Vodafone 5G SIM Only deals

Why choose Vodafone 5G SIM Only?

Vodafone was second to launch a 5G service in the UK, meaning it’s ahead of many rivals and has a substantial and growing amount of 5G coverage.

So it’s a strong option for 5G SIM Only now, and given the speed of its roll out it’s likely to be future proofed too, as its 5G coverage should rapidly improve.

Beyond that, 5G SIM Only in general is a great choice if you want an affordable, good value plan, as it’s a lot cheaper than getting a 5G phone on contract, since all you’re paying for is your allowances (though you will need a 5G phone one way or another to make use of 5G speeds).

5G SIM Only on Vodafone is also available on shorter term contracts than handsets are. You have the choice of a 30-day, 12-month or 24-month plan (while handsets are typically available on 24-month plans). That means you’re not necessarily tied in for as long, but also have the flexibility to choose a duration – pick a longer 24-month option and you’ll get even lower prices.

On top of all that, you can also get unlimited data with 5G SIM Only on Vodafone, so you can make the most of all that speed.

Vodafone 5G unlimited data

Unlimited data is available on Vodafone’s 5G SIM Only plans, and you can get this on any plan duration.

It’s worth doing so too, especially if you’re a heavy data user, as it free you from limits, so you can download and stream all day every day if you want.

The only restriction is a 25GB monthly roaming limit, so while you’re in the UK Vodafone’s unlimited data plans are truly unlimited. Watch out for the different varieties of unlimited plan though, as only those listed as ‘Unlimited Max’ offer 5G speeds.

Vodafone 5G coverage

Vodafone is growing its 5G coverage rapidly and is likely to continue doing so until it has comprehensive UK coverage. So if you don’t have Vodafone 5G where you are now, you likely will do sooner or later.

But you may well already have Vodafone 5G where you need it, as it’s already available in a huge number of locations. Key locations with Vodafone 5G include (but are not limited to):

London, Aberdeen, Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne, Portsmouth, Reading, Sheffield, Southampton, Swansea, York, and lots of other places.

Head to our Vodafone 5G coverage page for in-depth information.

Vodafone 5G speeds

Vodafone says to expect average 5G speeds of around 150-200Mbps, with top speeds of around 1Gbps, which is far, far faster than anything 4G is capable of.

Based on the available data from independent tests, Vodafone’s average 5G speeds are indeed roughly in that ballpark, or potentially higher, with the highest median speed from a late 2021 RootMetrics test coming in at 255.8Mbps. This was recorded in Nottingham.

One of the top speeds we’ve seen from Vodafone was also recorded by RootMetrics in an older report covering London. Here Vodafone achieved a speed of 545.6Mbps.

Vodafone 5G latency

Latency is an important part of 5G speeds, as this is the measurement of how long the network takes to respond to a request.

In Vodafone’s case, that might be 29 milliseconds (ms) according to a 2021 report from Ookla. That’s significantly lower than 4G latency tends to be.

Added extras

You can optionally get Vodafone 5G SIM Only plans with a choice of entertainment packages. Specifically, you can get a Spotify Premium, Amazon Prime or YouTube Premium subscription thrown in.

Plus, you’ll be able to make use of VeryMe rewards on all Vodafone SIM Only plans. These include discounts and giveaways each week.

Vodafone also offers both Wi-Fi Calling and 4G Calling, so you can stay in touch in more places.

Data roaming

Vodafone stands out from most other UK networks in that it lets you roam with 5G speeds in a growing number of locations, so going on holiday or on a business trip doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice 5G speeds.

On top of which, Vodafone lets customers of Xtra plans roam at no extra cost across most of Europe (at a mix of 4G and 5G speeds, depending on where you are), and on select Xtra plans you’ll also be able to roam for free in numerous other locations, such as the US and Australia.

Customers of all other SIM Only plans will still be able to use their allowances to roam in the EU, but at a cost of £2 per day (or £1 per day if you buy an 8 or 15-day roaming pass).

Tethering

Vodafone lets you use your mobile data towards tethering, so you can get laptops, tablets, and other devices online by broadcasting a Wi-Fi network from your phone, much in the same way as a 5G broadband device works.

4G Calling and Wi-Fi Calling

Vodafone offers 4G Calling, meaning you can make and receive calls as well as sending and receiving texts over 4G, using your usual call and SMS apps. The network also offers Wi-Fi Calling, which is the same principle over Wi-Fi.

Without these technologies you wouldn’t be able to call and text if you just had a 4G or Wi-Fi connection, and these aren’t services that every network offers, so they’re a handy bonus.

How can I keep my number when switching?

Just sign up for a Vodafone SIM Only plan, then request your PAC code from your old network and fill in the number transfer form on Vodafone’s website. Number ports will usually happen the next working day, unless you submit your request after 5pm or on a weekend, in which case it will usually happen within two working days.

Rather than calling your old network for your PAC, you can alternatively get it by texting the word ‘PAC’ and your date of birth (in the format DDMMYY) to 65075, from the number that you want to keep.

Which size SIM will I get?

Vodafone will send you a SIM card that contains all three possible sizes, so you can just choose the one you need when you receive it.