Nearly 5 million Brits are considering switching their mobile provider due to poor signal
AND three million Brits aren’t happy with the mobile signal in their home
New research from Go.Compare Mobile has revealed that almost one in ten (9%) Brits are considering switching mobile phone providers due to the quality of their signal.* With the current adult UK population, this could mean 4.7 million people are debating whether to ditch their current provider.**
The survey asked 2,000 people about their mobile phone coverage, with almost one in four (23%) citing quality of signal as a key motivation when it comes to choosing a new mobile provider.
While 9% of people are thinking about switching their provider due to signal quality, another 12% have already done so. This number jumps for those living in Greater London, where one in five residents (20%) say they’ve had to switch providers due to signal issues.
Across the UK, 8% of people surveyed say they aren’t happy with their signal in their home and 7% aren’t satisfied with the signal they get when they’re away from their home.
Mobile phone signal in the UK is delivered through four different mobile network operators, or MNOs: EE, O2, Three and Vodafone, which build and maintain the mobile phone masts.
While there are other providers such as Tesco Mobile or Lebara, these are technically ‘virtual network operators’, as Nathan Blackler, spokesperson for Go.Compare Mobile, explains:
“If you aren’t with one of the main four operators, your network will be leasing network space from the MNOs, as these are the ones who build and maintain the mobile phone masts. For example, Asda Mobile is hosted on Vodafone’s network and GiffGaff is on O2.”
Nathan continued, “Being unable to use your phone, especially in your own home, can be really frustrating and at times stressful, so it’s no surprise that signal quality is an important factor for so many people when choosing a provider.
“To make it easier to check the quality of each network’s mobile phone coverage before you commit to a new contract, Go.Compare has launched a new mobile coverage checker. Take a look at the network which provides the best coverage for you, thinking about where you most often need a good signal, like your home and workplace.
“Then, armed with this information, you can make an informed decision about which contract is best for you - comparing the handset, the amount of data you get a month and any roaming charges if you travel abroad.”
To find out more about the mobile coverage checker and compare mobile phone deals, visit, https://www.gocompare.com/mobile-phone/mobile-coverage-checker/
Contact Information
Rubie Barker
Notes to editors
*The research was conducted by Censuswide, among a sample of 2,000 UK Nationally Representative Consumers. The data was collected between 09.07.2025 - 11.07.2025. Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society and follows the MRS code of conduct and ESOMAR principles. Censuswide is also a member of the British Polling Council.
**UK 16+ population is 55,190,347 according to the Office for National Statistics. This was multiplied by 9%, corresponding to the percentage of people who responded that they would consider switching mobile providers due to the quality of signal.
For further information please contact:
Lynsey Walden on lynsey.walden@gocompare.com, or Kath Chadwick on Kathryn.chadwick@gocompare.com
Keep up-to-date with GoCompare on Twitter; @GoCompare
About Go.Compare
Go.Compare is a comparison website that enables people to compare the costs and features of a wide variety of insurance policies, financial products and energy tariffs.
It does not charge people to use its services and does not accept advertising or sponsored listings, so all product comparisons are unbiased. Go.Compare makes its money through fees paid by the providers of products that appear on its various comparison services when a customer buys through the site.
When it launched in 2006, it was the first comparison site to focus on displaying policy details rather than just listing prices, with the aim of helping people to make better-informed decisions when buying their insurance. It is this approach to comparing products that secured the company an invitation to join the British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA) in 2008, and it is still the only comparison site to be a member of this organisation.
Go.Compare has remained dedicated to helping people choose the most appropriate products rather than just the cheapest and works with Defaqto, the independent financial researcher, to integrate additional policy information into a number of its insurance comparison services. This allows people to compare up to an extra 30 features of cover.
Go.Compare is part of Future Plc and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
More information can be found here www.gocompare.com or here https://www.futureplc.com/brands/.