Budget carriers using EE network

[CarDoodle]

I’m hunting for the best SIM only deal using the EE network - any recommended carriers?

Using moneysavingexpert and some a Google-fu turns up plusnet and BT, but prices all seem quite high compared to the likes of SMARTY and GiffGaff. EE direct looks to be £22/mo for a rolling contract with 1GB!

I need around 8-10gb max so generally looking for £10/month or below.

I’m trying to find the best signal where I stay and so far O2 and 3 have been patchy, so trying EE next.

[jurbie]

I believe 1pMobile are probably your best bet.

[Saleen836]

Virgin Mobile have some good deals on currently, they use Vodafone network so maybe ask around your area or check Vodafone for your area...
https://www.vodafone.co.uk/network/status-checker

[dontfollowme]

I was going to suggest Plus Net but it appears the coverage isn't the same as EE.

[bazza white]

Black friday is in a months time worth holding on until then. EE do go deals I pay £16 for 100gb and unlimited mins an texts.

May be worth getting a PAYG sim and then phoning them for an upgrade.

[Sheets Tabuer]

I have smarty, no complaints.

[pokethepope]

Saleen836 said:

Virgin Mobile have some good deals on currently, they use Vodafone network so maybe ask around your area or check Vodafone for your area...
https://www.vodafone.co.uk/network/status-checker

Virgin uses O2, not EE

[M_A_S]

pokethepope said:

Saleen836 said:

Virgin Mobile have some good deals on currently, they use Vodafone network so maybe ask around your area or check Vodafone for your area...
https://www.vodafone.co.uk/network/status-checker

Virgin uses O2, not EE

They currently use Vodafone. O2 have bought them so, at some point in the future, they'll be going to O2.

[megaphone]

I pay £7ish for unlimited calls & texts and 20GB data on EE. I went into an EE shop a few years ago and got it for £5, it's gone up with the apr each year.

Edited by megaphone on Sunday 30th October 08:53

[Sunday Drive]

EE pay go is £13.50 via DD for 15GB, unlimited calls and texts.

[ARHarh]

Been using Plusnet for years now, never had an issue.

[The Chevalier de Recci]

I run 5 phones all through Smarty for the family.

3 are on 50gb per month at £10 and the other 2 are unlimited data at £15 per month.

All are 1 month rolling deals with no tie in.

Been using these for about a year so far.

Smarty have demonstrated great customer service so far being quick to reply and technically helpful.

Not found an area lacking in coverage yet moving mostly around the West Midlands plus Bristol and London.

Edit to add, sign up via Uswitch or Moneysupermarket as it's much cheaper than direct to Smarty.

Edited by The Chevalier de Recci on Sunday 30th October 09:18

[LuS1fer]

Depends on who is best for your area

A few years ago, I moved from Giff Gaff to Smarty and couldn't even get a signal indide the house and it wasn't much better outside so it was back to Giff Gaff who are reliable for my needs.

[surveyor]

M_A_S said:

pokethepope said:

Saleen836 said:

Virgin Mobile have some good deals on currently, they use Vodafone network so maybe ask around your area or check Vodafone for your area...
https://www.vodafone.co.uk/network/status-checker

Virgin uses O2, not EE

They currently use Vodafone. O2 have bought them so, at some point in the future, they'll be going to O2.

New customers are already using O2.

[Mr-B]

megaphone said:

I pay £7ish for unlimited calls & texts and 20GB data on EE. I went into an EE shop a few years ago and got it for £5, it's gone up with the apr each year.

Edited by megaphone on Sunday 30th October 08:53

Tried going into a shop earlier this year to see if I could get a better deal, no chance. He wasn't interested in the slightest, just said to call CS (which I had already tried but they weren't interested either), or he could sell me a new phone on a new contract that was a phone with half the spec of the one I had in my hand. EE used to be really good at matching the best deals around but since BT got involved....

Plusnet use EE but I think they don't get the full monty, i.e I don't think they offer wifi calling. EE also have 2 download speeds on 5g, up to 100mbs and up to 900mbs and obviously you have to pay more for the higher speeds. Defo not the provider they once were in terns of VFM.

[mcflurry]

RWG / Now mobile use EE, if any good?

[Chrisgr31]

surveyor said:

M_A_S said:

pokethepope said:

Saleen836 said:

Virgin Mobile have some good deals on currently, they use Vodafone network so maybe ask around your area or check Vodafone for your area...
https://www.vodafone.co.uk/network/status-checker

Virgin uses O2, not EE

They currently use Vodafone. O2 have bought them so, at some point in the future, they'll be going to O2.

New customers are already using O2.

Although Vodafone and O2 use the same mast network!

[surveyor]

Chrisgr31 said:

surveyor said:

M_A_S said:

pokethepope said:

Saleen836 said:

Virgin Mobile have some good deals on currently, they use Vodafone network so maybe ask around your area or check Vodafone for your area...
https://www.vodafone.co.uk/network/status-checker

Virgin uses O2, not EE

They currently use Vodafone. O2 have bought them so, at some point in the future, they'll be going to O2.

New customers are already using O2.

Although Vodafone and O2 use the same mast network!

Mostly. There are some variations and while they use to share the infrastructure on site they have always made the decision about technology site independently. They are now going a step further and on some sites will have separate antenna.

There is also a rumour that vf and three are going to merge. What that does to the infrastructure sharing agreements is anyone’s guess!

[anonymous-user]

surveyor said:

Chrisgr31 said:

surveyor said:

M_A_S said:

pokethepope said:

Saleen836 said:

Virgin Mobile have some good deals on currently, they use Vodafone network so maybe ask around your area or check Vodafone for your area...
https://www.vodafone.co.uk/network/status-checker

Virgin uses O2, not EE

They currently use Vodafone. O2 have bought them so, at some point in the future, they'll be going to O2.

New customers are already using O2.

Although Vodafone and O2 use the same mast network!

Mostly. There are some variations and while they use to share the infrastructure on site they have always made the decision about technology site independently. They are now going a step further and on some sites will have separate antenna.

There is also a rumour that vf and three are going to merge. What that does to the infrastructure sharing agreements is anyone’s guess!

They're both completely different networks and network operators with independent home location registers (HLRs), you may have seen news of a linkup under a shared rural coverage scheme which is intended for network operators to share equipment in rural areas with poor signal with less investment from the Network Operators but they're still completely separate networks and deal with the data in different ways.

[surveyor]

sebdangerfield said:

surveyor said:

Chrisgr31 said:

surveyor said:

M_A_S said:

pokethepope said:

Saleen836 said:

Virgin Mobile have some good deals on currently, they use Vodafone network so maybe ask around your area or check Vodafone for your area...
https://www.vodafone.co.uk/network/status-checker

Virgin uses O2, not EE

They currently use Vodafone. O2 have bought them so, at some point in the future, they'll be going to O2.

New customers are already using O2.

Although Vodafone and O2 use the same mast network!

Mostly. There are some variations and while they use to share the infrastructure on site they have always made the decision about technology site independently. They are now going a step further and on some sites will have separate antenna.

There is also a rumour that vf and three are going to merge. What that does to the infrastructure sharing agreements is anyone’s guess!

They're both completely different networks and network operators with independent home location registers (HLRs), you may have seen news of a linkup under a shared rural coverage scheme which is intended for network operators to share equipment in rural areas with poor signal with less investment from the Network Operators but they're still completely separate networks and deal with the data in different ways.

Chris is referring to the shared infrastructure via CTIL, and consequently, you will usually find O2 and VF on the same sites.