In the UK, iD Mobile is the budget-orientated mobile network from the Carphone Warehouse. Offering low-cost 4G price plans using coverage from Three, they’re one of a handful of mobile networks offering an unlimited mobile data plan.

At present, you can get unlimited data on a range of Pay Monthly phones and on an iD Mobile SIM-only deal.

The easiest and cheapest way to get access to unlimited data on iD Mobile is by getting the £16 unlimited data SIM card. This can be used in any unlocked smartphone and comes on a one-month rolling contract so there’s no need to commit for an extended amount of time.

NetworkMinutesTextsDataMonthly
Cost
iD MobileUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£16.00
1 month
iD MobileUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£16.00
12 months
iD MobileUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£16.00
1 month
iD MobileUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£16.00
24 months
iD MobileUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£17.00
12 months

In addition to the unlimited minutes, unlimited texts and unlimited data, you’ll have access to bill capping along with roaming at no extra cost in 50 international destinations (46 European destinations plus 4 Eurasian destinations). iD Mobile’s data rollover feature is not applicable to their unlimited data plan.

On iD Mobile, you’ll need to undergo a credit check when signing up for this deal. If you’d like unlimited data without the need for a credit check, consider getting a SIM card from SMARTY instead. Like iD Mobile, SMARTY also offers 3G & 4G coverage from Three.

NetworkMinutesTextsDataMonthly
Cost
SmartyUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£16.00
1 month

For more information, see our guide to unlimited data on SMARTY.

Download Speeds

On iD Mobile, you’ll have access to Category 6 LTE (4G) speeds. In theory, this means download speeds can go all the way up to 300Mbps, but actual speeds will be slower than this and will be dependent on location. More typically, your download speeds on iD Mobile will be closer to the range of 20-30Mbps.

Unfortunately, you won’t have access to 5G on iD Mobile. This is because Three currently reserves 5G for customers of their own network. If you’re connected to Three’s 5G network, you can get download speeds of up to 1Gbps (1,000Mbps). Average download speeds on 5G will normally be in the region of 150-250Mbps (about five to ten times faster than 4G).

Three offers a 5G-ready unlimited data SIM card from £18 per month. It also includes Go Roam (inclusive roaming in 71 destinations):

NetworkMinutesTextsDataMonthly
Cost
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£18.00
24 months

For more information, see our guide to unlimited data on Three.

Fair Use Policy

iD Mobile hasn’t published a fair usage limit for their unlimited data allowance. Instead, their terms and conditions simply state that the service is for “your own personal use” only.

If you’re using your SIM card abroad in another European country, you’ll be subject to the EU Roaming fair use policy.

Comparison to Alternatives

In the UK, there are numerous other mobile networks also offering an unlimited data plan.

For the all-round best value, we’d normally recommend getting unlimited data from Three. On Three, unlimited data is currently available from £18 per month. You’ll get fully uncapped usage with no download limits, along with 5G at no extra cost and international roaming in 71 Go Roam destinations.

If you’re unable to get a signal from Three in your area, you’ll need to avoid all of the mobile networks that use coverage from Three. Elsewhere, unlimited data is available on other networks such as Vodafone, EE and O2.

The following table shows a side-by-side comparison of unlimited data plans in the UK:

NetworkMinutesTextsDataMonthly
Cost
SmartyUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£16.00
1 month
iD MobileUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£16.00
1 month
iD MobileUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£16.00
12 months
iD MobileUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£16.00
1 month
iD MobileUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£16.00
24 months
iD MobileUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£17.00
12 months
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£18.00
24 months
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£19.00
12 months
Superdrug MobileUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£20.00
1 month
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£23.00
24 months
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£24.00
12 months
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£25.00
24 months
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited
2Mbps max		£26.00
24 months
EEUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£27.00
24 months
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited
2Mbps max		£27.00
12 months
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£28.00
24 months
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£29.00
12 months
EEUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£29.00
12 months
O2UnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£30.00
24 months
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£30.00
1 month
EEUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£30.00
6 months half price
24 months
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited
10Mbps max		£30.00
24 months
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited
10Mbps max		£31.00
12 months
O2UnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£31.99
24 months
EEUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£32.00
12 months
EEUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£32.00
1 month
O2UnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£33.00
12 months
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£33.00
24 months
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited
2Mbps max		£33.00
24 months
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£34.00
12 months
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited
2Mbps max		£34.00
12 months
O2UnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£34.99
12 months
VOXIUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£35.00
1 month
giffgaffUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£35.00
1 month
EEUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£35.00
12 months
EEUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£35.00
1 month
O2UnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£36.00
1 month
EEUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£36.00
6 months half price
24 months
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited
2Mbps max		£37.00
1 month
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited
10Mbps max		£37.00
24 months
EEUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£38.00
12 months
EEUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£38.00
1 month
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited
10Mbps max		£38.00
12 months
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£40.00
24 months
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£40.00
1 month
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£41.00
12 months
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited
10Mbps max		£41.00
1 month
EEUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£43.00
24 months
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£44.00
1 month
EEUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£45.00
12 months
To show you the most relevant plans, 39 similar but more expensive plans have been hidden. .

For more information, see our full guide to unlimited data plans in the UK.

Network & Coverage

3G & 4G Coverage From Three

On iD Mobile, you’ll have access to 99% population coverage. iD’s coverage is provided by Three so a mobile signal is available in the same places you can get a signal from Three.

The coverage on iD Mobile is currently limited to 3G and 4G. At present, around 99.8% of the population is covered by 4G and about 98.7% of the population is covered by 3G.

You can check the availability of coverage in your area by entering your postcode on iD Mobile’s online coverage map:

Check iD Mobile Coverage (idmobile.co.uk) →

If you have a compatible device, it’s also possible to use Wi-Fi Calling and 4G Calling on iD Mobile.

5G Coverage

Unfortunately, 5G coverage isn’t currently available to customers on iD Mobile. In addition, iD Mobile are still yet to announce when 5G will become available on their network.

If you’d like an unlimited data SIM card with access to 5G coverage, consider getting a SIM-only deal from Three instead. At present, Three offers a 5G-ready unlimited data SIM card for £18/month. You’ll also get access to Three’s Go Roam Around The World offer which allows you to use your mobile phone at no extra cost in 71 destinations (including most of Europe, the USA, Australia and more).

At present, Three offers 5G coverage in the following towns and cities:

Now Live194 towns and cities are live on Three 5G (May 2023)
Aberdeen, Abingdon-on-Thames, Adlington, Aldershot, Aldridge, Ashford, Balloch, Barnsley, Barrow-in-Furness, Basildon, Bath, Bedford, Belfast, Belfast Airport, Billericay, Billingham, Birdwell, Birkenhead, Birmingham, Bishopthorpe, Blackburn, Blackpool, Borehamwood, Bournemouth, Bradford, Brentwood, Brighton, Brimington, Bristol, Bromsgrove, Brookmans Park, Broughton Astley, Burton upon Trent, Campton, Cannock, Cardiff, Carlisle, Castlereagh, Chatham, Chelmsford, Cheltenham, Chesham, Chorley, Christleton, Clayton-le-Woods, Clifton, Coedkernew, Colchester, Copmanthorpe, Corringham, Coventry, Crawley, Crook, Cullingworth, Danderhall, Delph, Denholme, Derby, Dewsbury, Dinnington, Doncaster, Dundee, East Kilbride, East Midlands Airport, Edinburgh, Egginton, Ellesmere Port, Exmouth, Falkirk, Gateshead, Glasgow, Gorebridge, Grays, Greenock, Grimsby, Guildford, Hamilton, Hartley, Hatfield, Heanor, Heathcote, Hedge End, Hemel Hempstead, Hertford, Heswall, Heywood, Horley, Horwich, Huddersfield, Hull, Huntingdon, Inchinnan, Ingleby Barwick, Ipswich, Irlam, Isle of Grain, Iver, Kings Hill, Kings Langley, Kinmel Bay, Kirkheaton, Kirknewton, Knowl Wall, Leeds, Leicester, Leyland, Lincoln, Liverpool, London, Loughborough, Lower Stondon, Luton, Maidenhead, Maidstone, Manchester, Mansfield, Margate, Marlow Bottom, Marston Moretaine, Merthyr Tydfil, Middlesbrough, Milnrow, Milton Keynes, Motherwell, Neston, Newark-on-Trent, Newcastle, Newhall, Newport, Newquay, Newton Aycliffe, Newton-le-Willows, Newtownabbey, Normanton, Northampton, Nottingham, Nuneaton, Ottershaw, Oxford, Peterborough, Plymouth, Pontefract, Porthcawl, Portsmouth, Preston, Reading, Redcar, Redditch, Royston Yorkshire, Scunthorpe, Sheffield, Shelly Green, Shrewsbury, Slough, South Heighton, South Kirkby, South Normanton, South Ockendon, Southampton, Southend-on-Sea, Southport, St Albans, St Blazey, St Columb Road, Stafford, Stansted Airport, Stevenage, Stockton-on-Tees, Stoke-on-Trent, Stratford-upon-Avon, Sunderland, Sunninghill, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Swadlincote, Swindon, Swinton, Tamworth, Telford, Thornaby-on-Tees, Ullesthorpe, Wakefield, Wallingford, Walton-on-Thames, Warrington, Washington, Westhoughton, Weybridge, Wickford, Wigan, Winterbourne, Worcester, Worksop, Writtle, York

For more information, see our full guide to 5G coverage in the UK.

Tethering & Personal Hotspot

Tethering or personal hotspot refers to the process of sharing your smartphone’s internet connection with another device (e.g. with your laptop or tablet). It’s often used as a convenient way of sharing a mobile broadband connection with another device.

On iD Mobile, the use of tethering and personal hotspot is permitted. You can use it to share your unlimited data allowance with other devices. Saying that, the use of tethering is normally discouraged by iD Mobile within their FAQs on their site. This differs from Three and SMARTY, both of whom talk about tethering and personal hotspot as a key feature.

International Coverage

iD Mobile offers international roaming so you can continue using your smartphone when you travel abroad to other countries.

If you’re travelling to one of 46 EU or EEA destinations, you can use your normal UK allowances at no extra cost. You can also do this when travelling to Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Macedonia (making a total of 50 destinations).

If you’re travelling to any other country, you’ll need to pay iD Mobile’s standard international roaming rates.

Keeping Your Phone Number

If you’re switching from another mobile network to take advantage of iD Mobile’s unlimited data plan, it’s a straightforward process to keep your current phone number.

Start by getting a PAC Code from your old mobile network. You can get one through your mobile network’s website or app, or by texting PAC to 65075. It’s always free to get a PAC Code from your old network and you should be sent one within 60 seconds of your request.

Once you have the PAC Code from your old network, you can order your new unlimited data plan from the iD Mobile website. When your new phone or SIM card arrives, you’ll initially be given a temporary phone number on it. You can use this to try out the service with a 30-day returns period for your SIM card or handset if you’re unhappy with it.

Once you’re happy to move your phone number over, submit your PAC Code through the iD Mobile website. Your phone number transfer will then take place on the next working day.

For step-by-step instructions on how to move your phone number to iD Mobile, please select your current mobile network from the drop-down menu below:

PAC Code Finder: Transfer Your Phone Number to iD Mobile

Select your current mobile network:

  More Options

More Information

For more information about iD Mobile’s unlimited data plan, please see their official website.

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