Smarty Tops Which? UK Mobile Operator Satisfaction Survey for H1 2025

In the latest mobile network satisfaction survey from consumer magazine Which?, Smarty has claimed the top spot with an impressive customer satisfaction score of 82%. The survey, which questioned 4,153 UK adults in January 2025, saw Three UK place last with just 62% satisfaction.

Smaller Operators Dominate Top Rankings

The survey results revealed a clear trend – smaller virtual operators (MVNOs) that harness the networks of the primary operators dominated the upper portion of the rankings. Voxi and Talkmobile followed closely behind Smarty, earning the coveted ‘Recommended Provider’ status from Which? with scores of 81% and 80% respectively.

Lebara (79%) and Giffgaff (77%) rounded out the top recommended providers. Tesco Mobile tied with Lebara at 79% but did not receive the recommendation.

EE Leads Primary Operators at 71%

Among the UK’s big four mobile network operators, EE earned the highest customer score at 71%. However, this placed them in the bottom half of the overall rankings, highlighting the satisfaction gap between primary operators and MVNOs.

O2 and Vodafone struggled with scores of just 68% and 69% respectively. BT Mobile, which is no longer available to new customers, matched O2’s 68% result.

‘Great Value’ Recognition for Budget-Friendly Networks

Several smaller providers earned Which?’s ‘Great Value’ recognition for offering service significantly cheaper than the market average. These included 1p Mobile, Asda, and iD Mobile – all scoring 71% satisfaction while providing low-cost plans with ample data allowances.

Methodology and Caveats

Which? surveyed customers about their experiences across categories like network reliability, customer service, technical support, and value for money. The ‘Customer Score’ represents overall satisfaction and likelihood to recommend.

However, the limited sample size means some operators had far fewer responses than others – O2 had 804 while 1p Mobile just 54. Results for the smallest operators should be taken with a grain of salt.

Looking Ahead

As the UK mobile market continues to evolve and 5G rollouts expand, it will be interesting to see if the primary operators can close the satisfaction gap between themselves and their MVNO competition. With value for money a key priority for consumers, the big four will need to balance performance and price to win back customers from the nimble virtual operators nipping at their heels.