Plusnet Mobile review 2023: the left behind network

Coverage: Plusnet’s isn’t the same as EE directly

Plusnet Mobile are a provider that piggyback off EE’s network, meaning you get largely the same 4G/3G/2G coverage with them as you would with their hosts. It’s a big advantage they hold over other low-cost networks.

This is because their host network cover 99% of the UK’s population for 4G and about 85% of the country’s landmass. That’s more than the rest of the main UK networks.

Is Plusnet Mobile coverage identical to EE?

Not exactly. While 2G and 3G signal is exactly the same on Plusnet as it is on EE. While 4G is mostly the same on 4G, there is a technical difference:

Plusnet only get access to three of the four frequencies that EE use to broadcast their 4G signal. These three are the ones that provide signal in cities, towns and villages. So what does that mean in real life?

It means you get slightly worse 4G out in the countryside, because the one frequency they don’t use is the one that pushes 4G signal for long distances. It’s also used for boosting capacity in built-up areas.

Basically, if you’re on Plusnet you might not get 4G in the same areas as you would on EE. You might end up with weaker 4G signal or be kicked down to 3G signal for data. But call signal (2G/3G) is identical to EE.

You should use Plusnet’s coverage checker here in any case to see what sort of signal you should get

In real life that means you’ll get 4G in the countryside more consistently than on some networks and you’ll run into fewer blackspots in rural areas. That’s great for train journeys or long car rides.

Their low costs plus the fact they get access to the UK’s best 4G network makes Plusnet a great value network overall. Still, you should check coverage in your area before you buy.

Useful link: Check Plusnet Mobile signal here

Speeds: 4G’s good on Plusnet but there’s no 5G

We mentioned above that Plusnet Mobile use EE’s network, and that includes the same blistering fast 4G speeds that you’d get on their hosts. There are no built-in speed caps on Plusnet vs being on EE.

According to independent network testers Opensignal, you typically get speeds around 44.7 Mbps. Those sorts of speeds are what you’d get from mid-range home fibre broadband and are a lot faster than other networks.

When will Plusnet Mobile have 5G?

EE are our number one pick for the best 5G network, so can we expect Plusnet Mobile customers to get access to this brilliant 5G anytime soon?

More and more of the smaller providers on EE’s network are starting to offer access to 5G and WiFi calling, but Plusnet offer neither. However, we think there is a decent chance of them getting both in 2023.

It’s not absolutely impossible, as over the past year more low-cost providers have introduced 5G (SMARTY being a key example) but only time will tell.

If you want to access EE’s fantastic 5G network on a low-cost plan then 1pMobile are worth a look. All their plans are flexible, great value 1-month deals that get you full access to EE’s 5G.

There’s no explicit speed limit on Plusnet vs being on EE, but since you don’t get access to EE’s superfast 4G+ you won’t get the fastest 4G speeds possible. But we did manage to get over 100 Mbps on Plusnet.

But the coverage differences we mention above can cause speed differences between the two, because having more bands of 4G signal to use means networks can combine them in certain locations to deliver extra speed.

Useful link: Get 5G via EE and cheap prices on 1pMobile

Call technology: Plusnet are missing WiFi/4G calling

So if Plusnet gives you a similar network experience to EE and 4G speeds for a cheaper price, then what are Plusnet missing? Well, they have neither WiFi calling nor 4G calling.

WiFi calling is necessary for helping with indoor coverage and keeping you connected to calls where call signal is poor. And 4G calling improves coverage and call quality by letting you call over 4G signal.

Since Plusnet’s 3G/2G signal isn’t the best and the frequencies these are broadcast on aren’t great at getting into buildings, indoor blackspots can be common. So you might end up having to go outside to make calls.

It’s not a surprise that Plusnet don’t offer it as they are a low-frills provider. But low-cost rivals SMARTY offer both features. Or for another cheap network still on EE, 1pMobile have monthly plans that include WiFi calling.

Useful link: The best networks for WiFi calling

Extra network features: lots missing on Plusnet

It’s worth knowing all the other extra network features you do or don’t get on Plusnet to know if they’re the right network for you. Since Plusnet are a low-frills network it’s no surprise they’re missing a few:

You can tether without limits on every Plusnet deal, letting you connect non-data devices to your data signal on the go. It’s a shame they don’t have unlimited data plans, as tethering will eat up your data quickly.

Plusnet don’t offer any WiFi hotspots for their users. These usually help you hold onto your data on the go. Virgin Mobile have the best scheme of all networks, with over 4.3 million hotspots across the UK.

Call forwarding is also not offered on Plusnet. This is a handy feature that lets you forward incoming calls to a different number, but Plusnet don’t let you do this.

You also miss out on visual voicemail on Plusnet, which usually lets you sort through your voicemails one by one in the order they were received. But to be fair not a lot of providers offer this anyway.

Finally, you can’t get an eSIM on Plusnet. For now it’s mostly the main UK networks that offer these, but we don’t see Plusnet bringing them out anytime soon.

Useful link: Costs for going over data limits on Plusnet Mobile

Plusnet include EU roaming but with some strict limits

Lots of networks have got rid of EU roaming and now make you pay for every day you use your allowance abroad. But Plusnet have kept their roaming in place, making them a good option for going to the EU in our eyes.

They do set a limit on how much data you can use abroad. You’ll currently be limited to 15GB while you’re away. That’s still a pretty decent chunk of data, and most Plusnet plans are less than that anyway.

Their list of Roam like at Home destinations includes most of the places you’d expect. But Plusnet have no inclusive roaming outside of the EU. Instead you’ll have to pay as you go at some pretty steep rates.

Their roaming is a bit better than SMARTY and 1pMobile, but it’s behind low-cost rivals Lebara that let you use 30GB abroad. Plusnet are good for short trips to the EU, but beyond that you should look elsewhere.

Useful links: Plusnet's guide to roaming on their network

Other benefits of being on Plusnet

It’s worth knowing what other benefits you get from Plusnet. These are small benefits, but ones that can come in handy now and again:

Plusnet let you limit your overspending in flexible £1 increments with their Smart Caps. While every network has to let you cap extra spending, most networks don’t offer nearly the same flexibility as Plusnet.

And if you’re an existing Plusnet broadband customer, you get an extra 2GB on top of your deal. They call it Mates Rates and it can come in handy to stop yourself going over your regular allowance.

Best current Mates Rates deals on Plusnet

You can take any of these as an existing Plusnet broadband customer:

While an out and out discount might be better, it does potentially mean you can switch down to a smaller, cheaper plan and save money that way.

Overall the benefits of being on Plusnet are fairly slim, but that’s the trade off for low prices. These benefits do at least help you prevent overspending.

Useful link: How you manage your Smart Cap

What you don’t get on Plusnet Mobile

As Plusnet are a low-frills network, there are a lot of benefits that you don’t get for joining them that other networks do offer:

Firstly, Plusnet offer no free data streaming or social media benefits. VOXI offer unlimited data for social media apps on all their plans and unlimited data for streaming on their more premium plans.

Plusnet also don’t offer data rollover, so there’s no way of holding onto your leftover data after your month is up. iD Mobile have a simple scheme, letting you keep your unused data for another month on all plans.

You also don’t get any benefits for adding multiple SIMs to your account. Low-cost rivals SMARTY let you add up to 6 extra SIM only plans and get 10% off each one.

Overall, Plusnet offer you very little outside of just an allowance of minutes, texts and data. It’s the trade off you get for low prices. Whether or not it’s worth it is up to you.

Useful links: Read how Sky Mobile Watch works

Plusnet Mobile’s SIM only plans – key facts

Plusnet only currently offer SIM only plans, meaning there’s no way to get a phone contract with them. But their low-cost rivals VOXI offer some very flexible phone contracts.

EE don’t offer their phone contracts via third party resellers anymore. This is a shame as these offered better value than going with EE directly, but now that’s the only way of getting an EE phone contract.

If you instead want to look at different networks’ phone contracts, then use our phone price comparison tool here to find whatever deal suits you best.

Pay As You Go: Plusnet don’t offer it

Plusnet only offer pay monthly SIM only plans on 1-month and 12-month contracts, but there’s no way to pay as you go. That’s not usually an issue, as their pay monthly contracts are as cheap as £6 a month.

But if you’re certain you want to pay as you go, then 1pMobile are your best choice. They have the cheapest rates of all networks at only 1p per minute, text and MB of data. And they get full access to EE’s network.

1p per minute + 1p per text + 1p per MB data = £0 a month (0‑month contract)
See full deal

None of the main UK networks offer cheap Pay As You Go rates. O2 and Three used to have some pretty low rates, but not anymore. The next cheapest PAYG network are ASDA, but even they’re not a great choice.

We don’t think there’s really any chance of Plusnet introducing a pay as you go scheme at this point. But we’ll keep an eye open and update this page here if they do.

Useful link: Read our 1pMobile review

Customer service: you can call them to get help

To see how good a networks’ customer service is, we start by looking at Ofcom’s complaints record to see how many complaints they receive about each network. Usually, the higher the number, the worse the service.

Plusnet Mobile are still too small of a network to show up in Ofcom’s results. So, we still can’t use this as evidence one way or the other.

But they do operate call centres based in the UK, which is great for a low-cost network. It means you can call up and get your issue sorted straight away. We haven’t tested it, so we can’t say if it’s good or not.

You can manage most aspects of your plan in Plusnet’s app. While they don’t have an online chat, they do have a community forum where Plusnet users can answer your questions. Overall their customer service is good.

Useful link: How to get help on Plusnet Mobile