Independence note: askotto is an independent consumer-information and consultancy publisher. We are not a mobile network, and we are not owned by, partnered with, or endorsed by Three, O2, Sky Mobile, EE, Vodafone or any provider named in these reports. Everything here is general guidance, marked and written by our own reviewers; confirm current details with the network before acting. Our phone and WhatsApp lines reach askotto consultants only — never a network's own customer service.
Section 01
The two-checker rule
Run the network's own postcode checker and Ofcom's independent checker. Where they agree, believe them; where they disagree, believe your trial month. Weight indoor readings heaviest — that's where you live, and where every network is weakest.
Section 02
The audition
The one-month trial protocol
- Buy a rolling-month SIM on the target masts — the network's budget tenant is the cheapest ticket (giffgaff/Tesco for O2, SMARTY for Three, 1pMobile for EE).
- Carry it through a full ordinary week: home, work, commute, the supermarket queue.
- Test the rooms that matter — bedroom, kitchen, home office — not just the doorstep.
- Pass: commit. Fail: you've spent pocket money to dodge a two-year mistake.
Section 03
The yearly re-run
Masts get built, upgraded and re-farmed; a postcode that failed last year can pass this year (and vice versa). Re-run the two checkers annually — ten minutes — before renewing anything.
Independence note: askotto is an independent consumer-information and consultancy publisher. We are not a mobile network, and we are not owned by, partnered with, or endorsed by Three, O2, Sky Mobile, EE, Vodafone or any provider named in these reports. Everything here is general guidance, marked and written by our own reviewers; confirm current details with the network before acting. Our phone and WhatsApp lines reach askotto consultants only — never a network's own customer service.