1 Million People Have Used Ofcom’s UK Mobile Network Coverage Checker
The UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has today revealed that one million people have now used their upgraded Map Your Mobile Postcode Checker since it launched a year ago (here). The service was enhanced to better match people’s real-world experiences of 4G and 5G (mobile broadband) performance and signal strength across EE, Three UK, Vodafone and O2.
The goal of the service was to allow anyone to see which mobile network is “best where they live, work or travel“, helping people choose the right operator before signing up or switching, so they can get the best possible value for money from their contract.
However, despite making some improvements to boost its accuracy (see our original article for details), Ofcom’s map continues to only provide fairly basic / simplified results and no data on mobile data speeds, latency or splits by different technologies (4G vs 5G etc.). But the regulator is planning to make further improvements in the future.
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Natalie Black, Ofcom’s Group Director for Infrastructure and Connectivity, said:
“One quick check of our free tool can show you how mobile networks compare in your area. If your signal keeps letting you down, you need to Map Your Mobile”.
Consumers looking for a bit more detail could alternative try one of Streewave’s coverage checkers, although they haven’t yet gathered information from the whole of the UK yet (here). Unlike Ofcom’s study, Streetwave uses data gather from kit installed on bin lorries, which provides a cost-effective way of mapping mobile coverage and also includes data on mobile broadband speeds down to the premises level.
Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook, BlueSky, Threads.net and Linkedin.
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I have never used it, being Ofcom, it is no doubt about as useful as they are.
“Coverage is based on predictions provided by mobile network operators” and it is same inaccurate for my place. What is the reason of duplicating inaccurate data?
It’s so inaccurate. It says that for my postcode, I can only get variable indoor reception from all providers, but I get full bars with EE, O2 and Vodafone. If I took that at face value, no network would be worth going with over the other.
I thought for a laugh I would give it a go, by all accounts we have two networks here, Openreach and full fiber. Go to full fibre page and say nope, not available, because they are not available. It is Zzoomm that is available here. I wonder how many customers Zzoomm have lost because of useless Ofcom
It’s accurate in my area. Openreach and CF for my place (its a block of flats and cityfibre keep telling me it’s available. Naturally I’d only want to use Openreach). Openreach, CF and Trooli for the houses in the street.
Have you considered the possibility that Ofcom can only show the data given to them, and perhaps zzzzzzzoooooommzozozoozmzooom (or however you spell it) have not provided accurate info or indeed any at all. It’s not a legal requirement for a network operator to do so.
Are they sure it’s actual people and not Call Centre agents who sell SIM cards? I know O2 agents are told to use the checker when selling SIMs
I just gave feedback on it. In my village, EE is not usable. I can’t leave the house whilst on a call as the minute it drops from WiFi calling. It’s game over. I have to call people back when I get a mile or two away from home. But the ofcom coverage shows that they’re the best of the four!!
Vodafone and O2 are really strong here but have a lesser rating than EE.
Have sent the feedback as I think someone has hit the nail on the head, this data is the same malakies the mobile networks put out there!