Struggling with poor mobile signal and want to make a switch?
Telecom regulator Ofcom has released a free tool to ensure you never sign up for a mobile network that doesn’t offer a strong 4G or 5G signal in your local area. It’s called Map Your Mobile and it lets you check coverage quality for all four UK mobile providers simply by entering your UK postcode.
The nifty service shows a detailed map of your local area overlaid with overall signal strength, helping you compare which network performs best where you need it most. Whether you’re experiencing dropped calls at home or poor data speeds during your commute, the tool provides localised information to help you make an informed decision.
Enter your postcode, then choose one of the biggest UK mobile networks, and the Ofcom-developed tool will spotlight the local area with a colour-coded map to show signal quality. Dark purple indicates “good in-home and outdoor” signal quality, while lighter purple and blue shades show progressively weaker coverage both indoors and outdoors.
You can test signal strength from the most popular networks by heading ofcom.org.uk/mobile.
Ofcom’s brand-new signal tester will let you drill-down into signal strength from EE, Vodafone, O2, and Three. Every other major mobile operators in the UK uses the nationwide network of masts to provide their services. Examples include:
- Lebara Mobile, Asda Mobile, talkmobile, and VOXI use the Vodafone network
- Your Co-op, 1p Mobile, Utility Warehouse, Ecotalk, Plusnet, BT Mobile, and Lycamobile use the EE network
- iD Mobile, Smarty, Freedompop, and Superdrug Mobile use the Three network
- Tesco Mobile, giffgaff, and Sky Mobile use the O2 network
Performance is rated based on the likelihood that you’ll be able to stream video on your phone when you’re in your local area
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Ofcom will also highlight percentage performance rankings for all four networks, making it easy to compare which provider offers the best service in your postal district. The timing couldn’t be better if you’re planning a move — Ofcom notes that over half-a-million home moves are expected during the busy summer period, making advance coverage checks particularly valuable for those taking new keys.
The tool combines crowdsourced data from mobile monitoring firm Opensignal, based on over 20 million real-world tests across the UK, with predictive data from the operators themselves. This dual approach means you’re getting information that reflects actual user experiences rather than just theoretical coverage maps.
Media regulator Ofcom has shared the free online tool, which compares signal strength from EE, Vodafone, O2 and Three
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Ofcom has also introduced stricter thresholds for what constitutes good signal strength, recognising that your modern mobile needs have changed significantly. With data-hungry activities like video streaming, gaming and remote working now commonplace, the new standards better reflect whether you’ll actually be able to use these services reliably.
The data is provided at a highly detailed level of 50m², compared to the previous 100m² standard, so you’ll have much more precise local information before you make a call on whether to stick or switch to a new mobile network.
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According to Ofcom, mobile coverage is only set to improve in the coming months as companies continue to improve their mobile networks and prepare to invest billions of pounds in the coming years.
Ofcom is also working to bring improvement and innovation to mobile networks, so that people are better connected than ever before. Later this year, the UK regulator will auction off millimetre-wave spectrum – tiny radio waves that enable wireless communication.
This cutting-edge technology will unlock network capacity in high-density areas, so that users can rely on their phone even when surrounded by hundreds or thousands of people in stadiums, train stations or high streets. And callers could soon be able to get a signal from space, even when there’s no coverage from a traditional mobile mast on the ground, under our proposals to enable direct-to-device connections between standard smartphones and satellites.
UK Government Telecoms Minister, Sir Chris Bryant said: “Access to fast and reliable mobile coverage is essential for delivering the change our country needs to thrive and boost economic growth. For too long there has been a frustrating gap between coverage reports and the real signal people experience in their daily lives.
“This new tool provides consumers with accurate, postcode-level information so they have the power to choose the network that works where they need it most – whether at home, work or on their commute. It is fantastic to see this practical step being implemented to improve connectivity for everybody across the nation.”
Unsure what mobile network offers the best signal in your local area? Ofcom will check the four biggest networks at your current location, offering insight into indoor and outdoor signal
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Commenting on the launch, Rocio Concha, Which? Director of Policy and Advocacy, said: “In the crowded market of UK mobile networks, consumers need access to accurate mobile coverage and performance information to choose a plan that meets their needs and represents good value for money.
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“Ofcom’s new tool will help consumers make informed decisions with crowd-sourced data and predictive data from mobile network operators, which should increase the reliability of coverage information available to consumers. It’s important that the tool continues to incorporate user feedback to stay relevant, accurate, and responsive to the changing needs of consumers.”
