Vodafone 5G unlimited data sim deals

To fully appreciate 5G, most mobile operators will recommend going for an unlimited data plan. That way, not only will you be getting the fastest speeds available, you’ll also be able to take advantage of all that 5G power without any limits.

The next generation of connectivity promises to revolutionise the smartphone experience, with users able to download big files, surf the web and stream 4K quality videos as seamlessly as possible.

Vodafone is one of the major operators offering 5G unlimited data plans, so here’s everything you need to know from fair usage restrictions to roaming terms.

What plans are available with unlimited data?

Vodafone offers a whole host of unlimited data plans on its network. This includes SIM-only plan options of either 1, 12 or 24 months and Pay Monthly plans that you can customise to between 12 and 36 months.

Also available is home broadband via the 5G enabled GigaCube, offering customers unlimited data from £60 per month on a 24-month contract, with 30-day plans also available. Mobile broadband is also an option with Vodafone through dongles, routers or hotspot on variable length plans.

The Vodafone Mobile 5G Hotspot is a solid choice if you’re looking for a broadband router with features that rivals lack.

So Vodafone offers just about every plan available with unlimited 5G data, with pay-as-you-go too, and data-only also an option for iPads or other tablets.

Why choose Vodafone unlimited data

If you’re already a Vodafone customer, 5G offers faster speeds and lower latency, resulting in a faster connection and a better overall experience with your unlimited data plan.

Grab an entertainment plan and you can also get YouTube Premium, Amazon Prime or a Spotify Premium subscription for the duration of the plan, so you can make the most of all that data.

Alongside its mobile benefits, Vodafone has stressed the power of 5G for business. The operator says that 5G can improve business efficiency and save costs while allowing remote collaboration and letting users work while on the go.

In terms of 5G coverage, Vodafone 5G is available in parts of hundreds of UK towns and cities and over 200 roaming locations across Europe. Users can use an online coverage checker tool to see whether Vodafone 5G is available in their location.

As of this writing, Vodafone is the only one of the four major UK operators to offer 5G data in Europe.

Vodafone’s 5G performs well too, as its average 5G download speeds are 143.6Mbps according to Point Topic tests, a significant advancement on 4G speeds which were just 22.4Mbps according to Opensignal.

Ofcom data also shows that 86% of Vodafone users are happy with their mobile reception. Alongside this approval rating, Vodafone offers a host of 5G unlimited data options as mentioned above.

What are the differences between Vodafone’s unlimited data plans?

There are three different unlimited data plan types on Vodafone when choosing a Pay Monthly handset, SIM only, mobile broadband or data only plan, specifically:

• Unlimited Lite, which tops out at 2Mbps speeds
• Unlimited, which tops out at 10Mbps speeds
• Unlimited Max, which is uncapped and offers 5G speeds

Note you’ll only see all three of these mentioned when choosing a Pay Monthly handset or SIM Only, and that none of these terms apply for Pay As You Go or home broadband – in those cases the plans are just labelled as ‘unlimited’ but are seemingly the equivalent of an Unlimited Max plan, as speeds appear to be unrestricted.

The chart below provides a basic overview of how they compare, but for more details, head to the next sections.

Unlimited Lite

Unlimited Lite plans come with unlimited data but do significantly limit you when it comes to speed, topping out at just 2Mbps.

While that’s certainly slow, it should also be enough for a lot of users. If you’re mostly just web browsing and messaging, you’re unlikely to notice the lack of speed, as it can handle both fine (though web pages may load a bit slower than you’re used to).

2Mbps is also plenty for streaming high-quality music, and you can download a typical song in under 15 seconds, so by extension any small file will be quick to download. This is also plenty fast enough for email.

Where it will feel limited is for streaming video (which it will struggle to do in more than standard definition, and even then is likely to load slowly and buffer a lot), for downloading and uploading large files (such as albums, games, and big apps), for playing online games (which are unlikely to function properly), and for tethering.

Group video calls are also unlikely to work well, and while you should be able to video call an individual, the quality may leave something to be desired.

Unlimited

Vodafone Unlimited plans give you data speeds of up to 10Mbps, which is a big boost on Unlimited Lite, but still not enough for all tasks.

With this you will be able to browse the web, use social media such as Facebook, message, email, and do other basic tasks more speedily and smoothly than on a 2Mbps connection. You’ll also be able to download a song in around 3 seconds – so five times as fast. That in turn means all downloads will be five times as fast, making big apps and games a lot more viable to grab or update on a mobile data connection.

Streamed video will be far more practical too – here an HD stream can easily be managed, and the buffering and loading times should be reduced.

Most online games should comfortably be playable too – though performance may not always be perfect, and you’ll be able to make HD video calls to both individuals and groups. Tethering even becomes more practical here – though if you connect many devices then your connection could still slow to a crawl.

Unlimited Max

With a Vodafone Unlimited Max plan your speeds are truly unrestricted and uncapped.

That means this is the only Vodafone unlimited plan that truly offers 5G speeds, so it’s what you should opt for if you have a 5G phone. But even if you don’t, you can get higher speeds here than on other Vodafone unlimited plans.

Being uncapped, the speeds are a lot more variable, but at the top end things like loading a web page, downloading a song, or downloading another small file or app, are near instantaneous – we’re talking less than a second.

You can also stream video in 4K quality (which is more than most phones have the screen to even fully take advantage of), tether a large number of devices at high speed, play online games with no lag, and do basically anything else that requires data as quickly and smoothly as you could reasonably expect.

Which unlimited data plan is right for me?

So, you now know the key differences between Vodafone’s three unlimited plans, but there are some other considerations in deciding which is the best plan for you.

For one thing, if you plan to do much roaming abroad, it’s worth being aware that the only way to get free roaming is to opt for an ‘Unlimited Max + 4 Xtra benefits’ plan, which will let you roam for free in 83 destinations.

To be clear, not all Unlimited Max plans offer 83 roaming destinations, only the ‘4 Xtra benefits’ version, which costs more.

It’s also worth noting that you can optionally get a subscription to Amazon Prime, Spotify Premium, or YouTube Premium included with an Unlimited or Unlimited Max plan, but not with an Unlimited Lite plan. If this is of interest, just look for the plans that say they come “with entertainment” – though note that this isn’t a free addition, but is typically cheaper than subscribing separately.

So which plan is right for you? If you simply want the cheapest option possible, then of course it’s Unlimited Lite that you should go for, but unless you’re really not going to be doing much more than web browsing with your phone, you might find it frustratingly slow.

For most people we’d recommend at least Unlimited, which will be fast enough for the majority of tasks. But Unlimited Max is arguably worth the extra for its increased speed (which is especially useful for things like tethering and gaming), and its potential roaming locations.

Unlimited Max should also be the only one you consider if you have a 5G phone. Technically you can tap into Vodafone’s 5G service with an Unlimited or Unlimited Lite plan, but while you’ll be able to benefit from the lower latency and greater capacity, you won’t get the speeds, which is 5G’s main selling point.

Are there any fair usage restrictions?

While no fair usage policies are specified, Vodafone outlines several acceptable use policies on its terms and conditions page.

Alongside that, Vodafone has a fair usage limit of 25GB which isn’t mentioned on that page but is outlined in the FAQs.

The operator says that unlimited data plans need to be “for your own and non-commercial use”. This differs from some other operators in the UK that opt for a limit of around 600GB.

Vodafone users must not use any inclusive roaming services “more than would be reasonably expected” the operator adds in its terms and conditions.

It adds that it will check and monitor roaming use and if, during any four-month period, you are roaming in the Europe Zone or in the Global Roaming Plus destinations for 62 days or more, you may incur additional charges.

These additional roaming charges include £3.13 per 1GB of data used.

Is unlimited tethering included?

Vodafone allows users to tether at no additional cost on all of its unlimited data plans. That means users will be able to use up to unlimited data for tethering on pay monthly and SIM-only plans depending on your tariff.

Can unlimited data be used abroad?

5G roaming is available in Germany, Italy and Spain and customers on a bill pay plan can use 5G in these countries.

However, while 5G data is available in these countries, Vodafone has brought back roaming charges of up to £2 per day to use your monthly allowance in Europe on many plans.

This applies to customers who signed up to a Vodafone contract since August 11, 2021, but it should be noted that some plans still offer inclusive roaming.

Specifically, most plans that list ‘4 Xtra benefits’ in their name offer free roaming in 51 destinations, but Unlimited Max plans with 4 Xtra benefits include it in a whopping 83 locations. If in doubt, check the details of the plan you’re buying, as any inclusive roaming will be listed.

With that said, there’s also a fair usage cap of 25GB as mentioned above.

Is 5G data included?

Yes, all of Vodafone’s unlimited data SIM-only plans offer 5G connectivity with options available for one, 12 and 36-month contracts.

Users should note that in order to use 5G, you must have a 5G-compatible device and be in an area where 5G is available.

Are unlimited plans available with a multi-plan discount?

Yes. Existing Vodafone customers (other than pay-as-you-go) are eligible for discounts when adding an additional plan to an account. Users can get 15% off selected plans and this is available to customers who have at least one full price plan on a 12-month minimum contract.

The account owner is able to apply for the discount on up to nine additional plans and this discount applies to handsets, SIM-only, airtime or mobile broadband plans.

Can I gift data on an unlimited plan?

No, Vodafone has stopped its data sharing, as personal hotspot has become widely available. Users who have data sharer included in their plans won’t be able to add any new members to their group.

Alternatives

Vodafone isn’t the only UK operator offering 5G unlimited data plans. Its major rivals EE, O2 and Three also offer several options for you to compare to.

Smaller mobile network operators also offer 5G unlimited data plans, including Vodafone’s own VOXI sub-brand which offers several Pay Monthly and SIM-only options.

Alongside that, 5G unlimited data plans are also available from the following mobile operators, although 5G coverage on these brands may differ: BT Mobile, Smarty, iD Mobile, Lebara, Lyca Mobile, Giffgaff, Tesco Mobile, Virgin Mobile, and Asda Mobile.