Mobile Phone Coverage Comparison

| Friday, April 29, 2011
By Frederick Von Waltzembourg


Making sure that you get the mobile phone coverage you need is not necessarily a difficult task, but it does require that you carry out some checks before committing to a pay monthly offer. We will examine each of the UK's main operators to see which is most likely to give you decent mobile phone coverage in your area.

In the UK there are five network operators who provide the core infrastructures for mobile phone operations and then a further collection of virtual network providers (VNPs) which harness the cell towers and associated technology from the biggest organisations. Those who are signed up to an ASDA Mobile deal will actually be making use of Vodafone's network, while Abica Mobile channels 3 network coverage to get its customers talking, texting and surfing. You can check coverage in your area here.

3 network coverage is very competitive with its rivals and it is the only network which can rightly claim to offer 3G connectivity to the widest proportion of the UK's population. It is regularly ranked as the best network for smartphone users thanks to its speedy mobile internet access and while its 3G network encompasses 92 per cent of the population it is the 99 per cent coverage of 2G which means making calls and sending texts is possible wherever you are.

In terms of 2G mobile phone coverage Vodafone is able to keep up with 3, with 99 per cent 2G coverage promised by the third largest network in the country. It is less able to boast about its 80 per cent 3G coverage, although the promise of faster connectivity than its rivals in built up areas does give it some leverage when it comes to marketing.

O2 is neck and neck with Vodafone when it comes to both 2G and 3G coverage, although it is investing perhaps the largest amount of cash in improving its network and rolling out coverage to the areas which are currently lacking 3G. O2 also uses its links with the entertainment industry to set up temporary cover at festivals, so music fans will benefit.

Everything Everywhere is the UK's largest network, formed when T-Mobile and Orange merged in 2010, although these two providers still have their own customer bases, retail outlets and brands. The good news is that whether you sign up with T-Mobile or Orange you can use both providers' networks to take advantage of 93 per cent 3G coverage and 99 per cent 2G coverage, which is very competitive indeed.

When looking at the network coverage offered by the various providers it is worth noting that you can view specific coverage maps online, which will pinpoint your location and give you precise figures about how decent the service will be in your area.

There is no doubt that hardware and attractive tariff bundles can help sell phone plans, but those who want to actually get calls, send messages and download apps to their sparkly new handset should never forget that mobile coverage is something to consider before making a purchase.




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