Overview of the mobile phone networks in the UK

The public mobile phone networks in the UK are operated by five companies - 3, 02, Orange, T Mobile and Vodafone. The ownership of the mobile phone network companies changes in the ever-changing world of international big business.

In addition, there are virtual networks operating on one of the major companies networks, but sold under a different name. For example, Virgin and Value Telecom are both rebranded T-mobile, and Sainsbury's One uses O2. OneTel's equivalent uses Vodafone.

The UK networks are listed in alphabetical order. Click the header to go to the page for each network:

3

Three, or "3" as they prefer to be called, are the newest entrants of the UK mobile networks. Owned by Hutchison, the original owners of Orange, 3 bought a UTMS (3G) mobile licence, and their March 2003 UMTS (3G) launch date put them well ahead in offering this new service in the UK.

Although they still have issues with their network and their handsets, their pricing is very competitive. Unfortuantely they have yet to offfer the data service that 3G makes possible.

O₂

Originally called Cellnet, O₂ was just one step behind Vodafone in terms of subscriber numbers, and had both analogue and GSM digital networks. Now owned by a German firm, O₂ has been slipping behind in the subscriber race, and in the coverage stakes.

Orange

Originally owned by a consortium of British Aerospace and Hutchison (a major Hong Kong corporation), Orange has been sold to Mannesman, a German mobile phone network. Mannesman was in turn taken over by Vodafone, who sold Orange to France Telecom. France Telecom then floated Orange as a separate company and arr trying to extract as much revenue from it as possible.

Orange has a GSM 1800 network in the UK, and other networks overseas. Orange built a reputation for technical innovation, and good, if a little paternalistic, customer service. Recent management decisions (driven by France Telecom's financial difficulties, and possibly by sheer incompetence) have reversed their growth in users, and Orange is falling behind in subscriber numbers. They say that Average Revenue Per User matters more, but when the users notice, they'll be off to a cheaper network!

T-mobile

T-mobile, once called one2one, was originally owned by Mercury, later Cable & Wireless, but has been sold to a German mobile phone network. T-mobile has a GSM 1800 network, and is also sold as Virgin Mobile and Value Telecom.

Vodafone

Vodafone is a major player in mobile phone networks across the world, and had both analogue and GSM networks in the UK. They have always been the leader in terms of UK subscriber numbers, although the margins are narrowing.

See also [ 3 ] : [ O₂ ] : [ Orange ] : [ T-mobile ] : [ Vodafone ]

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