List of mobile virtual network operators in the United Kingdom explained

This is a list of notable mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) in the United Kingdom, which lease wireless telephone and data spectrum from the major carriers EE, O2, Three and Vodafone for resale.

Active operators

Brand	Host network	Wireless technology				Voice over LTE	WiFi calling	eSIM	Visual Voicemail	HD voice ^[1]	MVNE	MVNO type	Notes
		2G	3G	4G	5G
1pMobile	EE										Direct with MNO	PAYG
Asda Mobile	Vodafone						^[2]				Direct with MNO	PAYM/PAYG
CMLink	EE							^[3]			Transatel	PAYM
Ecotalk	EE				^[4]						Transatel	PAYM
giffgaff	O2				^[5]					(not EVS)	Direct with MNO	PAYM/PAYG	MVNO indirectly run by host network.
iD Mobile	Three							^[6]			Direct with MNO	PAYM/PAYG
Lebara	Vodafone											PAYM/PAYG
Lycamobile	EE					^[7]					Direct with MNO	PAYM/PAYG
Sky Mobile	O2								^[8]		Direct with MNO	PAYM
SMARTY	Three											PAYM/PAYG	MVNO run by host network.
spusu	EE										Direct with MNO	PAYM	Uses their own PLMN (234-40), self-hosted SIP IMS and core network infrastructure
Superdrug Mobile	Three										Direct with MNO	PAYM	MVNO run by host network (Three)'s parent company Hutchison.
Talkmobile	Vodafone											PAYM
Tesco Mobile	O2									(EVS only on PAYM)	Direct with MNO	PAYM/PAYG
The Phone Co-op	EE										Transatel^[9]	PAYM
1GLOBAL	EE							^[10]				PAYG
Utility Warehouse / Telecom Plus	EE											PAYM
VOXI	Vodafone							^[11]	^[12]		Direct with MNO	PAYM	MVNO run by host network, directly linked in with host's core systems.

Defunct, merged and acquired operators

Brand	Host network	Defunct date	Notes
AfriMobile	Three		Dissolved 13 October 2020
Andrews & Arnold		^[13]	Ceased operations when their upstream partner "pulled the plug".^[14] Later relaunched on O2.
Blyk	Orange	^[15]	Ceased operations.
Delight Mobile	EE	^[16]	Existing customers were consolidated in the sister brand, Vectone Mobile.
Easymobile	T-Mobile	^[17]	Ceased operations.
Econet Mobile	EE	^[18]	Ceased UK operations.
Extreme Connect	O2
Family Mobile	EE	^[19]	Ceased operations.
FreedomPop	Three		Ceased UK operations.
Fresh Mobile	T-Mobile	^[20]	Ceased operations. Existing customers were encouraged to move to the sister network, Talkmobile.
KCOM Mobile	O2	2019
GT Mobile	O2		Existing customers were consolidated in the sister brand, Lycamobile.^[21]
Kontakt Mobile	Vodafone	^[22]	Ceased operations.
LIFE Mobile	EE	^[23]	Acquired by Plusnet.
Mobile by Sainsbury's	Vodafone	^[24]	Ceased operations.
Our Telecom	EE	^[25]	Dissolved.
Ovivo Mobile	Vodafone	^[26]	Ceased operations.
PG Mobile		^[27]	Ceased operations.
Plusnet Mobile	EE		Stopped accepting new customers from March 2023,^[28] will close later in 2024.^[29] BT Group axed the brand
Post Office Mobile	EE	^[30] ^[31]	Ceased operations.
Priyo Mobile	EE	^[32]	Ceased operations.
RSPCA Mobile	EE		Ceased operations. Operated as a white-label under Shebang.^[33]
Shebang		^[34]	Acquired by PG Mobile.
Simple Call Mobile	EE	^[35]	Ceased operations.
Talktalk Mobile	Vodafone	^[36]	Ceased operations.
The People's Operator (TPO Mobile)	Three	^[37]	Entered administration. Customers were encouraged to move to SMARTY.
U2i Mobile	EE	^[38]	Ceased operations.
Virgin Mobile	O2	^[39]	Stopped accepting new customers August 2023. All customers moved to O2 by December 2023.^[40]
Vizz Africa	Vodafone		Ceased operations.
White Mobile	EE		Customers told to move to Moblox, which entered administration in April 2023.^[41] ^[42]
Zevvle	EE		Ceased operations.^[43]

See also

• Mobile virtual network operator

Notes and References

1. Web site: Network Spec Spreadsheet - ISPReview.
2. Web site: Introducing Wi-Fi Calling and 4G Calling for Asda mobile customers.
3. Supposedly has support, but unable to find references to eSIM on their UK site.
4. Web site: 4G/5G explained . ecotalk . 28 May 2023 . 28 May 2023.
5. Web site: giffgaff - 5G. giffgaff.
6. https://community.idmobile.co.uk/help-with-your-sim-170/everything-you-need-to-know-about-esims-46848/ iD eSIM support.
7. Web site: Lyca Mobile UK Quietly Introduce 4G Calling and WiFi Calling . ISPreview . 18 March 2024 . 18 March 2024.
8. Web site: Sky Mobile voicemail Sky Help Sky.com . 2024-02-09 . www.sky.com.
9. Web site: 2020-11-25 . Transatel and BT renew award-winning partnership to enable 5G for UK MVNOs . 2022-09-27 . Transatel . en-US.
10. Web site: 28 May 2023 . Business SIM and Connectivity plans . 12 March 2022 . 1global.com.
11. Existing sim can be converted to an eSIM on iPhones. eSIMs cannot currently be ordered directly 04/08/24
12. Web site: How do I set up Visual Voicemail? . 9 February 2024 . VOXI.
13. Web site: Andrews & Arnold Ltd - Telephony. Andrews & Arnold. 25 November 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20130430120953/http://aa.net.uk/telecoms.html. 30 April 2013.
14. Web site: Andrews & Arnold Ltd - Telephony - SIP2SIM. Andrews & Arnold. 25 November 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20140318004722/https://aa.net.uk/telecoms-sip2sim.html. 18 March 2014.
15. Web site: A fond farewell to our UK members. Blyk. 25 November 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20090730024221/http://blog.blyk.co.uk/2009/07/27/a-fond-farewell/. 30 July 2009. 27 July 2009.
16. Web site: Delight Mobile - Home. Delight Mobile. 24 February 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180224124401/https://www.delightmobile.nl/?current_lang=en. 24 February 2018.
17. Web site: Easymobile to close down service. BBC News. 29 July 2017. 13 November 2006.
18. Web site: Pay as you go tariffs, Mobile SIM tariffs with econet mobile.. 1 August 2015. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150801081846/http://econetmobile.com/. 1 August 2015. 27 February 2020.
19. Web site: Kubiak, Paloma. Family Mobile to close, but unused credit will be refunded. Money Saving Expert. 29 July 2017. 7 July 2015.
20. Web site: Carphone Warehouse apologises for Fresh confusion. Mobile Today. 29 July 2017. https://www.webcitation.org/6sJxEKDOy?url=http://www.mobiletoday.co.uk/news/industry/9232/Carphone-Warehouse-apologises-for-Fresh-confusion.aspx. 29 July 2017. dead. 18 March 2010.
21. Web site: Lycamobile a Global MVNO will withdraw GT Mobile from all its markets, which includes Australia, The Netherlands and the UK, and will now focus on its own main brand. MVNO Dynamics. 3 September 2017. 22 January 2014.
22. Web site: Kontakt Mobile - Home. Kontakt Mobile. 17 December 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161210192841/https://www.kontaktmobile.co.uk/. 10 December 2016.
23. Web site: LIFE Mobile. What's happening?. 14 November 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161115000200/https://lifemobile.co.uk/Info/PlusnetFAQ. 15 November 2016.
24. Web site: Mobile by Sainsbury's - Mobile Phones, PAYG and SIM Only Deals. 29 April 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20160102101907/http://www.phoneshopbysainsburys.co.uk/mbs. 2 January 2016.
25. Web site: OUR TELECOM LIMITED - Overview (Free company information from Companies House).
26. News: Razavi. Lauren. Ovivo Mobile goes dark, leaving thousands without connectivity. 28 April 2014. The Guardian. 24 March 2014.
27. Web site: Boland. Hannah. Personal Group To Wind Down PG Mobile Business By End Of Year. Morningstar. 29 April 2017. 7 July 2016.
28. Web site: Jackson . Mark . Broadband ISP Plusnet Stops Selling Own Brand UK Mobile Plans . ISPreview . 29 March 2023 . 27 May 2023.
29. Web site: BT will shut down Plusnet Mobile to consolidate the EE brand . MobileNews . 24 May 2023 . 27 May 2023.
30. Web site: Post Office Mobile | Order Free SIM. Post Office. 20 August 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20160807230950/http://mobile.postoffice.co.uk/we-are-closing. 7 August 2016.
31. Web site: Majithia. Kavit. UK's Post Office to can MVNO venture. Mobile World Live. 20 August 2017. 19 May 2016.
32. Web site: PRIYO COMMUNICATIONS (UK) LIMITED - Overview. Companies House. 30 July 2017.
33. Web site: NEW BR/MVNO – RSPCA MOBILE, in cooperation with Shebang. MVNO Dynamics. 20 August 2017. 9 May 2012.
34. Web site: Pearce. James. Personal Group to axe Shebang brand after MVNO buy - but Iain Humphrey stays - Mobile News Online | Mobile News Online. Mobile News. 29 April 2017. 28 April 2015.
35. Web site: simplecall mobile. Simple Call Mobile. 20 August 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20141124124725/http://www.simplecallmobile.com/. 24 November 2014.
36. Web site: Rodgers . Tom . TalkTalk Mobile killed off, customers offered O2 switch . 2022-06-16 . SimOnlyDeals.co.uk . en-GB.
37. Web site: The People's Operator . 17 February 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190216035457/https://thepeoplesoperator.zendesk.com/hc/en-gb . 16 February 2019 . 13 February 2019.
38. Web site: U2I NETWORK LTD . . 21 July 2018.
39. Web site: Virgin Mobile | Phone & SIM Deals - See What You Can Do . 31 August 2023.
40. Web site: Virgin Mobile's Move to the O2 Network | Virgin Mobile . 31 August 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230825114733/http://www.virginmedia.com/help/mobile/your-move-to-o2 . 25 August 2023 . live.
41. Web site: White Mobile Is Evolving . 2023-05-20 . White Mobile . en.
42. Web site: Moblox Limited . 20 May 2023 . Companies House.
43. Web site: Small EE Based UK Mobile Operator Zevvle Ceases Trading . 2023-12-15 . ISPreview.co.uk . 14 December 2023 . en.