Best networks for SIM Only tethering

Tethering (also known as a portable hotspot) refers to sharing your phone’s internet connection with another device, such as a laptop or a tablet. It’s a way of getting devices online when there’s no Wi-Fi available, and it’s allowed by most networks.

But there are sometimes restrictions in terms of how much data you can use for tethering, and different networks offer different allowances anyway.

If you plan to tether a lot then having a high allowance is key, but there are other considerations too, such as 4G and 5G coverage, since having data is useless if you don’t have a signal. With that in mind we’ve created this guide to SIM Only tethering, highlighting the best networks and plans for it.

Which networks allow SIM Only tethering?

Every UK network that we’re aware of allows you to use some or all of your data allowance to tether at the time of writing, so you have plenty of options. Read on below to find out what the best options are.

What’s the highest data allowance you can get for SIM Only tethering?

The highest data allowance for SIM Only tethering is currently offered by Three, EE, Vodafone, O2, Giffgaff, iD Mobile, VOXI, Smarty, Tesco Mobile, Lyca Mobile, Asda Mobile, Talkmobile, and Lebara, all of which allow you to use any or all of your data for tethering, including on unlimited data plans.

However, many of these networks do have fair usage terms. For example, on Giffgaff you shouldn’t use 650GB or more of data twice within a 6-month period, while on EE you shouldn’t use more than 600GB per month. These sorts of limits shouldn’t be a problem unless you’re permanently using tethering in place of a normal broadband connection though.

Similarly, some networks limit the number of devices you can tether at once, but this limit is high enough that it shouldn’t be an issue for most users.

Of the networks that don’t offer unlimited data SIM Only tethering, 1pMobile has the highest max allowance at the time of writing, with 200GB. That’s followed by Sky Mobile with 100GB.

The table below highlights the top options. Note that where we’ve listed ‘none’ for fair usage restrictions, this only applies in the UK, as almost all networks apply limits when roaming.

Network	Max SIM Only tethering allowance	Fair use limit
Three	Unlimited	None
EE	Unlimited	600GB / 11 tethered devices
O2	Unlimited	650GB / 11 tethered devices
Vodafone	Unlimited	None
VOXI	Unlimited	None
Giffgaff	Unlimited	650GB / 11 tethered devices
iD Mobile	Unlimited	None
Smarty	Unlimited	None
Asda Mobile	Unlimited	None
Lebara Mobile	Unlimited	None
Tesco Mobile	Unlimited	None
Lyca Mobile	Unlimited	450GB
Talkmobile	Unlimited	None

Which networks have the best coverage?

All UK networks are hovering around 99% (or higher) population coverage with 4G so there’s not much to choose there. 5G is likely to be a bigger divide, but at the time of writing it’s hard to pinpoint which network is in the lead here – and the leader is likely to change regularly, as they’re all growing their coverage quickly.

Based on the latest data we do have though, EE and Three are both at over 60% population coverage with 5G (as of February 2024), while O2 should be at over 50% population coverage. So MVNOs (mobile virtual network operators) that use their infrastructure will have the same coverage. Vodafone though hasn’t provided recent population coverage figures.

Is there anything else to bear in mind?

As well as good coverage, you also want good speeds for tethering. 4G in general should be fine, but some networks are faster than others, with EE typically being rated the fastest on 4G.

Of course, most networks offer 5G now, including all of the networks listed in this article. That’s faster than 4G regardless of network, but recent tests – such as a September 2023 Opensignal report and the top speeds in a 2023 RootMetrics report – tend to put Three ahead of EE, Vodafone, or O2. That would mean the MVNOs using Three (namely Smarty and iD Mobile) should also be faster on 5G.

Be aware also that tethering can use a lot of data, especially if you’re sharing your connection with a large screen device or to stream video, or sharing it with multiple devices. As such you’ll want as high a data allowance as possible if you plan to tether much.

Tethering can also drain your phone battery faster, so you’ll ideally want to be somewhere you can plug it in if you plan to tether for long.

Which networks and plans are the best overall for SIM Only tethering?

Three, iD Mobile, and Smarty get our vote, for offering faster 5G than most other networks, along with no restrictions on tethering in the UK, and competitively high amounts of 5G coverage.

However, with most networks now offering unlimited data and 5G, you can’t go too wrong with any of the SIM Only tethering options.