Mobile Networks Using Coverage From EE & Cheaper EE Piggyback SIMs

Mobile networks like ASDA Mobile, BT Mobile, Plusnet Mobile and Virgin Mobile piggyback on EE’s coverage in the UK.

In the UK, there are only four network coverage providers: EE, O2, Three and Vodafone. Around them, there’s a number of “virtual network operators” that piggyback on coverage from one of the big four.

A number of other mobile networks piggyback on coverage from EE including ASDA Mobile, BT Mobile, Plusnet Mobile and Virgin Mobile. On all of these mobile networks, you’ll get access to the same underlying coverage that’s available to customers on EE. This includes EE’s 99% population coverage, and often with more data at a lower monthly cost.

In this article, we’ll present a list of mobile networks using coverage from EE. We’ll also compare some of the best value SIM cards using coverage from EE, ranging in price from £5/month up to £20/month and more.

Mobile Networks Using EE Coverage

In the UK, EE offers 99% population coverage and 90% geographical coverage. Their geographical coverage on 4G is due to increase to 95% by the end of 2020. In 2019, the first 5G services will also start rolling out in 16 UK towns and cities.

The following table shows a list of mobile networks piggybacking on EE. On all of these mobile networks, you’ll get coverage from EE:

Mobile Network		Coverage Provider		2G	3G	4G	5G	Coverage Checker
	1pMobile		EE	✔	✔	✔	✘	Check 1pMobile Coverage
	ASDA Mobile		EE	✔	✔	✔	✘	Check ASDA Mobile Coverage
	BT Mobile		EE	✔	✔	✔	✘	Check BT Mobile Coverage
	CMLink		EE	✔	✔	✔	✘	Check CMLink Coverage
	Co-operative Mobile		EE	✔	✔	✘	✘	Check Co-operative Mobile Coverage
	CTExcel		EE	✔	✔	✔	✘	Check CTExcel Coverage
	Ecotalk		EE	✔	✔	✔	✘	Check Ecotalk Coverage
	EE		EE	✔	✔	✔	✔	Check EE Coverage
	IQ Mobile		EE	✔	✔	✔	✘	Check IQ Mobile Coverage
	Orange		EE	✔	✔	✘	✘	Check Orange Coverage
	Plusnet Mobile		EE	✔	✔	✔	✘	Check Plusnet Mobile Coverage
	T-Mobile		EE	✔	✔	✘	✘	Check T-Mobile Coverage
	Utility Warehouse		EE	✔	✔	✔	✘	Check Utility Warehouse Coverage
	Vectone Mobile		EE	✔	✔	✘	✘	Check Vectone Mobile Coverage
	Virgin Mobile		EE	✔	✔	✔	✘	Check Virgin Mobile Coverage

As of 2019, the biggest players from this list are ASDA Mobile, BT Mobile, Plusnet Mobile and Virgin Mobile. Some of the smaller providers like 1pMobile can be good for light usage whereas others like Vectone Mobile can be better for international calling.

Please note that certain types of coverage may be restricted depending on the mobile network and price plan you choose. For instance, 5G coverage is only available to customers choosing a 5G-enabled EE Smart Plan. Similarly, Wi-Fi Calling and 4G Calling are not always available when choosing a cheaper alternative to EE. Most networks will now give you access to 4G coverage, but some of the cheaper networks are still restricted to 3G speeds.

Tariff Information & Coverage Information

You can find out more information about each network by tapping on the relevant logo to visit their website:

• 
  EE
  3G & 4G
• 
  1pMobile
  3G & 4G
• 
  ASDA Mobile
  3G & 4G
• 
  BT Mobile
  3G & 4G
• 
  CMLink
  3G & 4G
• 
  Co-op Mobile
  3G only
• 
  CTExcel
  3G & 4G
• 
  Ecotalk
  3G & 4G
• 
  IQ Mobile
  3G & 4G
• 
  Orange
  3G only
• 
  Plusnet Mobile
  3G & 4G
• 
  T-Mobile
  3G only
• 
  Utility Warehouse
  3G & 4G
• 
  Vectone Mobile
  3G only
• 
  Virgin Mobile
  3G & 4G

If you’re looking for a cheaper alternative to EE that still gives you EE coverage, we’d recommend BT Mobile and Virgin Mobile for the widest choice of Pay Monthly plans. Plusnet Mobile is a good low-cost alternative if you’re looking for a Pay Monthly SIM card and ASDA Mobile is a good alternative if you’re looking for a flexible Pay As You Go bundle.

Deals By Price Range

Through the rest of this article, we’ll compare the best value SIM cards giving you coverage from EE. We’ve separated the plans out by price range and tariff type to make it easier for you to find the most appropriate deal.

Please select your preferred price range to see a list of currently available deals:

• Under £10/month
• From £10/month
• From £15/month
• £20/month and more
• Traditional Pay As You Go

Under £10/month

If you’re looking for a low-cost SIM card that gives you coverage from EE, some of the cheapest deals are available from just £5/month.

On a Pay Monthly contract, Plusnet Mobile and Virgin Mobile offer a choice of SIM cards for less than £10/month. On Plusnet, you can choose from a range of deals, either on a 12-month or on a 30-day contract. Meanwhile, Virgin Mobile exclusively sell their Pay Monthly SIM cards on a 12-month contract.

For greater flexibility and no need for a credit check, look at the Pay As You Go bundles from ASDA Mobile and EE. For instance, ASDA Mobile offers 125 minutes, 2000 texts and 250MB of data for only £5/month. Alternatively, get 300 minutes, unlimited texts and 1GB of data for £7/month.

From £10/month

The range of alternative price plans starts to increase as you go beyond the £10/month threshold.

Here, you can find Pay Monthly deals from BT Mobile, Plusnet Mobile and Virgin Mobile. All of them piggyback on EE coverage and give you much more data compared to if were going directly to EE. You’ll normally need to sign a 12-month contract to get the cheapest available deals, but some rolling 30-day SIM cards are still available from Plusnet. Customers on BT Broadband can get a £5/month discount on BT Mobile SIM cards.

For added flexibility and no need to undergo a credit check, a number of mobile networks offer Pay As You Go bundles with coverage from EE. In general, ASDA Mobile offers the best value bundles (e.g. 600 minutes, unlimited texts & 3GB data for £10/month) but there are also Virgin Mobile JAM Packs and bundles from The Phone Co-Op.

From £15/month

The following deals are available from £15/month on mobile networks that use coverage from EE:

£20/month and more

The following deals are available from £20/month on mobile networks that use coverage from EE. Of particular note, Virgin Mobile offers a tariff with unlimited data but this is exclusive to customers to have Virgin TV or home broadband.

For more information about download speeds and tethering, tap the data allowances in the table above. For Pay Monthly contracts, you can also tap on the mobile network’s logo for information about the length of the contract.

Traditional Pay As You Go

If you’re looking for a traditional Pay As You Go tariff without the need to top-up every month, you can choose from networks like 1pMobile, ASDA Mobile, The Phone Co-Op and Virgin Mobile. They’re good alternatives to EE Pay As You Go and give you coverage from the EE network. There are also some specialist mobile networks such as CMLink (for calling China) and Vectone Mobile (for low-cost international calling).

If you’re looking for the lowest possible Pay As You Go rates, this can currently be found on 1pMobile. With a SIM card from 1pMobile, you’ll pay just 1p/minute, 1p/text and 1p/MB. These are the lowest Pay As You Go rates currently available on any mobile network in the UK. However, you’ll need to top-up your SIM card with at least £10 of credit every 120 days, meaning there’s effectively a minimum spend of £30 per year.

For greater flexibility, we think ASDA Mobile is one of the best Pay As You Go mobile networks with coverage from EE. You’ll pay 8p/minute, 4p/text and 5p/MB with comprehensive 2G, 3G and 4G coverage from EE. There’s no need to top-up your phone every month (just use it at least once every 270 days to keep your SIM card active). You can also top-up from as little as £1 each time, with bundles available from £5/month for more regular usage.

More Information

For more information, see our guide to mobile phone coverage in the UK. You can also read our in-depth reviews of each UK mobile network.