Networks like BT Mobile, Plusnet Mobile and 1pMobile piggyback on EE’s network for coverage.

It isn’t necessary to be an EE customer to get coverage from EE on your mobile phone. This is because a number of other mobile networks also offer EE coverage. For instance, you can access an EE mobile signal when using 1p Mobile, BT Mobile or Plusnet Mobile. All of them piggyback on EE for coverage.

In this article, we’ll look at mobile networks that offer coverage from EE. We’ll start by looking at the best value deals with EE coverage including SIM-only deals, unlimited data plans and Pay As You Go deals. We’ll then look at each network in more detail, including the specific features and benefits they offer.

EE Coverage: 99% UK population coverage
Networks Using EE:
5G Coverage:

Available in 160 UK towns and cities on:
Best Unlimited Data Plan:
Best Pay As You Go Plan: 1p/minute, 1p/text & 1p/MB on 1pMobile
(no credit check and no need to top-up every month)

Overview Of Networks Using EE

Besides EE, there are four other mobile networks you can join that will also give you coverage from EE. These networks are 1p Mobile, BT Mobile, IQ Mobile and Plusnet Mobile.

If you’re using one of these alternative mobile networks, you’ll still get the same coverage as customers on EE. However, you might have different features available on your plan and there might be other benefits (e.g. a more flexible tariff).

The following table shows a side-by-side comparison of mobile networks that use coverage from EE:

Mobile Network Plans From EE Coverage Key Features
1p Mobile 1p/minute, 1p/text & 1p/MB 4G
  • No monthly fee & no credit check
BT Mobile £8/month 4G & 5G
  • Inclusive BT Sport app on plans from £15
  • Double data with BT Halo Broadband
EE £10/month 4G & 5G
  • Inclusive Smart Benefits on EE Smart
  • 6 months free Apple Music
  • 3 months free BT Sport with casting
IQ Mobile £7/month 4G
Plusnet Mobile £6/month 4G
  • 2GB extra data with Plusnet Broadband

If you want access to EE’s 5G network, you’ll need a 5G-ready plan on BT Mobile or EE. All other plans will give you access to EE’s 2G, 3G and 4G network.

SIM Only Plans

If you’re looking for a low-cost SIM-only plan, it’s worth comparing EE’s SIM-only deals to what you can get on BT and Plusnet Mobile:

  • BT offers SIM-only deals from £8/month but you’ll need to be a BT Broadband customer to access the cheapest available deals. You’ll get inclusive access to the BT Sport app on plans from £15 per month (£20 if you’re not a BT Broadband customer).
  • EE offers a choice of Essential, Smart and Full Works SIM-only plans. All plans come with 6 months of free Apple Music and 3 months of free BT Sport Ultimate with casting. If you choose an EE Smart or Full Works plan, you’ll also get a Smart Benefit for the duration of your plan.
  • Plusnet offers one-month rolling SIM-only plans. You’ll also get an extra 2GB of data per month if you’re a Plusnet Broadband customer.

The following table shows a selection of the best value SIM cards with coverage from EE:

NetworkMinutesTextsDataMonthly
Cost
Plusnet MobileUnlimitedUnlimited4GB£6.00
1 month
Plusnet MobileUnlimitedUnlimited20GB£9.00
12 months
EEUnlimitedUnlimited120GB£20.00
24 months
EEUnlimitedUnlimited200GB£23.00
24 months
EEUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£37.00
12 months

You can compare the full range of available SIM-only deals using our interactive comparison tool.

5G SIM Only Plans

For access to EE’s 5G network in 160 UK towns and cities, you’ll need to choose a 5G plan from either BT or EE.

  • BT now offers 5G at no extra cost on all of their SIM-only plans. However, they do not offer any 5G phones on contract.
  • EE offers 5G coverage on a selection of price plans from £10/month. They also sell 5G phones on contract if you need one.

The following table shows a selection of the best value SIM cards with 5G coverage from EE:

NetworkMinutesTextsDataMonthly
Cost
BT MobileUnlimitedUnlimited5GB£8.00
24 months
BT MobileUnlimitedUnlimited20GB£10.00
24 months
EEUnlimitedUnlimited120GB£20.00
24 months
EEUnlimitedUnlimited200GB£23.00
24 months
EEUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£37.00
12 months

Unlimited Data Plans

If you want an unlimited data plan, you’ll normally need to go directly to EE. You can get EE’s unlimited data plan from £37 per month. Customers choosing an EE Full Works SIM card will also get three Smart Benefits included in their plan.

TariffMinutesTextsDataMonthly
Cost
SIMUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£37.00
SmartUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£40.00
Full WorksUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£41.00

If you’re a BT Broadband customer with a BT Halo plan, you’ll have exclusive access to an unlimited data plan on BT Mobile. Available for just £20 per month, this gives you unlimited data with access to 5G speeds. You’ll also get the BT Sport app included along with unlimited UK calls on your landline.

NetworkMinutesTextsDataMonthly
Cost
BT MobileUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£20.00
24 months
BT MobileUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£25.00
12 months

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

Pay As You Go Plans

If you’re looking for a Pay As You Go plan with coverage from EE, you currently have two main options:

  • 1p Mobile offers a traditional Pay As You Go service with no need to top-up every month. You’ll just pay 1p/minute, 1p/text and 1p/MB. There’s a requirement to top-up by at least £10 every 120 days but no obligation to actually spend the credit.
  • EE offers a range of Data Pack bundles on Pay As You Go. This gives you access to 4G coverage on the EE network from £5/month. You won’t, however, get access to other EE customer benefits like inclusive BT Sport.

For more information, see our guide to the best Pay As You Go SIM cards in the UK.

Mobile Networks Using EE Coverage

In the following section, we’ll look at each mobile network that uses coverage from EE.

1p Mobile

If you want access to EE’s 4G network on Pay As You Go, 1p Mobile offers a flexible Pay As You Go plan with no need to top-up every month.

There are no regular monthly charges on 1p Mobile. You’ll just pay for what you actually use at the rate of 1p/minute, 1p/text and 1p/MB. Smartphone owners can buy a data boost add-on from £6 per month. For instance, you can get a massive 50GB of data for £15 per month on the £15 Data Boost.

One important requirement of 1p Mobile is the fact you’re required to add at least £10 of credit every 120 days. Whilst there’s no obligation to actually spend this credit, your Pay As You Go balance would simply grow over time if you didn’t use the credit.

1p Mobile is operated by Telecommunications Management Limited which is part of the FTSE 250-listed Telecom Plus PLC group. The network has been in operation since September 2016, giving customers access to 2G, 3G and 4G coverage from EE.

Plans From Key Benefits Contract Length Coverage

1p/minute
1p/text
1p/MB
Pay As You Go with no monthly fee
No contract
4G Coverage

For more information, see our full 1p Mobile review.

BT Mobile

In the UK, BT Mobile offers low-cost SIM-only plans with access to 4G & 5G coverage from EE.

BT’s mobile plans start from just £8/month if you’re a BT Broadband customer, or from £13/month if you don’t have BT Broadband at home.

The following table shows BT’s SIM-only mobile deals:

NetworkMinutesTextsDataMonthly
Cost
BT MobileUnlimitedUnlimited5GB£8.00
24 months
BT MobileUnlimitedUnlimited20GB£10.00
24 months
BT MobileUnlimitedUnlimited16GB£12.00
12 months
BT MobileUnlimitedUnlimited60GB£15.00
24 months
BT MobileUnlimitedUnlimited100GB£20.00
24 months
BT MobileUnlimitedUnlimited100GB£25.00
12 months

The prices shown include a £5 per month discount for BT Broadband customers. You’ll need to add £5 to the prices shown if you’re with another broadband provider.

If you’re a BT Halo customer, you’ll get double data on all BT Mobile plans. This means, for instance, you’ll get 40GB of data on BT's £10 SIM-only plan whereas other customers will only get 20GB of data. You’ll also get exclusive access to BT Mobile’s unlimited data plan.

Customers choosing a BT Mobile plan that costs £15/month or more (£20/month or more if you’re not a BT Broadband customer) will get inclusive access to the BT Sport app. This allows you to watch all of the BT Sport channels on your smartphone. However, it doesn’t allow you to watch BT Sport on a larger screen like your TV or laptop.

You’ll get unlimited access to more than 5 million BT Wi-Fi hotspots included on your BT Mobile SIM card.

Plans From Key Benefits Contract Length Coverage

£8/month
(BT Broadband customers)
BT Sport app on eligible plans
12 or 24 months
5G Coverage
The BT Sport app is included on plans from £15 (from £20 if you’re not a BT Broadband customer).
BT’s unlimited data plan is available from £20/month (requires BT Halo).

If you want a new mobile phone to go with your SIM card, you can get a 4G phone on contract from BT Mobile.

For more information, please read our BT Mobile review. You can also see our guide to 5G on BT Mobile.

EE

You can get a SIM-only deal directly from EE for £10/month. There are three different types of price plan to choose from:

  • EE Essential SIM: Starting from £10/month, this gives you an EE SIM card at the lowest possible cost. You can benefit from six months of free Apple Music and three months of free BT Sport Ultimate with casting.
  • EE Smart SIM: Starting from £25/month, this includes a larger allowance of data and an inclusive Smart Benefit for the length of your plan. You can choose from options like Apple Music, BT Sport, BritBox or Amazon Prime Video.
  • EE Full Works: Designed for customers with an iPhone, the Full Works plan starts from £41/month. You can access inclusive Smart Benefits such as Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade and BT Sport Ultimate.

The following table shows EE’s SIM-only deals:

TariffMinutesTextsDataMonthly
Cost
SIMUnlimitedUnlimited10GB£10.00
12 months
SIMUnlimitedUnlimited250MB£13.00
12 months
SIMUnlimitedUnlimited1GB£14.00
24 months
SIMUnlimitedUnlimited25GB£15.00
12 months
SIMUnlimitedUnlimited3GB£19.00
12 months
SIMUnlimitedUnlimited120GB£20.00
24 months
SIMUnlimitedUnlimited100GB£20.00
12 months
SIMUnlimitedUnlimited200GB£23.00
24 months
SmartUnlimitedUnlimited120GB£25.00
24 months
SIMUnlimitedUnlimited40GB£25.00
12 months
SmartUnlimitedUnlimited200GB£28.00
24 months
SIMUnlimitedUnlimited100GB£29.00
12 months
SIMUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£37.00
12 months
SmartUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£40.00
24 months
Full WorksUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£41.00
24 months

It’s also possible to use EE on a Pay As You Go basis with no need for a contract or credit check. However, EE’s Pay As You Go Packs will only give you access to 4G. You also won’t have access to benefits like Apple Music and BT Sport Ultimate on your plan.

Plans From Key Benefits Contract Length Coverage

£10/month
Apple Music
BT Sport
Smart Benefits
12 or 24 months
(no contract bundles available)
5G Coverage
(selected plans)
EE unlimited data plans are available from £37 per month.
EE also offers Pay As You Go Packs with no credit check & 4G coverage.

EE also offers a range of 4G phones and 5G phones on a 24-month contract.

For more information, see our guide to EE’s Smart plans and our guide to 5G coverage on EE.

IQ Mobile

IQ Mobile is a network from Gradwell Communications, a company that has historically focussed on providing business communication services. The IQ Mobile network is aimed at regular consumers and family mobile users, with IQ Mobile SIM-only deals available from £7/month:

NetworkMinutesTextsDataMonthly
Cost
IQ MobileUnlimitedUnlimitedNo data£7.00
1 month
IQ MobileUnlimitedUnlimited3GB£10.00
1 month
IQ MobileUnlimitedUnlimited10GB£15.00
1 month
IQ MobileUnlimitedUnlimited30GB£20.00
1 month
IQ MobileUnlimitedUnlimited100GB£25.00
12 months
IQ MobileUnlimitedUnlimited100GB£30.00
1 month

On IQ Mobile, you’ll get access to EE’s 4G network. They also promise “bespoke and personal service from a small expert team” based in Bath, Wells and London.

Plans From Key Benefits Contract Length Coverage

£7/month
Flexible 30 day plans
1 or 12 months
4G Coverage

Plusnet Mobile

If you’re looking for a flexible SIM-only deal that works on a one-month rolling basis, you can get a Plusnet Mobile SIM card from only £6 per month.

All Plusnet Mobile plans include unlimited minutes and unlimited texts, along with an allowance of mobile data and 4G coverage from EE.

NetworkMinutesTextsDataMonthly
Cost
Plusnet MobileUnlimitedUnlimited4GB£6.00
1 month
Plusnet MobileUnlimitedUnlimited8GB£7.00
1 month
Plusnet MobileUnlimitedUnlimited20GB£9.00
12 months

If you’re a Plusnet Broadband customer, the data allowance on your Plusnet Mobile plan will be boosted by 2GB per month. This means, for instance, you’ll get 22GB of data on Plusnet's £9 plan instead of the normal 20GB allowance which is available to other customers.

If you’re not a Plusnet Broadband customer, you can get Plusnet’s home broadband service from as little as £18.99 per month. You can also get up to a £75 reward card for signing up. See our guide to Plusnet’s broadband offers for more information.

The following table shows the key things to know about Plusnet Mobile:

Plans From Key Benefits Contract Length Coverage

£6/month
2GB extra data for Plusnet Broadband customers
1 month rolling
4G Coverage

For more information, see our Plusnet Mobile review.

 

Other Networks

There are also a number of very small mobile networks that offer coverage from EE. They include Ecotalk, The Phone Co-Op and Utility Warehouse. There are also a number of specialist mobile networks for calling abroad such as CMLink, CTExcel and Vectone Mobile.

Some of the other mobile networks offering coverage from EE include the following:

In the past, there were also several other mobile networks that also offered coverage from EE.

Most notably, Virgin Mobile customers on a 4G price plan will have access to 4G coverage on EE’s network. Virgin Mobile are currently in the process of moving their customers over to use Vodafone’s 5G coverage instead.

Similarly, ASDA Mobile has recently changed their coverage provider from EE to Vodafone. Customers who joined ASDA Mobile before March 2021 may still be receiving 4G coverage from EE. The old 4G service will close in summer 2021, with all customers being asked to migrate to the new service which uses coverage from Vodafone.

Compare EE Coverage Deals

If you’d like to compare all of the SIM-only deals using coverage from EE, you can use the following interactive comparison tool.

Start by choosing how much data you’d like, followed by the contract length you’d be happy to sign up for, and the mobile networks you’re considering. You’ll then be shown a list of available deals that match your criteria.

How much data do you want on your plan each month?

How long are you willing to commit for on a contract?

Which networks would you be happy to take a plan from?

Showing 45 of 45 price plans that match your criteria

NetworkMinutesTextsDataMonthly
Cost
EE250500250MB£5.00
No contract
Plusnet MobileUnlimitedUnlimited4GB£6.00
1 month
Plusnet MobileUnlimitedUnlimited8GB£7.00
1 month
IQ MobileUnlimitedUnlimitedNo data£7.00
1 month
Plusnet MobileUnlimitedUnlimited20GB£9.00
12 months
EEUnlimitedUnlimited10GB£10.00
12 months
1pMobile0010GB£10.00
No contract
EE500Unlimited5GB£10.00
No contract
IQ MobileUnlimitedUnlimited3GB£10.00
1 month
EE1,000Unlimited2GB£10.00
No contract
BT MobileUnlimitedUnlimited5GB£13.00
24 months
BT MobileUnlimitedUnlimited4GB£13.00
12 months
EEUnlimitedUnlimited250MB£13.00
12 months
EEUnlimitedUnlimited1GB£14.00
24 months
1pMobile0050GB£15.00
No contract
EEUnlimitedUnlimited25GB£15.00
12 months
BT MobileUnlimitedUnlimited20GB£15.00
24 months
EEUnlimitedUnlimited15GB£15.00
No contract
IQ MobileUnlimitedUnlimited10GB£15.00
1 month
BT MobileUnlimitedUnlimited10GB£15.00
12 months
EE2,000Unlimited5GB£15.00
No contract
BT MobileUnlimitedUnlimited16GB£17.00
12 months
EEUnlimitedUnlimited3GB£19.00
12 months
EEUnlimitedUnlimited120GB£20.00
24 months
EEUnlimitedUnlimited100GB£20.00
12 months
BT MobileUnlimitedUnlimited60GB£20.00
24 months
IQ MobileUnlimitedUnlimited30GB£20.00
1 month
BT MobileUnlimitedUnlimited30GB£20.00
12 months
EEUnlimitedUnlimited30GB£20.00
No contract
EEUnlimitedUnlimited200GB£23.00
24 months
EEUnlimitedUnlimited120GB£25.00
24 months
BT MobileUnlimitedUnlimited100GB£25.00
24 months
IQ MobileUnlimitedUnlimited100GB£25.00
12 months
BT MobileUnlimitedUnlimited60GB£25.00
12 months
EEUnlimitedUnlimited40GB£25.00
12 months
EE3,000Unlimited10GB£25.00
No contract
EEUnlimitedUnlimited200GB£28.00
24 months
EEUnlimitedUnlimited100GB£29.00
12 months
BT MobileUnlimitedUnlimited100GB£30.00
12 months
IQ MobileUnlimitedUnlimited100GB£30.00
1 month
EEUnlimitedUnlimited100GB£30.00
No contract
EE3,000Unlimited20GB£30.00
No contract
EEUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£37.00
12 months
EEUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£40.00
24 months
EEUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£41.00
24 months

If you’d also like to compare deals using a different coverage provider, see our full guide to SIM-only deals in the UK.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who uses the EE network?
In the UK, the following mobile networks offer coverage from EE:

Alongside these, there are also a number of very small networks such as Ecotalk, The Phone Co-Op, Utility Warehouse and Vectone Mobile.
Will I get the same coverage on another mobile network that piggybacks on EE?
You’ll get access to EE’s 2G, 3G and 4G network if you’re using another network that offers coverage from EE. This means you’ll be able to get a mobile signal in the same places you can get a signal from EE. If you’re using a 5G plan from BT Mobile or EE, you’ll also have access to EE’s 5G network.
Which mobile networks offer 5G coverage from EE?
At present, it’s only possible to access EE’s 5G network if you’re using a 5G-ready plan on BT Mobile or EE.
  • BT Mobile offers 5G at no extra cost on all of their SIM-only plans. These start from £8/month if you’re a BT Broadband customer, or from £13/month if you’re not a BT Broadband customer.
  • EE offers 5G-ready SIM-only deals from £10/month.
What coverage does EE offer in the UK?
EE currently offers the following coverage in the UK:
  • 5G Coverage: 160 towns and cities
  • 4G Coverage: 99% population coverage
  • 3G Coverage: 99% population coverage
  • 2G Coverage: 99% population coverage

More Information

For more information, you can read our full guide on EE’s network and coverage. We also have in-depth reviews of 1p Mobile, BT Mobile, EE and Plusnet Mobile.

Your Comments 23 so far

We'd love to hear your thoughts and any questions you may have. So far, we've received 23 comments from readers. You can add your own comment here.

  • kfs said:

    Thanks for flagging up the forthcoming Asda change, as of course they haven’t seen fit to inform customers. Do you know exactly when the change will happen? At home I only have coverage from EE, so will need to use up my Asda credit and switch. Vodafone has no coverage here – pure white!

    • Ken replied:

      Hi there,
      New ASDA Mobile customers are already being placed on the Vodafone network, but if you’re an existing customer with EE coverage, you can continue using the SIM card until September 2021.
      Hope this helps,
      Ken

      • kfs replied:

        Thanks Ken. Looks like Phone Coop is the best alternative. Your site is invaluable, always our family’s first point of reference in all matters mobile. Much appreciated.

  • David Hall said:

    Is this guide up to date.
    I’m about to make s decision on behalf of a children’s charity.
    Which is best way obtain, if we went ASDA?

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