Advice please. I currently have a 12 month sim only deal from EE. I have a month left on this, and am considering changing to another provider for another 12 month sim only deal.

I currently get 4G at home and in my local area, and want to keep a 4G service.

Around here only EE and O2 provide a 4G service. I am thinking of switching to O2 or Tesco (who use O2)....or to BT Mobile (who use EE). All of these three providers appear to offer better value for money than EE on a 12 month sim only deal. My needs are 1GB data, 500 minutes, and 300 texts.

My questions:
1. Does using a "MVNO" provider mean a slower, inferior service.
2. Does either EE or O2 use better/more frequencies that gives one (or a MVNO using them) an advantage.

Thanks for any help.

1) Usually, yes.
2) EE has vastly more data capacity and frequencies than O2. Your data experience will be miles better on EE. I'm sure many others will vouch for me on this.

EE's experience is mostly much better. Have you tried getting an EE contract through a cashback site as they can MASSIVELY reduce the cost of the contract.

God, there he goes again. Been on the sauce again have we? yes I think we know who's drunk now!!
Down here on O2 you can make calls everywhere. it's excellent.
You can make calls, send texts, make calls..Oh Wait.. there's some 3G... no, false alarm...
Also the other day, a customer came here and he made a call. I asked what network and he said "O2, it's brilliant, I can make calls and send texts everywhere".

I said "wow, that's great, if I get one will I be able to do the same" and he said "yes, you too could make calls...oh and don't forget, send texts".

As we parted company we both agreed it was totally excellent pretending you are in the late 90s.....

It depends where you are

Here my o2 (Tesco) is miles better than EE. They are shocking as the indoor coverage is weak and even the 4g coverage is limited. The O2 4g is much greater and really does work - yes there are places in the rural areas that only have 2g, however they are getting fewer and fewer ..o2 are vastly improving and fast. EE locally for me are static and friends report things getting worse.

All depends on your area really.

Strange that o2 have a 4g service and Vodafone don't isn't it?

A few places around here where O2 have 3G900 and VOD don't although it appears VOD have done something to 3G in this area, not sure what but might do a bit of testing tomorrow. 3G900 tends not to work though. At all. So that's all good.

2G900 is really so much better if you want to make calls and that's all some people do want. The problem is that neither of them ever invested in 3G. I'm not sure why they are bothering now. Might as well go straight to 2G/4G I would have thought.

Anyway, that 900 advantage is shortly to be wiped out by 800 VoLTE on 3 / EE so VO2 better get their skates on and get some data coverage out there. To be fair, they do seem to be doing that. Even so, for the moment they still have to keep 800 inside 900 where 3/EE don't so in fact, they could lose that voice advantage really soon.

In the same boat. On a 12 month sim only deal and can upgrade from the 5th December.

Still undecided. Live in Hull, EE seems to be slowly improving, still cant decide!

Been in touch with EE today.

They told me the current offers they have are:

10GB sim only plan for £21.99 a month
6GB sim only plan for £17.99 a month

However, these are likely to change in December...

Totally agree with Plymouthbloke.
Here in south Wales EE is a significantly better network.

I'm an O2 customer for my phone but have to carry an EE Osprey MiFI device with me everywhere I go due to O2's absolutely pathetic data network. I travel an awful lot for work and can only get 3G/4G from O2 in major towns and cities but I can get access to EE's 3G/4G coverage almost anywhere - even in the middle of nowhere.

Thanks everyone for all your thoughts.
I think I'll stick with EE, but try to get a better deal from them.

Apparently the upgradesdivision dont work on a saturday so i've just been told.

I need to know if i can get anything close to what BT are offering!

BT 4G speed is capped at 30Mb. Still plenty for just about everything you're going to want to do on a mobile though.

EE 4G (and 3G) coverage is way better than O2. So I'd go for BT if they offer a better deal than EE.

Thanks again everyone.

I called EE today, and said that I could get a better sim only deal with BT/giffgaff/Tesco, as I currently pay EE £13.13 per month.

And I mentioned that my big issue has been the fact that I've exhausted my data allowance in three months with 3-5 days left.

They have now offered me 500 mins, unlimited texts, and an upgrade to 1GB data.....for a reduced price of £9.99 per month! (Same 12 month sim only plan as I have had for the last year, plus the RPI increase in March).

I'm very happy with that, and have taken the offer up. (I can also upgrade to 2GB and unlimited minutes for £12.99 per month at anytime.)

Decided to stick with EE.

£22 for Unlimited Calls/Texts amd 10GB Data.