1pMobile vs EE: are 4G/5G coverage and speeds different?

✔ 4G data signal is identical between the two

EE are one of the four main networks (the others being Vodafone, O2 and Three), while 1pMobile piggyback off EE’s network for signal. We checked in real life and found no coverage differences between the two.

That means you’ll get call signal (3G/2G) in the same places on both networks. This is a good thing as EE provide call signal in most of the UK’s landmass, but indoor call signal can be a weakness.

The main strength of EE’s network is their 4G data signal, which is the most widespread of all networks. And again, you get full access to this on 1pMobile, so you’re not punished for joining a cheaper network.

In all, 1pMobile offer an identical network experience to being on EE at much lower costs. It’s still worth checking their signal maps here before joining to see what coverage looks like in your area.

Useful link: EE’s coverage map | 1pMobile’s coverage map

✔ 5G signal is also identical between the two networks

1pMobile offer access to EE’s growing 5G network on all of their plans at no extra cost. And again, there are no signal differences between being on 1pMobile and EE. So how good is their 5G network?

EE claim to have 5G live in 336+ UK towns and cities. But they only declare a location as covered once 5G is available in 50% of its area. That means you’ll get 5G in more places than that, just with worse coverage.

That also means that coverage within their claimed locations tends to be excellent. On other networks you’ll generally only get it in populated areas, while you’ll tend to stay on it more often on EE and 1pMobile.

Best current 5G ready SIM only plans on both networks

It’s brilliant that you can get full access to such a widespread 5G network on 1pMobile’s great value plans. But it’s worth checking their coverage maps here to see what 5G looks like near you on both.

Useful link: Read our guide to the best 5G networks

✔ 4G data speeds are identical on both providers

Just like with coverage, 1pMobile offer identical 4G data speeds to EE. That’s definitely a good thing as EE offer the fastest 4G speeds of all networks.

Independent network testers Opensignal measured typical 4G data speeds of 40 Mbps on EE. They’re quite a bit ahead of the second fastest network Three, but what does that mean in real life?

In our tests we got speeds as high as 130+ Mbps in the city centre. But in rural areas our speeds went as low as 5 Mbps, so we can see how it all averages out.

So yet again, there’s no downside to being on the cheaper network here. And in fact, certain EE plans have speed caps while every 1p plan gives you full speed 4G.

Useful link: Read EE’s full guide to their 4G network

✔ 5G speeds are the same on both networks

Since there are no speed limits on 1pMobile, you get full access to EE’s best 5G speeds on all their plans. Some EE plans do have speed caps, however, so keep an eye out for that if you take a plan from them.

Opensignal and Speedtest by Ookla measured typical 5G data speeds between 99.5 Mbps - 108.91 Mbps on EE, with peak speeds up to 272.77 Mbps.

Those results are a bit underwhelming considering EE are the fastest network for 4G. They currently sit in third place for 5G speeds, with their results on both network testers going down dramatically over time.

Still, it is an improvement over 4G and you get identical speeds on both networks, so long as you’re not on an EE plan with built in speed caps.

Useful link: Which network has the fastest typical 5G data speeds?

✔ WiFi calling is identical but EE have more features

Indoor call signal blackspots can be an issue on EE, so it’s good that both providers offer WiFi/4G calling. These features let you connect to calls using WiFi and 4G signal in place of conventional call signal.

We think 1pMobile’s WiFi calling is basically the same as EE’s. They have the same list of supported devices, let you send SMS texts over WiFi and 4G and transfer from a WiFi call to a 4G call without it dropping.

EE also offer access to lots of free WiFi hotspots on the Underground which is really handy for keeping you connected where you’d otherwise get no signal. 1pMobile don’t get access to these.

And EE also offer call forwarding, visual voicemail and let you join on an eSIM. These benefits are typically only offered by larger networks and can really come in handy in some situations.

Useful link: Our guide to the best WiFi calling schemes

✔ Only 1pMobile offer inclusive EU roaming as standard

While EE make you pay extra to roam in the EU on most plans, 1pMobile still offer inclusive EU roaming on all their plans, letting you roam in these 46 EU/EEA destinations at no added cost.

Best current 1pMobile SIM only plans with inclusive EU roaming

You can use your texts, mins and up to 14GB of data while in the EU. That’s a flexible amount that most users won’t get through on a short trip, but if you do you’ll start paying at these rates.

1p don’t offer inclusive roaming beyond the EU. So to roam in a non-EU country you’ll have to top up and pay these hefty rates. You’ll eat through your credit quickly, so it’s best to keep an eye on your usage.

In all, 1pMobile’s roaming scheme is excellent if you just want to go on trips to the continent. We wouldn’t expect a smaller network to offer inclusive worldwide roaming, so we’re not shocked that 1p don’t.

Useful link: See 1pMobile’s inclusive EU roaming destinations

✔ EE only offer inclusive EU roaming on premium deals

EE no longer offer inclusive EU roaming as standard. If you roam in the EU on any of their regular pay monthly plans you’ll have to pay £2 for every day you’re there. But there are ways around this.

You can choose EE’s Roam Abroad pass as an extra on their premium All Rounder or Full Works plans. This lets you roam in these 47 EU destinations with your regular mins, texts and 50GB of your data allowance.

This also lets you roam in these 5 non-EU countries. If you want to go further afield you can take a Travel Data Pass giving you a small allowance, the size and cost of which depends on the country you’re going to.

It’s a complicated scheme and you’ll spend a lot on top of EE’s already high prices wherever you go. For worldwide roaming EE can be better, but most people will care about paying less to go to the EU.

Useful link: Our guide to the best EU roaming networks

✔ EE’s group plan scheme is brilliant for families

If you want to get your kids onto their own SIM only plans, you get extra benefits for doing so on EE. All you have to do is add another plan to your existing EE account and you’ll get a discount on them.

You get a massive 30% off any SIM only deal or the usage plan (mins, texts, data) on any phone contract you add to your account. And there’s no hard limit to how many deals you can add other than your credit score.

And you can even gift data from one account to another. With EE’s Stay Connected data your kids can’t incur charges for going over their allowance anyway, but you can make sure they stay at full speeds this way.

You also get an extra 1GB data boost for every plan you add to your account which you can also share between users. That’s on top of the added convenience of having all your plans under one account.

Useful link: EE’s guide to their family plans

✔ EE offer extra benefits on premium benefits

EE offer two kinds of premium deals. Their All Rounder plans let you choose one Inclusive Extra, which are exclusive benefits for premium users. Their Full Works plans let you choose three but are higher in cost.

You can choose a subscription to TNT Sports, Netflix, Apple Music or these other entertainment services. You can also take their Roam Abroad pass or an Entertainment Data Pass for unlimited streaming data.

All you need to do is choose them in the checkout when you take your plan. You’ll usually spend less with one of these plans than you would buying a plan and the benefit separately, but it’s worth making sure.

EE also include six month free trials to Apple Music and News+ on all plans, and a six month free trial to Apple TV+ if you take an iPhone. In all, EE offer a bit extra to get you better value out of your plan.

Useful link: See EE’s Inclusive Extras

✔ 1pMobile offer much more flexible plans

Most of 1pMobile’s plans are sold as 1-month deals that let you switch your plan up or down each month or leave 1p altogether whenever you like.

1pMobile’s best current 1-month SIM only deals

One benefit of this is that you can change plans if you find you’re spending too much on a plan that’s bigger than what you need or if you need a bigger plan. And you’re not tied down to 1p like you are on EE.

Also you don’t need to pass a credit check to join 1pMobile. This is where networks check your payment history to see if they can trust you, but since you pay up front for your 1p plan they don’t need to do this.

Finally, there shouldn’t be any nasty surprises on your bill as you can only use what you pay for. If you want to use extras you can top up with credit and pay with that. In all, we like how 1p’s plans are set up.

Useful link: Our guide to the best 30-day rolling plans

✔ 1pMobile give you rewards for referring friends to them

1pMobile already offer excellent value on their SIM only plans, but they go even further by giving you extra rewards for referring friends to them. Both you and the person you refer will get rewards for doing so.

Best current SIM only plans on 1pMobile

You need to already be on 1pMobile, then you can send a tracked link to your friend where they can buy their plan. Then once your friend has stayed on their 1p plan for 30 days you’ll both get £5 free credit.

It’s really a win-win-win scenario. You and your friend get free credit and 1pMobile get a new customer. And that’s on top of the great value 1p already offer on their plans.

There’s no limit to the amount of people you can refer to 1pMobile. So you can get some serious value out of this scheme. EE have a similar scheme, but it only works with their expensive PAYG monthly bundles.

Useful link: Our guide to the best refer-a-friend schemes