Many telecom service providers in the market are fighting hard for the top spot. They use clever marketing tricks to lure you to their products and enhance sales.
With so many options to choose from and cutthroat competition amongst mobile phone service providers, it becomes even hard to choose the best network for mobile.
While choosing a telecom provider, you must be careful about many things. Everybody wants a network with the best coverage and rates. However, there are a lot of other factors that you need to keep in mind.
These include the company’s reputation, international calling and texting, speed capacity, customer support, and different plans to cater to your needs.
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What is the best network coverage in the UK?
Which best mobile network are you going for? To be honest, it’s quite a tricky task. Don’t stress; we’ve made it easy for you. Below are some of the most important things to consider when opting for the best mobile network in the UK.
1. Reputation of the network company
The first and foremost thing you should notice is whether your telecom service provider is reputable for offering user-friendly plans. Also, consider the number of years they’ve been in the industry. You can trust them with your connection if they’ve been operating for many years.
During all these years, how many customers have dragged them to court? If they’ve been involved in many lawsuits, this is a red flag and a clear indication to move ahead to other options.
One more factor to consider is how reliable they are. Go through the results they’ve garnered over the years. If they’ve been providing services to their clientele for over a decade, their key focus is longevity and lasting customer relations.
Moreover, how many collaborations they’ve been a part of. Are they involved in any kind of social work like the betterment of homeless people, etc.? It is another thing you need to search for before choosing a mobile phone service provider.
2. Network Coverage
Another trait of good telecom service providers is that they all provide a widespread network with the best coverage. You are losing out on a lot if you choose a network that doesn’t have wide-ranging coverage. Make sure you select the best mobile network in the UK based on its coverage so that you aren’t limited to specific areas.
Before choosing, see if a telecom company provides 4G LTE connectivity. This functionality is one of the basics before deciding on a particular network provider. Moreover, telecom companies have already started expanding 5G networks in the country.
Check to see if a network has 5G connectivity in your area. If not, there should be 4G coverage, at least. You’ll be left behind the world if you don’t take advantage of the 4G or 5G network.
Interesting read: Mobile Network Terminologies – 5G, LTE, 4G, H+, 3G, G
3. Contract Length
Nowadays, telecom providers are marketing many deals where you can get a high-end smartphone with a phone plan. However, to grab this super beneficial deal, you may be bound by a contract that could span two years. Sometimes more.
Although you get a handset of your choice at the most convenient payment plan, getting out of these contracts can be costly. For instance, if you plan to end the contract before the intended time, you may have to pay hefty penalties.
Some of the best mobile networks in the UK will offer you great deals comprising the leading flagship phones at the best rates without any restrictive contracts. Search for such deals, and you will thank me later.
4. Customer Service Quality
There will be instances when you feel like complaining about a service, network problem, or a value-added feature, or your plan doesn’t work the way it should. This is where customer service quality comes to play.
Before you buy a plan from a particular company, check to see whether their customer service is up to the mark. Do they implement industry policies? Are they customer friendly? Do they put customers and their satisfaction above all? It would be best if you found out the answers to these questions.
If they have unparalleled customer support, you have a green light. On the contrary, if they don’t provide high-quality services, you better search for another network provider.
5. Pricing/Cost structure
In these times of inflation, we want everything to be less costly and within our budget. The same goes for phone plans; we want every essential, like calls, texts, data bundles, and roaming, to be affordable. To lower your phone bill, search for the best pocket-friendly plans that fulfill your needs.
Before selecting a network provider or going through a range of plans, consider the pricing structure and how much you’ll end up paying. Most people don’t do their research or read the terms and conditions beforehand and end up paying extra.
The best mobile networks in the UK mostly have contract subscribers. However, clients also have the chance to switch to prepaid services. It is essential to remember that prepaid customers don’t get many beneficial services and promotions compared to post-paid plan subscribers.
6. International calling and texting options
If you are a frequent traveler to other countries for business, sightseeing, or any purposes, one of the most important factors to consider is the international calling and texting options.
Many telecom network providers allow you this facility of international calling or texting. However, it comes at a heavy price. In this scenario, the best mobile network in the UK for you will be the one that allows you to call and text internationally at competitive prices.
This factor is crucial if you visit other countries regularly or have friends and family living abroad.
7. Devices the company is offering
When opting for a plan, most subscribers are interested in the smartphone included in the plan. And so should you. Don’t go for it blindly; instead, choose the latest device that is 5G enabled and lets you perform crucial tasks. Even if they compel you to pay slightly more.
Whether you are buying it for personal or business purposes, mobile with 5G connectivity will serve you in the long run.
Before finalizing your plan, dive into the device’s features to decide whether it is good for you. If you are getting a 5G phone of your choice, make sure you buy a network plan with ample data to fulfill your needs.
For instance, 5G smartphone owners tend to use more data than those having 4G and 3G-enabled sets.
They are more likely to play online games, stream HD videos and download heavy files. The latest devices allow them the convenience to do these tasks and have fun while on the go.
8. Security
If your smartphone has all your important personal or business data, like emails, text messages, contacts, files, and cloud software, choose a mobile phone service provider that promises excellent security.
In case of theft or damage to the phone, telecom companies enable you to wipe out all the crucial data from your device. The security features allow you to locate the stolen or lost device, remotely manage theft and block unwanted messages and calls.
9. Quantify your voice and data consumption
Before going for a specific mobile network provider, measuring your voice and data consumption is quite handy. It helps you find the right service provider and plan that suits your needs.
For instance, if you are an average internet user who mostly browses the internet, scrolls social media for a few minutes every day, and makes video calls occasionally, a basic or standard plan is enough for you. These packages also include voice calls and texts to ensure you stay connected to your loved ones.
On the other hand, if you love to spend a few hours every day playing online games or streaming high-quality videos on YouTube and Netflix, you can go for packages that offer you 30GBs or more.
If you still think this is insufficient and require 100GBs or want to enjoy unlimited data to go along with unlimited minutes and texts, you can also get them at a reasonable cost. It all depends on your choice and use.
10. Want to go prepaid?
It is a known fact that most the users prefer post-paid plans. However, going prepaid – instead of post-paid – has its own benefits. Prepaid plans are better for those customers who want to save money and keep a check on their data usage, minutes & text consumption.
Best mobile phone service providers in the UK and worldwide offer cheap prepaid plans for those who want to keep their usage under check. You can set a limit to your consumption which eventually saves you from unexpected costs at the end of the month.
Simply saying, prepaid users pay for their usage upfront compared to post-paid users, who pay for the service after a month or a specific time.
Lastly, if you choose to be a prepaid customer, you may not enjoy all the benefits your network provides, and your choices may be limited.
Final Say
Finding the best mobile network in the UK can be pretty daunting. However, considering the abovementioned factors, you can easily find the best option suited to your needs. It is advised not to hassle into things and do your research to find the most affordable and reputable network with the best coverage.
Moreover, their offers and promotions, customer support, devices, and pricing structure are some of the other notable features that should trump other phone plan providers.
Which network are you using? And what network – in your view – is the best in the country? Do let us know in the comments section.