Tesco Mobile SIM Only Deals

Why choose Tesco Mobile 5G SIM Only?

Tesco Mobile uses O2’s infrastructure, meaning where that network has 5G (as well as 4G, 3G and 2G) Tesco Mobile does too. And O2 for its part is rapidly expanding its 5G network, so Tesco Mobile 5G coverage should grow quickly.

Plus, Tesco Mobile’s 5G SIM Only plans come with up to unlimited data at the time of writing, so there’s plenty to play with, but it also offers lower allowances which are very affordable.

So whether you want a high 5G data allowance or a cheap way to experience 5G, Tesco Mobile should have a 5G SIM Only plan to suit.

Tesco Mobile 5G unlimited data

Tesco Mobile offers unlimited 5G data on both 12-month and 24-month plans, with the latter having a lower monthly cost, while the former is less of a commitment.

Either way this is truly unlimited data, so there aren’t any hidden fair use policies and nor are there any speed caps.

Tesco Mobile 5G coverage

Tesco Mobile offers 5G in a rapidly growing number of UK towns and cities (the same ones as O2). Some of the locations where 5G is available include:

Aberdeen, Birmingham, Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Coventry, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne, Nottingham, Portsmouth, Sheffield, Swansea, and York.

For full, up to date details of which places have Tesco 5G, check out our Tesco Mobile 5G coverage page.

Tesco Mobile 5G speeds

Tesco Mobile hasn’t said what its 5G speeds are like at the time of writing, but in general you can expect average download speeds of around 100-250Mbps on the UK’s 5G networks, with top speeds potentially exceeding 1Gbps.

We can also look at O2’s speeds since there’s plenty of data on that and they’re likely to be similar. According to an OpenSignal report from April 2022 then, O2’s average 5G download speed is 100.6Mbps, while RootMetrics found during the second half of 2021 that O2’s highest median 5G download speed was 169.2Mbps.

4G for comparison averages around 20-30Mbps, so 5G is enormously faster.

Tesco Mobile 5G latency

As with speeds we can look at O2 to get an idea of Tesco Mobile’s latency, and that network has an average 5G latency of 31ms (milliseconds) according to a 2021 report from Ookla.

That’s faster than a typical 4G latency and as a result can increase the feeling of speed on the network.

Added extras

Tesco Mobile is mostly focused on sheer value, meaning you don’t get much extra, but nor do you pay as much for your allowances as on some other networks.

That said, you can collect 1 Clubcard point for every £1 you spend with the network, so it pairs well with Tesco Clubcard. And Tesco Mobile has all the basic extras you’d expect, like tethering and free roaming in much of Europe.

Data roaming

Tesco Mobile lets you use your allowances of minutes, texts, and data at no extra cost in 48 destinations, mostly those within the EU.

The destinations include Austria, Azores, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canary Islands, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, French Guyana, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Guadeloupe, Guernsey, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Jersey, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madeira, Malta, Martinique, Mayotte, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Reunion, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, St. Martin, St. Barts, Sweden, Switzerland and Vatican City.

Tethering

You can use as much of your data allowance as you want for tethering, meaning you can use your smartphone and Tesco’s network to connect other devices (such as tablets and laptops) to the internet. And with a 5G connection the speeds will be superfast too.

4G Calling and Wi-Fi Calling

There’s no Wi-Fi Calling or 4G Calling on Tesco Mobile, meaning that you can’t use your dialler and SMS app for calls and texts when those are the only network types available.

However, it’s exceedingly rare that there won’t be 3G coverage, since Tesco Mobile’s network coverage is so widespread. And if you are in an area without, then you can always use Wi-Fi or 4G for other messaging and calling services, such as WhatsApp.

How can I keep my number when switching?

To keep your number, just text ‘PAC’ to 65075 from your current mobile phone to get your PAC code. This can then be given to Tesco Mobile either while placing your order or after you’ve already joined the network.

If doing the latter, just text PORT to 23424 from your temporary Tesco Mobile number and follow the instructions. Once Tesco has your PAC and the number you want to keep, it will do the rest.

Which size SIM will I get?

Tesco Mobile’s SIM cards include all three possible sizes, so they can fit any phone, you just pop out the size that you need, which in most cases will be the smallest (nano) one.