62 Macworld • March 2021iPHONE
- Three
- Vodafone
There are many further providers,
but they all ‘piggyback’ on the
infrastructure of one of the above.
So EE is piggybacked by BT Mobile,
Plusnet and Virgin Mobile; O2 is
piggybacked by Giffgaff, Tesco
Mobile and Sky Mobile; Three is
piggybacked by iD Mobile and
Smarty; and Vodafone is piggybacked
by Talk Mobile and VOXI.
This piggybacking arrangement
will be relevant when we discuss
coverage, speed and reliability
because the smaller providers are
reliant on the physical infrastructure
of their chosen big network, and will
be susceptible to the same problems.WHAT DO YOU NEED
FROM YOUR NETWORK?
When selecting a network there
are lots of different criteria to
consider. You will probably have to
compromise in one area to get what
you’re looking for in another.Price
For a rough comparison of prices,
in the individual entries we’ve listed
the lowest monthly fee each network
offers (at time of writing) for theiPhone 12, over 24 months and with
a maximum upfront cost of £100 and
a minimum of 1GB data. Check the
individual sites for up-to-date prices.
It’s worth noting that there are often
deals from the networks available from
third parties like Carphone Warehouse,
Mobile Phones Direct and more, so
shopping around can pay off once
you’ve chosen your network.
When looking at pricing it’s
important to look at total cost of
ownership (TCO) over the course of a
contract, which includes the upfront
cost and however many monthly
payments are required. An apparently
unappealing contract may work out
the best for you if it only lasts 12
months (most are 24 or more).
The amount you pay will vary
according to your monthly data
allowance, the value of the phone
(assuming it’s included) and any
additional features, such as Apple
Music subscriptions. But beyond this,
some deals are simply better value
than others. You shouldn’t assume
that you’re paying a fair price.Coverage
Most of the UK now has decent 4G
coverage, and some has 5G. But there
still remain rural pockets with 3G or
with nothing at all.62 Macworld • March 2021iPHONE
- Three
- Vodafone
There are many further providers,
but they all ‘piggyback’ on the
infrastructure of one of the above.
So EE is piggybacked by BT Mobile,
Plusnet and Virgin Mobile; O2 is
piggybacked by Giffgaff, Tesco
Mobile and Sky Mobile; Three is
piggybacked by iD Mobile and
Smarty; and Vodafone is piggybacked
by Talk Mobile and VOXI.
This piggybacking arrangement
will be relevant when we discuss
coverage, speed and reliability
because the smaller providers are
reliant on the physical infrastructure
of their chosen big network, and will
be susceptible to the same problems.WHAT DO YOU NEED
FROM YOUR NETWORK?
When selecting a network there
are lots of different criteria to
consider. You will probably have to
compromise in one area to get what
you’re looking for in another.Price
For a rough comparison of prices,
in the individual entries we’ve listed
the lowest monthly fee each network
offers (at time of writing) for theiPhone 12, over 24 months and with
a maximum upfront cost of £100 and
a minimum of 1GB data. Check the
individual sites for up-to-date prices.
It’s worth noting that there are often
deals from the networks available from
third parties like Carphone Warehouse,
Mobile Phones Direct and more, so
shopping around can pay off once
you’ve chosen your network.
When looking at pricing it’s
important to look at total cost of
ownership (TCO) over the course of a
contract, which includes the upfront
cost and however many monthly
payments are required. An apparently
unappealing contract may work out
the best for you if it only lasts 12
months (most are 24 or more).
The amount you pay will vary
according to your monthly data
allowance, the value of the phone
(assuming it’s included) and any
additional features, such as Apple
Music subscriptions. But beyond this,
some deals are simply better value
than others. You shouldn’t assume
that you’re paying a fair price.Coverage
Most of the UK now has decent 4G
coverage, and some has 5G. But there
still remain rural pockets with 3G or
with nothing at all.