SIM only - Giff gaff or TPO

[gables]

GiffGaff use O2, TPO use EE. Check the coverage map for both those networks and see which works best for you.

I found where I live the coverage maps to be crap. I was with T Mobile and decided to go SIM only, my girlfriend always had a great signal in the house, mine was iffy, she's with 02. When I contacted t mobile for a PAC I fell for the sales pitch to go with EE (the deal was good), the coverage map suggested it should be okay (I know t mobile and EE are one company but went with the map), the signal turns out it was rubbish. I've moved to GiffGaff, who are on 02 as someone has said, and the signal is great, 4G too - the coverage map suggests it should be crap.

My learning\advice - check with a phone (e.g. borrow a mates) already on the network you want to use in the area you want to use f you can. I'm now sat in the office with a better signal than most around me (except fellow 02 users) contrary to the maps.

[unixman]

In my opinion coverage maps are just a piece of marketing fluff, presenting a wildly exaggerated view in order to attract subscribers.

My village has never had even 3g on any provider, and likely never will. Even sending an email (on 2G) is virtually impossible. The coverage maps, needless to say, show it as a 3G wonderland.

I once subscribed to Three. Beforehand I called their helpdesk to ask about coverage. Fella told me he checked the post code and I was virtually swamped with 3G coverage. What's more, he said, they were in the process of rolling out many more towers in my locality, making the bandwidth even more super duper. Like a chump I believed him.

[Boney M]

I got TPO last year for £11.99 for 6GB data 3G and unlimited texts and minutes. Had no problems whatsoever