Consumers struggling with patchy mobile signal or high bills can benefit from a lesser-known 'piggyback' method recommended by Which? By identifying the strongest network in their area and then choosing a smaller provider that uses that network's infrastructure, customers can often find cheaper deals without sacrificing signal quality.
How piggybacking works
Which? advises checking which smaller providers 'piggyback' on the major network that offers the best coverage in your area. Opensignal analysis shows that signal quality from these providers is almost always indistinguishable from the parent network.
For example, if O2 has the best signal, try Giffgaff; for EE, consider 1p Mobile; and for Vodafone, look at Lebara. The following are the main network links: EE with 1p Mobile, BT Mobile, Lycamobile, Spusu, and Utility Warehouse; O2 with Giffgaff, Sky Mobile, and Tesco Mobile; Three with Honest Mobile, iD Mobile, and Smarty; and Vodafone with Asda Mobile, Lebara, Talkmobile, and Voxi.
Trial before committing
Which? suggests trialing a provider with a one-month Sim-only deal to avoid being tied down, unlike a 24-month contract that could leave you stuck with a poor signal. Customers should also be aware of their statutory rights: when purchasing or upgrading a mobile contract online, by phone, or by mail, there is a legal 14-day cooling-off period to exit without penalty. This does not apply to in-store purchases, though some networks may honor it as a goodwill gesture.
Additionally, look for an acceptable network coverage guarantee in your contract, which allows cancellation if you regularly cannot get a signal. Not all networks include these terms, so reading the contract is essential.
