Mobile Coverage Checker

Mobile coverage varies street by street, and the network with the best signal at your home may not be the best one at your office. Before you sign a contract - especially a multi-year business one - it's worth checking what each network actually delivers at the postcodes that matter to you.

How the coverage checker works

The results come from Ofcom, the UK communications regulator, which collects predicted signal strength from all four network operators - EE, O2, Three and Vodafone - and publishes it as an impartial dataset. We look up every address point in your postcode and show the typical (median) rating for each network, for voice calls and data, indoors and outdoors.

Indoor coverage is the number to watch: walls, glazing and steel all weaken signal, so a network that's excellent in the street can be patchy at a desk. If your premises has thick masonry walls or foil-backed insulation, treat even a good indoor rating with some caution and test with a real handset before committing.

What affects mobile signal?

• Distance and terrain - signal weakens with distance from the mast, and hills or tall buildings in the way make it worse.

• Building materials - metal cladding, foil-backed plasterboard and low-e glazing are the biggest indoor signal killers.

• Frequency band - low-band signals travel further and penetrate buildings better; high-band carries more data over shorter distances. Networks differ in which bands they hold.

• Congestion - a strong signal can still mean slow data somewhere busy, because everyone nearby shares the same mast capacity.

Poor signal at your premises? Your options

Wi-Fi calling is the simplest fix: modern handsets route calls and texts over your broadband when mobile signal is weak, and all four networks support it. Moving networks is often the real answer - the checker above shows you straight away whether another operator is stronger at your address, and business tariffs on every network are worth comparing regularly anyway. Signal boosters can help too, but be careful: only Ofcom-license-exempt repeaters are legal to install in the UK, so avoid cheap imported boosters.

Frequently asked questions

How accurate are the results?

They're modelled predictions, not live measurements - accurate for most locations, but local factors (your building, a new obstruction) can move the real experience either way. For a business-critical decision, shortlist with the checker and then test a SIM from the winning network for a week.

Does this cover 5G?

The checker reports voice and data coverage from Ofcom's standard dataset, which reflects the networks' core (4G) service. 5G footprints are still growing and change quickly - check the operator's own map for 5G specifics.

Which network is best for business?

There's no universal answer - each network is strongest in different places, which is the whole point of checking by postcode. Check every site you operate from (and the areas your field staff cover), not just head office.

Can I keep my number if I switch network?

Yes - text PAC to 65075, give the code to your new provider, and your number moves across, usually within one working day. Business accounts with multiple SIMs are ported the same way, number by number.