United Kingdom

Cell Coverage Comparison

Compare cellular network coverage from major carriers across the United Kingdom. Our coverage data is collected from millions of real-world speed tests to help you find the best carrier for your area.

Performance by Carrier

Compare real-world download speeds, upload performance, and latency for major carriers in the United Kingdom — based on millions of crowdsourced speed tests to help you find the fastest, most reliable network.

DownDownload

79.2Mbps

UpUpload

13.6Mbps

Reliab.Reliability

6.9/ 10

Over 30,000 tests conducted

View Carrier

DownDownload

30.1Mbps

UpUpload

5.7Mbps

Reliab.Reliability

4.3/ 10

Over 35,000 tests conducted

View Carrier

DownDownload

55.6Mbps

UpUpload

8.5Mbps

Reliab.Reliability

5.3/ 10

Over 24,000 tests conducted

View Carrier

DownDownload

36.1Mbps

UpUpload

7.8Mbps

Reliab.Reliability

5.6/ 10

Over 24,000 tests conducted

View Carrier

Network Performance

Get a complete view of mobile performance across the United Kingdom with both nationwide benchmarks and carrier-by-carrier breakdowns. Explore median performance metrics calculated from millions of real-world, crowdsourced speed tests. Start with the country-wide snapshot to understand overall trends, then dive deeper to compare individual carriers side-by-side and see how each performs in speed, responsiveness, and availability.

Median Performance

Download

48.2Mbps

Upload

8.6Mbps

Latency

36ms

Reliability

5.2/ 10

Top Performers

Best Download: EE

79.2 Mbps

Best Upload: EE

13.6 Mbps

Best Latency: EE

30 ms

Best Reliability: EE

6.9 / 10

Based on over 110,000 speed tests

Carriers in the United Kingdom

Browse mobile network operators (MNOs) and virtual network operators (MVNOs) available in the United Kingdom. Click on a carrier to see detailed performance information, coverage maps, plan details, and more.

Browse by Constituent Countries

Select one of the constituent countries to view coverage data for that area.

Cell Coverage in the United Kingdom: FAQ

Which carrier has the fastest speeds in the United Kingdom?

Based on crowdsourced speed tests across the United Kingdom, EE currently leads in median download speeds. Compare carriers in the performance table above for the latest results.

How is the network performance calculated?

We aggregate speed tests from real devices in the United Kingdom and calculate the median download speed, upload speed, latency, and reliability values across all carriers. Reliability blends speed consistency and coverage quality to estimate how dependable a network feels in everyday use. Results update as new tests are submitted, and we typically update the values every week.

What do the network performance values mean?

The network performance values summarize median download speed, upload speed, latency, and reliability across all carriers in the United Kingdom. Higher download and upload speeds with lower latency indicate faster responsiveness, while a higher reliability score indicates more dependable real-world performance.

What is the reliability score?

The reliability score summarizes how dependable mobile performance is in the United Kingdom. It uses a 0.0 to 10.0 scale (higher is better) and is calculated from real-world speed test percentiles with weighted components: download (50%), latency (30%), and upload (20%). It evaluates the lower-end experience using the bottom 10%, 5%, and 1% percentiles when enough samples are available. If local speed testing is limited, a coverage-based fallback is used from signal quality distribution (great/good/poor).

What is the difference between an MNO and an MVNO?

MNOs own and operate the cellular network infrastructure, while MVNOs lease access to those networks and sell service under their own brand. MVNOs have the same network coverage as the MNOs they lease from.

How many carriers exist in the United Kingdom?

We currently are tracking 22 total carriers in the United Kingdom. There are 4 MNOs operating their own networks and 18 MVNOs.

How can I check coverage at my specific address in the United Kingdom?

Use the interactive map to check signal strength at your exact address. Visit the CoverageMap interactive map to explore 4G/5G availability.

How can I contribute coverage data for the United Kingdom?

Download the CoverageMap app and run a few speed tests with location enabled. Your results help improve coverage accuracy and unlock local rankings faster.

Get the app