Virgin Mobile vs Sky Mobile: which is the better network?

✔ Both provide identical coverage via O2’s network

Sky and Virgin are both virtual providers, meaning they use another network to provide signal. Both use the O2 network for call (2G/3G) and data (4G) signal (see 5G below). But are there any differences?

From our experience we can confidently say coverage is identical on both networks. That means you get access to the joint-largest network for calls and texts, with excellent indoor coverage as well.

Their 4G data isn’t quite as widespread as on other networks (such as Virgin’s previous hosts Vodafone or EE), but you’ll get strong signal in the places where people live such as towns and cities.

It’s worth using either networks’ coverage map before joining them, just to see what signal is like in your area. Test at home, along your commute and anywhere else you’ll use your phone.

Useful link: Our full Sky Mobile network review

✔ 5G coverage is the same on both providers

Both Virgin and Sky include access to O2’s 5G on all their SIM only plans and phone contracts. Like with 2G/3G/4G coverage, the two networks are identical for 5G signal. But what does that mean?

Best value 5G SIM only plans on Virgin and Sky Mobile

You get 5G on every Sky and Virgin Mobile SIM only deal. Here are their best value ones at the moment:

Well you’ll currently get 5G in a massive 750+ UK towns and cities. That’s more than any other network claim, so there’s a decent chance of getting 5G in your area on either network.

On a street-by-street basis both networks offer good coverage. You’ll get 5G in lots of different places, not just in the most populated areas. However, some locations get worse coverage than others.

It’s best to check your local area to see if you’re covered for 5G and how good coverage is in your area. There should be no differences between the two, but it’s worth checking on both anyway.

Useful link: Getting 5G data on Sky Mobile

✔ 4G download speeds are the same on both networks

Just like with coverage, Virgin and Sky Mobile offer identical data speeds to each other. And neither network has any built-in speed differences to being on O2. So what does that mean for 4G speeds?

According to independent network testers Opensignal you’ll get typical 4G speeds of 16.8 Mbps on both networks. That puts them in last place of all UK networks.

But in real life we were able to get speeds of up to 95 Mbps over both networks in the city centre. In more rural areas you can crawl down to 5 Mbps, however. So we can see how the testers get their results.

Overall, both networks are typically fast enough to browse the internet or watch HD videos comfortably. But you’ll notice a bit of lag when doing anything particularly data intensive like downloading big files.

Useful link: What difference 5G will make on Sky Mobile

✔ 5G speeds are also the same on both

Both networks get access to the same 5G speeds as their hosts O2. We use results from independent network testers Opensignal and Speedtest by Ookla to see what typical 5G speeds look like.

Their latest reports showed typical 5G speeds between 80.57 Mbps - 92.3 Mbps on their network hosts with peak speeds up to 214.2 Mbps. That does mean they use the slowest UK network for 5G speeds.

In any case it’s still a massive improvement over 4G and you get access to it as standard on both networks. But for Virgin it means they’ve moved from the third fastest to the slowest 5G network.

Mobile gamers and filesharers may want to look at other networks for the fastest 5G possible. But otherwise we think most people will be happy with Virgin and Sky’s 5G speeds.

Useful link: Our guide to the best 5G networks

✔ Both have WiFi calling and 4G calling

Virgin and Sky both use networks with signal on theoretically-good frequencies for getting through buildings and indoors for calls and texts, so you’re less likely to suffer from poor indoor signal on them both.

Both also have WiFi calling and 4G calling to help. WiFi calling connects your phone to the network via WiFi if signal is weak. 4G calling provides more signal types to use for calls (so better coverage).

Virgin and Sky’s schemes are separate technology to their host’s WiFi calling. Check Sky support your phone here and Virgin support yours here. Older Android phones are less likely to work.

Out of the two, only Virgin say they support SMS texts over WiFi. We could only send one though, not receive, when we tested it. Sky’s works for calls only. Other than that, they’ve very similar.

Useful link: Our best network choices for WiFi calling

✔ Virgin Mobile have more free hotspots included

Both Virgin Mobile and Sky Mobile belong to companies that provide broadband too. We’d say Virgin Mobile make better use of this though, with exclusive access to millions of Virgin Media hotspots.

All you have to do is download their Virgin Media Connect app to your phone and it can connect your phone to their free and unlimited WiFi whenever you’re in range - saving you on mobile data.

It works automatically, so you don’t have to log in over and over. And you only get the benefit from being a Virgin Mobile or Media customer. It also works on London’s TFL network (Sky don’t offer this).

Sky Mobile don’t have any similar automatic integration with the Sky WiFi network for their customers. It’s a little advantage for Virgin we think people on smaller data plans will appreciate.

Useful link: Our favourite networks for free WiFi

✔ Hold onto your leftover data for 3 years and trade it in

Sky and Virgin both offer data rollover on all of their plans. However, Sky are our favourite network for data rollover as they give you three years to get through your unused data.

Every month, Sky will check if you’ve not got through your entire allowance and add anything unused to your Piggybank. Then, if you ever run out of data, you can withdraw some 1GB at a time whenever.

You can then gift your banked up data to other users on the same account, which can help prevent your kids from incurring extra data charges. And you can trade in your rolled over data for discounts on new devices.

It’s a really nice benefit that avoids the problem you get on pay monthly, where you pay for data, whether you use it or not. On Sky, they give you more opportunities to get back its value.

Useful link: How to share data on Sky Mobile

✔ Virgin let you hold onto unused data for one month

If you don’t get through all your data on Virgin Mobile, they’ll also total up what you didn’t use automatically and give you another chance to use it.

However, unlike Sky, Virgin Mobile only let you hold onto your rolled over data for a single month. If you don’t get through it in that time then it vanishes. So Sky’s scheme is more generous overall.

You will use up rolled-over data first each month. That means you’re more likely to roll over your regular data allowance in the month after that. If this keeps happening, you should probably switch down plans.

We’d like to see Virgin offer a bit more with their data rollover scheme like Sky Mobile do. But it’s still a nice scheme that works as it should.

Useful link: Full ins and outs of Virgin’s data rollover

✔ Sky let you stream their TV apps without eating your data

Whether you’ve got Sky TV from Sky directly or via Virgin Media, joining Sky Mobile can actually help you get more out of your home TV package. All Sky’s phone contracts and SIM only plans include Watch:

This essentially gives you unlimited data to watch their TV apps. So you can stream these apps on the go without it coming out of your data allowance, letting you use your home TV package away from home too.

Amazingly, you even get the benefit on Sky’s smallest, cheapest SIM only plans. Here’s the current lowest-cost deal to include it:

We tried it in real life and it works exactly how it should. The main downsides are that you can’t use it abroad and you have to be a TV customer to watch most channels. But otherwise it’s a fantastic benefit.

Useful link: Sky’s full guide to their streaming data

✔ Virgin give you unlimited social media data on all plans

When you use Facebook Messenger, Whatsapp or Twitter on the go it will eat up bits of data here and there. However, Virgin let you use these apps on data without it coming out of your allowance.

So Virgin are among our list of networks that give you free streaming or social media data. But their scheme isn’t as generous as some of the others, or Sky.

Messages on these apps won’t come out of your allowance, but these don’t use much data anyway. You’ll save more data when downloading or watching videos on Twitter.

Audio and video calls still come out of your allowance. These can use a lot of data, so it’s a shame they’re not covered. Virgin’s scheme is good for saving a bit of data, but it’s not groundbreaking.

Useful link: Full terms and conditions

✔ Virgin still offer inclusive EU roaming on all plans

More and more UK networks are removing their inclusive EU roaming schemes. So we like that Virgin have kept theirs in place. Their fair usage limits are still complicated, but you can still roam at no added cost.

Rather than having a standard limit on data usage abroad, Virgin set a different limit depending on your plan. That means even small data plans are restricted abroad. It’s an annoyance on an otherwise decent scheme.

If you’re going further afield then you’ll want to look elsewhere. Roaming beyond the EU can get ridiculously expensive on Virgin Mobile (1GB costs £5000!). You can cap overspending if that’s a concern for you.

While there are a few downsides, we still appreciate the fact that EU roaming is included at no extra cost on every Virgin plan. It’s a lot better than what some networks offer.

Useful link: Our guide to the best UK roaming networks

✔ Sky don’t offer inclusive EU roaming any more

Sky Mobile no longer offer inclusive EU roaming on their plans. These days you have to pay £2 a day to use your SIM in the EU. That can add up to a lot, especially if you go away often or for a long holiday.

One upside to their scheme is that there are still no fair usage limits on your data while abroad. That means you can use up to your entire data allowance while you’re there.

You also won’t benefit from Sky’s free data streaming on their apps while you’re abroad. At least, they still don’t impose a fair usage policy, so you’re free to use as much of your allowance as you want.

However, roaming beyond the EU costs the same amount now as EU roaming (it used to be £6 a day). That makes Sky one of the cheaper networks for worldwide roaming, but we think more people care about EU roaming.

Useful link: Which networks still offer free EU roaming?

✔ Sky and Virgin offer similar value on phones

Both Sky and Virgin sell their phone contracts on credit agreements (loans) for the cost of your device which is then combined with the cost of your usage plan (mins, texts, data) to make your monthly bill.

This way of doing things means both can offer a choice of spreading the cost of the phone over 36 months or 24 months. You’ll find the two are usually neck-and-neck on price among the cheapest providers.

The system also builds in flexibility. You can upgrade early on both by paying off the loan in full. You can change your data plan once a month, up or down. They also both offer trade-in schemes like Sky’s Swap.

The downside to this kind of contract is that it can be harder to be accepted for one if you’ve missed any payments in the past. It’s like getting a loan from a bank, they need to be responsible about it.

Useful link: Compare phone contracts with us