According to the Which? survey, Three received a two-star rating in every category including network reliability and technical support. O2 received two stars for value for money and customer service, while Lycamobile received four stars for value for money but two stars in every other category.
In the mid-tier, Giffgaff and Smarty both received a customer score of 79%, while EE and Vodafone achieved scores of 74% and 72% respectively. Survey respondents using one of the Big Four paid an average of £16 for a SIM-only contract, compared with just £9 on smaller networks. For contracts that include a phone, the average cost was £40 with the Big Four, versus £28 with smaller providers.
Many smaller firms use the infrastructure of the Big Four, meaning customers often receive the same signal and coverage. Which? research shows some customers can save hundreds of pounds by switching to smaller providers.
Talkmobile was awarded Which? Recommended Provider and Great Value status, according to the survey. Giffgaff, Smarty, 1p Mobile, and Lebara also received Which?
Recommended Provider status. 50 a month for all customers. The exact number of survey respondents and the specific methodology and weighting of categories were not detailed.
It is also unclear whether the poorly performing networks have responded to the findings or how the customer scores translate into real-world service quality.