As of 13 August 2026, AI can compare UK mobile networks by coverage.

What to actually do

1. Hand it to a person

   The route this page recommends

   A person who owns the outcome does this end to end, worth it when the failure is dear.

2. Do it yourself

   Second choice

   A chat interface, chat-fluent skill, and roughly 30 minutes until you can act on the result.

   How to actually do it

   1. Open the coverage checkers for the networks you are considering and, where available, Ofcom's mobile coverage information.
   2. Gather the postcodes or named places for your home, work or study location, regular journeys and any rural or indoor locations that matter.
   3. Record the reported 4G and 5G coverage for each location, including screenshots or links and whether the result is for indoor, outdoor or predicted coverage.
   4. Paste those locations, your phone and usage needs, and the recorded source information into the prompt.
   5. Ask the chatbot to produce the comparison table and shortlist, keeping uncertain or conflicting results visible.
   6. Open the original coverage maps for every location in the shortlist and compare their results with the chatbot's table.
   7. Check your phone's supported bands and any provider restrictions, then use a network trial, suitable SIM or a friend's phone to test the most important indoor locations before committing.

   Prompt

   Compare UK mobile networks by coverage for my actual use. Use only the coverage information and links I provide, and do not invent current coverage, speeds, prices or network claims.
   
   Locations to check:
   - Home postcode or place: [HOME LOCATION]
   - Work or study location: [WORK OR STUDY LOCATION]
   - Regular travel routes and places: [ROUTES AND PLACES]
   
   My needs:
   - Indoor, outdoor or both: [INDOOR, OUTDOOR OR BOTH]
   - Calls, texts, mobile data or all three: [NEEDS]
   - Main activities, such as streaming, navigation or hotspot use: [ACTIVITIES]
   - Phone model and 4G or 5G requirement: [PHONE AND REQUIREMENT]
   - Networks or providers I am considering: [NETWORKS]
   
   Sources to use:
   [PASTE LINKS, SCREENSHOTS OR COVERAGE DETAILS HERE]
   
   For each network, produce a table showing the reported 4G and 5G coverage at each location, any important limitations, and whether the evidence is clear or uncertain. Separate network coverage from likely indoor performance and from service claims that the sources do not establish. Identify which locations need extra checking, explain what I should verify myself, and give a cautious shortlist. Do not recommend a provider solely because it has a larger national footprint. If the sources conflict or are missing, say so plainly rather than filling the gap.

   Open it prefilled in ChatGPT or Claude, or copy it into Gemini, which takes no prefill link.

3. Use a tool built for this

   The distant third