A guide to smaller virtual mobile network providers

When you think of mobile networks, certain names probably spring to mind. EE, O2, Vodafone and Three (now VodafoneThree) are the UK networks that tend to dominate the market, yet often score poorly in our customer surveys. 

Smaller, alternative networks have established themselves and are becoming more popular, such as Giffgaff, Lebara and Smarty. You can read about many of these in our guide to the best and worst mobile networks.

But there are more networks launching all the time, often with great prices and useful perks. We've rounded up a selection that don't appear in our regular survey to help you pick the perfect provider.

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Ecotalk Mobile

• Network: EE
• EU roaming allowance:  £2 a day to use your UK calls, texts, and data services, with data usage subject to a fair use cap of 25% of your normal allowance while abroad.

Ecotalk offers both physical Sim and eSim contracts. The reinvestment of profits into restoring and protecting Britain's natural resources makes Ecotalk an excellent choice for anyone keen to turn their telephone usage into action. 

Through rewilding, native species replanting, and wildlife reintroduction, customers can actively contribute to the restoration of the UK's ecosystems with every phone call, text, and internet search. Regular nature updates are available online, including live camera footage of wildlife habitats. 

Along with regular Sim deals starting from £8 a month, Ecotalk offers a £4 Sim plan called ‘Just Talk’. Advertised for Kids, this plan aims to help parents easily monitor internet usage and manage screen time by offering unlimited UK messages and minutes but no data. 

Grade Mobile 

• Network: EE
• EU roaming allowance: 20GB

With an aim to promote sustainability and reduce electronic waste, Grade Mobile repairs and refurbishes devices that would otherwise be discarded, and sells and leases them. Alongside this, they offer varying Sim-only deals from £9 a month. 

Using EE’s network, customers can access fast data speeds and 4G/5G coverage. No credit checks are needed, and Sim plans can be changed at any time.

Honest Mobile

The loyalty penalty is rife across many industries, from mobile and broadband to insurance and mortgages – the longer a customer stays with a provider, the more they pay each year. This has been particularly problematic with mobile contracts, with recent years seeing annual increases by some providers of nearly 18%. 

Started in 2019, Honest's unique feature is that their customer’s bills drop by 0.41% every month they stay with the network. This accumulates up to a maximum discount of 30%. It’s an alternative take on the discounts and price freezes usually offered by mobile providers. 

Honest also offers Smart Sim, an eSim that can connect to all the big four networks to get the best signal. This also provides free roaming in over 180 countries when using over 500 essential apps such as for messaging, navigation and banking.  

• Network: Classic Sims use Three, Smart Sim switches between EE, O2 and VodafoneThree depending on signal strength 
• EU roaming allowance: free for the first five days, then £2 a day.

Find out more: Who is Honest Mobile and are its Sim deals good value?

Mozillion

• Network: EE
• EU roaming allowance: 50% of 1GB plan allowance, 25% of 3GB to 100GB plan allowance, and 25GB of unlimited plans.

This brand started as a platform for buying and selling mobile phones, before later launching a mobile network. 

Sim-only plans and pay monthly phone plans are available, all with fixed prices. You can buy a brand new Sim-free phone, or a refurbished device that comes with a 12-month warranty. 

A slightly different offering to others in this round-up, you could try and find a bargain by using Mozillion to sell your old phone, pick up a better but refurbished phone, and match it with a Sim deal. 

Rewild Mobile 

• Network: Three and Vodafone
• EU roaming allowance: 20GB, travel eSims are also available 

By using only eSims and no physical Sim cards, Rewild Mobile is completely plastic-free. Rewild Mobile says its primary mission is to direct its profits towards rewilding, biodiversity and habitat recovery. As such, it’s a member of 1% for the Planet, has signed the Anti Greenwash Charter, and is currently pursuing B Corp certification.

Contracts range from 30-day to 12-month to 24-month. Running on Three and Vodafone networks, users can access nationwide 4G and 5G networks. Rewild Mobile works to maintain connectivity without harming the environment.

RWG Mobile

• Network: EE
• EU roaming allowance: 20GB

Founded in 2015, this network was the first all-Wales mobile network with 5G, and a fully bilingual (English and Welsh) customer experience. Although designed with the Welsh market in mind, RWG’s plans are available to the whole of the UK.

A variety of plans are available, from the usual pay monthly and add-ons, to a more unusual pay upfront or ‘buy and forget’ tariff. This means you can buy 12 months, 24 months, or even five years' worth of monthly data with a one-off upfront fee. The data allowances for these are fairly small, but you can add more data and roaming. 

RWG also offers multi-network Sims that can connect to any of the big four networks, depending on which signal is strongest in the area. However, they’re only available for 100MB, 1GB, 5GB and 10GB. 

Spusu

• Network: EE
• EU roaming allowance: all plans have free roaming, but the GB limit varies.

Founded in Austria in 2015, Spusu launched in the UK in 2023. Unusually for a mobile network, it is a family-owned company with no outside investors. 

Customers won't experience bill hikes as Spusu announced it won't increase its prices in 2026.

Spusu has committed to not using AI chatbots for customer service. Instead, customers can contact the network by email, phone or WhatsApp.

If you also need a phone, Spusu has a small selection available to purchase outright.

Superdrug Mobile

• Network: Three
• EU roaming allowance: 12GB

You might be wondering why a health and beauty retailer launched a mobile network. The answer is that the brand is owned by CK Hutchison Holdings, which operates VodafoneThree, and many other telecoms providers around the world. 

Superdrug Mobile offers just four tariffs, all rolling monthly contracts of 10GB, 60GB, 100GB or unlimited data. All deals include rollover of unused data into the next month. 

Some further perks include reward points on activation and renewal, double points on all Superdrug shopping, plus Superdrug VIP offers and discounts.

How to switch mobile networks

Text-to-switch has made switching mobile network easier than ever. You need a porting authorisation code (PAC), which you get with a simple text message from your current network provider. Previously, to get a PAC you had to call your provider, who would often try to deter you from switching and make the process frustrating. 

To switch and keep the same mobile number, text PAC to 65075. Your current mobile provider should send you a text within one minute, and the PAC lasts for 30 days. The text will also have important information such as any charges for early termination (although this won’t apply if you’re out of contract). Give the PAC to your new provider, which has to complete the switch within one working day. 

To switch and change your number, text STAC to 75075 to receive your service termination authorisation code, then follow the same procedure as if you’d received a PAC. 

For more information on switching, such as how to switch if you're in a contract, and how to choose a provider with the best signal, read our full guide on how to switch mobile provider.