By SMARTY offers 5G coverage at no extra cost on all of their plans, plus 99% population coverage on 4G.
In the UK, SMARTY now offers 5G at no extra cost on all of their SIM-only plans, starting from £6/month. This allows you to access average download speeds in excess of 200Mbps on a 5G-ready device, with no need for a contract or credit check. You’ll also get 99% population coverage on 4G, along with Wi-Fi Calling and 4G Calling on compatible mobile phones.
At present, SMARTY’s most popular 5G-ready plans include 50GB data for £8 per month and unlimited data for £16 per month. For lighter mobile users, there’s also 50GB data for £8 per month.
Get Unlimited Data & 5G for £16/month →
In this article, we’ll look at SMARTY’s mobile network coverage. We’ll start with an overview of their new 5G service, including the benefits of 5G and compatible 5G-ready phones. We’ll then look at SMARTY’s 5G-ready plans, the other forms of coverage they offer and the download speeds you can expect on SMARTY.
| SMARTY Coverage: |
|
|---|---|
| Plans From: | From £6/month |
| Best 5G Ready Plans: | |
| Download Speeds: | 259Mbps average on 5G (up to 597Mbps) 20Mbps average on 4G (up to 70Mbps) |
| 5G Plan Features: |
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Contents
5G on SMARTY
In the UK, SMARTY has just added 5G coverage to all of their plans at no extra cost. This means you’re now able to access SMARTY’s 5G network if you’re using a compatible 5G-ready phone. There are three major benefits to this:
- You’ll get much faster download speeds. On their 5G network, SMARTY offers an average download speed of more than 200Mbps. This is around 5-10 times faster than 4G. It means you’re able to stream, browse and download much faster on your phone. In some cases, download speeds can go up to 597Mbps.
- You’ll get more network capacity. SMARTY’s 5G network has a lot more capacity for carrying mobile data. This means you’ll get a better experience in areas where lots of other people are also using the network at the same time (e.g. when using your phone in a football stadium, train station or shopping centre).
- You’ll get lower amounts of latency. Compared to 4G, 5G networks have a lower amount of latency. This means you’ll get a more responsive experience – something that’s particularly important for things like online gaming on your phone.
SMARTY’s 5G network is powered by Three, who currently offer 5G coverage in more than 300 UK towns and cities. According to SMARTY, their 5G service is currently available on the following devices:
Alcatel: TCL 10 5G.
Apple: iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 13 Mini, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12.
Google: Pixel 5 5G.
HMD Global: Nokia X10 5G.
Huawei: Mate 40 Pro 5G, P40 5G, P40 Pro 5G, Mate 20 X 5G, P40 Lite 5G.
OnePlus: 9 Pro 5G, Nord CE 5G, Nord 5G, 8 Pro 5G, 8 5G, Nord 2 5G.
Oppo: Find X3 Lite, Find X3 Pro, Find X3 Neo.
Samsung: Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G, Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G, Galaxy S20 5G, Galaxy Note 10+ 5G, Galaxy S10 5G, Galaxy Fold3, Galaxy A52s, Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G, Galaxy Flip 3 5G, Galaxy S21 FE 5G, Galaxy A52s 5G, Galaxy A32 5G, Galaxy Fold 2 5G, Galaxy A52 5G, Galaxy S21+ 5G, Galaxy S20 FE 5G, Galaxy S21 5G, Galaxy S20+ 5G, Galaxy Z Flip 5G, Galaxy A22 5G.
Xiaomi: Mi 11T Pro 5G, Redmi Note 10 5G, Mi 11 Lite 5G NE, Mi 10 5G, Mi 10 T Pro 5G, Mix 3 5G, Mi 11 Lite 5G, Mi 11 5G.
If you’re using a device that isn’t compatible with SMARTY’s 5G service, you’ll still be able to access their 3G and 4G network.
3G & 4G Coverage
Alongside their 5G coverage, SMARTY also offers the following types of coverage:
| SMARTY Coverage Type | Coverage Level | Supported Bands & Frequencies |
|---|---|---|
| 5G Coverage | ✔ 300+ UK towns & cities |
|
| 4G Coverage | ✔ 99.8% population coverage (with 4G Calling on compatible devices) |
|
| 3G Coverage | Some coverage available Currently being switched off |
|
| 2G Coverage | ✘ Not available |
If you’re using a compatible device, you’ll also get Wi-Fi Calling and 4G Calling on SMARTY.
In recent years, SMARTY has been performing a major upgrade of their 4G network, alongside the launch of their new 5G service. On 4G, this has led to speed improvements of up to 130% in areas that have been upgraded with the latest technology. The 4G network upgrades consist of three major changes:
- The introduction of 4G+ technology. This combines multiple 4G frequencies to boost the speeds you can get on SMARTY’s network. This technique is also known as LTE-Advanced Carrier Aggregation.
- The upgrade of older 3G spectrum to 4G. This improves the utilisation of 2100MHz spectrum so you’re able to get faster 4G speeds rather than 3G speeds.
- The introduction of L-Band spectrum. Also known as Super 4G+, this involves the addition of L-band spectrum (band 32). It further improves the download speeds you can get on 4G.
SMARTY 5G Plans
You can get a 5G-ready plan from just £6/month on SMARTY.
At present, the most popular plans on SMARTY include 50GB data for £8 and unlimited data for £16. For lighter users requiring less data, there’s also a 50GB data for £8 which is also very popular.
The following table shows a list of SMARTY’s 5G-ready plans:
| Network | Data | Monthly Cost | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5GB data | £6.00 per month 1 month rolling | See deal |
| 8GB data | £7.00 per month 1 month rolling | See deal |
Offer ends 17th Feb | 50GB data | £8.00 per month 1 month rolling | See deal |
Offer ends 21st Jan | 80GB data | £10.00 per month 1 month rolling | See deal |
| 100GB data | £12.00 per month 1 month rolling | See deal |
| 150GB data | £15.00 per month 1 month rolling | See deal |
| Unlimited data | £16.00 per month 1 month rolling | See deal |
| 200GB data | £17.00 per month 1 month rolling | See deal |
Download Speeds
In the UK, SMARTY uses Three’s network to power their underlying service. This is offered without any speed restrictions or caps. As a result, you should get the same download speed whether you’re using your phone on SMARTY or on Three.
According to Ookla (H2 2021 data), Three has the UK’s fastest 5G network with a median download speed of 259Mbps and a median upload speed of 14Mbps.
According to SMARTY, the estimated maximum speeds available on their network are as follows:
| Technology | Download Speed | Upload Speed |
|---|---|---|
| 5G | Up to 597Mbps | Up to 50Mbps |
| 4G | Up to 70Mbps | Up to 22Mbps |
In practice, the speeds you get will depend on your location and device. Factors such as the signal strength in your area and the amount of available capacity will also have an impact.
APN Internet Settings
To access the internet on your phone, it’s important to have the right APN internet settings set up for SMARTY’s network.
The following APN or Access Point Name settings will allow you to use data on SMARTY, both in the UK and abroad:
| Smarty Mobile Internet APN Settings | |
|---|---|
| Name: | 3 |
| APN: | mob.asm.net |
| Username: | (leave blank) |
| Password: | (leave blank) |
| Picture Message (MMS) Settings | |
| MMSC: | http://mms.um.three.co.uk:10021/mmsc |
| Proxy: | 217.171.129.2 |
| Port: | 8799 |
For more information, see SMARTY’s help centre or see our full guide to mobile internet APN settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
| What network coverage does SMARTY offer? | In the UK, SMARTY offers the following types of mobile coverage:
In addition, you can access 4G Calling and Wi-Fi Calling on a compatible device. |
|---|---|
| How can I check SMARTY’s coverage in my area? | The best way to check SMARTY’s coverage in your area is using their online coverage map. You can simply enter your postcode to see the coverage available where you live. |
| Does SMARTY offer 5G coverage? | Yes. As of January 2022, SMARTY now offers 5G at no extra cost on all of their plans. You’ll need a 5G-ready device and you’ll need to be in a 5G coverage area. |
| What are 4G Calling and Wi-Fi Calling on SMARTY? | 4G Calling allows you to make and receive phone calls using VoLTE technology. It gives you a more reliable experience along with better quality HD phone calls.
Wi-Fi Calling allows you to make and receive phone calls and text messages wherever you have a Wi-Fi connection. It’s handy for staying in touch where a mobile signal isn’t available (e.g. when underground). |
| Does SMARTY offer any international coverage? | Yes. You can use your SMARTY SIM card at no extra cost when travelling in the EU. Outside the EU, you’ll need to top up your account with a cash balance to pay for your usage. |
More Information
You can see SMARTY’s official website for further information about 5G on SMARTY and SMARTY’s mobile network coverage. You can also read our in-depth SMARTY review.
Dave said:
Hi Ken, Great news that my Smarty sim will now run 5g. However, Smarty have published a list of phones by brand and model as the only ones that will work on the smarty 5g network. Motorola is not on the list. Why would they do this?
Ken replied:
Hi Dave,
Great question! I believe the mobile networks often need to get their network/carrier setting updated by the manufacturer which might be one explanation for them not listing any 5G phones from Motorola. Saying that, if you have a 5G phone from Motorola, it’s always worth a try as it might be that they just haven’t listed it on their site.
Ken
Mr Gavin J Davies said:
I just thought I would add my review. I was on a £1 for any package promotion, apart from unlimited, so went for 50GB (found promotion in a webpage advert). I stuck the SIM in a WIFI hotspot and put it in the window facing transmitter. I got quite good speeds in Speedtest.net but web browsing and you tube where a bit slow at peek time probably due to only being on 3G in Lanlithgow.
As a result I would not recommend Smarty in my area but obviously, every area has different coverage, so give it a go and see what happens. I’m now with Lebara, which is more expensive but is 4G and a lot faster, and feels snappy when opening webpages, and video. Lebara is more expensive compared to Smarty so worth giving smart ago first incase it meets your needs.
Matt said:
Smarty do actually have a £5/month plan, they don’t advertise it much but it does appear in their Price Guide PDF. Only comes with 500mb data a month, but for low data users it may be the cheapest way to get unlimited calls and texts: https://smarty.co.uk/plans/500mb-data
Also for anyone thinking about their unlimited data plan, have a quick Google around because they usually have an offer going for £15/month for your first year. However the T&C’s on that one say you have to arrive via an affiliate, so not sure they’ll let you actually sign up if you just roll up on their website!