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Are the Big 4 networks the best choice for me?

Are the Big 4 networks the best choice for me?

The chances are that your mobile phone and package are on one of the so-called Big 4 networks – Vodafone, O2, EE or Three. If you run a business that requires its staff to use a company mobile device then there’s a pretty good chance that those devices are also linked to one of those four providers, too.

Between them, these four companies are the only network providers that own a physical slice of the mobile signal your phone can receive, which means providers have to partner with one of them to deliver their service – a practice known as piggybacking.

Why do people go for the 'Big 4'?

You may have taken your contract with one of the Big 4 because you felt you were going to get a better level of support, access to a wider range of off-contract benefits, or greater value for money – all things for which you might be prepared to pay a little more for each month.

But the consumer expert Which? recently released details of their in-depth customer survey that showed all four of the UK’s biggest providers ranked lower for both customer service and value for money than many of their lesser-known competitors.

Data collected through the survey showed that phone users with one of the Big 4 may be paying more than they need to and receiving worse service in return by staying with that supplier.

What were the results of the survey?

When it comes to reliability, Three received the lowest rating of any network and nearly half (45 per cent) its customers claimed to have experienced problems in the last 12 months. By comparison, only a third (29%) of all mobile network customers surveyed experienced a problem within the previous year.

Ironically, in terms of value for money it was Three’s partner Smarty – a virtual network using the same infrastructure – that ranked highest with five stars.

Comparing just the Big 4 providers, EE came last for customer service, technical support and value for money and got its highest score of four stars only for its download speeds.

Which? say the flexibility offered by virtual networks is a key factor in keeping mobile costs down and may be a better option for many facing the harsh consequences of the cost-of-living crisis.

What about cost?

According to the survey, customers of the smaller networks pay on average £10 a month less than Big Four customers across all contract types.

Despite an average price increase of around 11% across all the Big 4 providers, the survey also found that their customers remained the most loyal with more than half of EE, O2 and Vodafone users having been with their provider for more than five years.

What should you do if you’re with one of the Big 4?

Whether you’re on a personal contract or running a business with a commercial mobile phone contract, you should always shop around well before your contract ends.

At YCG we can leverage the relationships we have with all providers to ensure our customers get the right mobile devices, contracts, and support for the best possible price.

The issue here is not price: sometimes the best deal isn’t the cheapest deal. But it does pay to prioritise value.

Sit down and look at your needs, costs, and future requirements – you may want personalised 24/7 support – then work with experts like us to see how the market can meet that demand. Then you should never get stuck on an expensive contract that doesn’t do what you need it to do.

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