Searching for a mobile network with fast 5G, and really good coverage?
Below, we’ve explained which are the best 5G networks in the UK at the moment, based on their real-world performance.
We’ve used our own testing and third-party data to assess the performance of each of these mobile networks, in terms of their download and upload speeds, and 5G availability.
Best 5G networks
In this section, we’ve taken a look at five of the best 5G networks based on their coverage and speeds, as well as value for money.
1. Three
Three has the fastest average 5G speeds in the UK at the moment, according to data from user tests performed on the speedtest.net app.
From our testing, we also found that Three has the UK’s fastest 5G, especially in terms of download speeds.
We have experienced strong Three 5G coverage in our area of the West Midlands, as well as in most parts of London.
The one drawback to Three is, their 5G upload speeds can be a bit slow at times, compared to EE or Vodafone.
However, we think Three more than makes up for this with their value for money. They’re almost always the cheapest of the big four networks, and their prices are also competitive with most mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) as well.
View the Three coverage map to check your local 5G signal
2. Smarty
Smarty is a smaller mobile network that uses Three infrastructure.
We’ve found Smarty offers the same 5G speeds and coverage as Three, but with lower monthly costs on their SIM-only deals.
Sometimes, customers of MVNOs get worse service compared to people using the parent network directly. However, this isn’t the case with Smarty, we think in large part because they’re entirely owned by Three, rather than just buying network access from them.
Smarty doesn’t have the same range of pay monthly phone deals that Three does – they’re very focused on SIM-only plans. But if you just need a SIM, they’re very cost-competitive, and offer fast average 5G speeds.
Plus, compared to Three, Smarty is generally easier to get started with. It’s easy to order a SIM with no credit check and get up and running quickly.
View the Smarty coverage map to check your local 5G signal
3. Vodafone
Vodafone is the second-fastest 5G network in the UK at the moment, and in our experience, their coverage is quite good in most places as well.
This network performs particularly well in major cities. Their average speeds are strong compared to O2 and EE in London, Manchester, and Birmingham.
Vodafone has a huge range of SIM-only and pay monthly handset deals to choose from, and often offers competitive deals on the latest flagship phones, as well as cheaper models.
Their customer support team is UK-based, although they are very livechat-focused, and are generally pretty helpful if you ever run into any issues.
It’s important to note though, many Vodafone plans are speed-restricted to 100 Mbps.
This is still plenty of bandwidth for basically anything you’d want to do on your phone, but if you want unlimited speeds, be prepared to pay for a more expensive plan when buying from Vodafone.
View the Vodafone coverage map to check your local 5G signal
4. EE
EE is the best 5G network in the UK when it comes to coverage.
Their top speeds aren’t the best, but they are still fast, and EE offers 5G in many places that other networks don’t, especially in smaller towns.
The problem is, EE is quite expensive. And similar to Vodafone, some of their SIM plans are speed-limited.
If you don’t mind paying more though, another good thing about EE is it’s not just their 5G where their coverage is really strong. They also have the best 4G network in the UK.
As a result, if you travel in the countryside, you’ll often find yourself still being able to get online and make calls in places where Three and Vodafone users can’t.
View the EE coverage map to check your local 5G signal
5. VOXI
VOXI is a Vodafone MVNO, owned by Vodafone.
Meaning, they give you a simpler, cheaper way to access Vodafone’s fast 5G, with no speed limits.
From our testing, VOXI and Vodafone perform almost exactly the same when it comes to 5G speeds and coverage, similar to with Three and Smarty.
Even though they’re an MVNO, VOXI still has a good range of handset plans you can buy, as well as SIM-only deals.
Plus, their tariffs often come with unlimited social media usage, or unlimited video streaming, which can be very useful if you don’t want to pay for a plan with a high data limit.
Essentially, if you want a SIM-only deal, we’d almost always recommend VOXI if you want to use the Vodafone network, although their plans are relatively basic.
View the VOXI coverage map to check your local 5G signal
How to choose which network to join
Below, we’ve explained some good things to think about when deciding on the right 5G network for you.
Which is the fastest 5G network?
Three is the fastest of the big four mobile networks at the moment, when it comes to average 5G speeds.
This is in part because their closest two competitors, Vodafone and EE, often put speed caps on their 5G data plans, unless you pay more for unlimited speeds.
After Three, Vodafone ranks in second place in terms of average 5G speeds, followed by EE, then O2.
Three has the biggest advantage when it comes to download speeds, and less of an advantage when it comes to upload speeds, although they are still the fastest in this area, on average.
Other small mobile networks that use Three infrastructure also tend to perform very well when it comes to 5G speeds, including Smarty and iD Mobile.
It’s important to note, this does not mean that Three (and its MVNOs) will always offer the fastest 5G speeds in every part of the UK. 5G performance across networks can vary significantly by area.
Which 5G network has the best coverage?
EE tends to offer the best 5G coverage in the UK, although Three and Vodafone also offer strong 5G availability.
The advantage of EE is the amount of coverage they have in smaller towns, as well as cities.
They have historically always had the best 4G network in the UK, and have made strong investments in 5G as well. It’s just, most of their plans are speed-limited, so their average 5G speeds are not as good as what you get with Vodafone or Three.
Do MVNOs offer the same 5G performance as their parent network?
Apart from the big four mobile networks (Three, Vodafone, EE, and O2), there are a number of smaller companies known as MVNOs that also offer mobile plans.
These smaller providers lease network access from one of the big four, rather than having their own network masts. Since MVNOs buy data and minutes in bulk, they can often offer cheaper prices compared to buying from the big four directly.
You might be wondering then, if you use a Three MVNO for example, like Smarty, will you get the same 5G performance compared to using Three itself?
We’ve found that it depends on whether the MVNO is owned by the parent network or not.
Smarty is owned by Three, and VOXI is owned by Vodafone for example. From our testing, these providers offer the same speeds and coverage as their parent network.
However, this may not always be the case, especially if the MVNO is simply buying network access from the larger network, instead of operating as a subsidiary.
Other things to consider when choosing a new mobile network
Apart from 5G speeds and coverage, here are some other important things to consider when choosing a new mobile network.
- 4G speeds and coverage – you won’t always be in a 5G area, so it can be worth considering the network’s 4G coverage as well. EE performs well here, especially in rural areas.
- Roaming allowances, especially if you often travel overseas.
- Offers and discounts for bundled services. For instance, you can sometimes save money as a family by all joining a given network together, if group discounts are available. There are other services you can normally bundle as well. As a Vodafone pay monthly mobile customer, you can get a discount if you sign up for Vodafone home broadband for example.
- Customer service. Is the provider’s support team helpful and easy to get in touch with?
- Other nice-to-have features. For example, WiFi calling, or unlimited social media usage separate to your data plan.
Which is the cheapest network with strong 5G?
If you want a cheap SIM-only deal with fast 5G, we generally recommend Smarty.
They offer access to Three 5G, which is the fastest in the country, and they perform just as well as their parent company, from our testing.
All of their SIMs come with a rolling monthly contract, and very low monthly costs.
5G NSA vs SA explained
There are two types of 5G technology currently in use: standalone (SA) and non-standalone (NSA).
Essentially, 5G NSA relies on elements of 4G LTE infrastructure to deliver its core service, while SA uses entirely new infrastructure.
5G SA is a lot faster and offers lower latency than 5G NSA, but it is quite rare to see at the moment.
Currently, the big four networks are rolling out 5G SA in more areas, focusing on major cities to begin with. Vodafone, Three, and EE are all making large investments in this area.
How to fix poor 5G performance
If you’re suffering from slow 5G, or struggle to get coverage, there are a few things you can do to address this.
- Check where the nearest mast is, using a website like cellmapper.net. It could be that your provider doesn’t have a mast close enough to provide strong 5G.
- Turn your phone off and on again, especially if it’s been a while since you last restarted it. This forces the handset to reconnect to the mobile network completely, which can result in it picking up stronger 5G bands.
- Ensure that there are no speed limits on your plan. These are quite common with Vodafone and EE SIMs.
- Check that you don’t have a VPN running on your phone, or any other apps that could be slowing down your mobile connection.
Conclusion
This is the end of our guide to the best 5G networks in the UK.
In terms of speeds, Three performs best overall, but EE has the best 5G coverage in the UK – although they are very expensive.
If you’re not sure which 5G network to join, leave us a comment below, and we’ll respond as soon as we can.
About the author
Tom is the founder of Green Smartphones. You’ll find him writing about phones on the Green Smartphones blog, or talking about SIM deals and mobile networks on our YouTube channel. He’s the Android expert on the team – currently using a Google Pixel 9, recently upgrading from a very long-suffering Note 20 Ultra. When he’s not working on Green Smartphones, you’ll find him playing football or hiking.