Business SIM-only UK, honest pricing.
Real 2026 UK pricing across EE, Vodafone, O2 and Three. When SIM-only beats handset contracts (usually). Honest decision logic. Free network audit to find the right one for your operation.
- 📊 Real 2026 pricing per network
- ⚖️ SIM-only vs handset contract
- 📋 Contract length trade-offs
- ♾️ Unlimited plans & fair-use
- 🌍 EU + international roaming
- 🔄 Number porting process
- 💷 Hidden fees to watch
- 📞 Multi-line discounts
SIM-only vs handset contract — which is right.
The single biggest decision in UK business mobile procurement: SIM-only or handset bundle. Different financial profile, different operational implications.
SIM-only: just network service. You provide the handsets (own them outright, depreciate on your own schedule, refresh when YOU decide). Monthly cost typically £8-25 per user. Total 24-month cost (network service + handsets bought separately) typically £400-800 per user.
Handset bundle: phone + network service combined into one monthly fee. Typically £25-80 per user per month depending on handset tier. Total 24-month cost typically £600-1,900 per user. Convenient but more expensive over the contract term.
The honest economics: if you can afford to buy handsets outright (or have an existing handset estate), SIM-only is almost always cheaper over a 24-month contract — typically £200-1,100 per user lower total cost depending on handset tier. The handset bundle's value is purely cash-flow smoothing, not actual savings.
When handset bundles still make sense: cash-constrained businesses where the bundle's lower upfront cost matters more than total cost. Single-user operations where operational simplicity outweighs maths. Businesses where the bundled price includes specific support or insurance value not separately quoted. For typical UK SMEs with established staff, SIM-only wins.
Business SIM-only price bands.
Typical UK ranges across the four networks on 24-month contracts. Specific quotes depend on user count, network mix, data allowances and contract length.
Basic business SIM-only
Typical monthly: £8-12 per user.
Includes: unlimited UK calls + texts, 5-10GB data, business support line.
Best for: office-based staff using mobile mainly for calls, light data usage outside the office.
Contract length: typically 24-month standard; 12-month available at ~10-15% premium.
Mid-tier business SIM-only
Typical monthly: £15-22 per user.
Includes: unlimited UK calls + texts, 50-100GB data, EU roaming, 5G access where available.
Best for: typical UK SME hybrid workers, regular mobile data usage, occasional EU travel.
Contract length: 24-month optimal; longer terms unlock ~10-15% additional discount.
Unlimited business SIM-only
Typical monthly: £20-35 per user.
Includes: truly unlimited UK data with fair-use, unlimited calls + texts, 5G, EU roaming, generous tethering.
Best for: heavy mobile workers — field-service, sales teams, remote workers using mobile as primary internet.
Watch: "unlimited" with fair-use clauses — see below.
Multi-line discounts: most UK business mobile suppliers tier pricing by user count. Typical discount tiers: 1-9 users (list price), 10-49 users (5-10% discount), 50-99 users (10-15% discount), 100+ users (15-25% discount with custom negotiation). For larger fleets, the per-user cost differs significantly from advertised single-user rates.
What's not in the headline price.
1. Mid-contract price rises. Most major UK networks build in annual price increases (CPI+3.9% has been standard practice). Over a 24-month contract this adds 6-8% to your effective monthly cost. Telexico-sourced contracts can be negotiated without these rises — worth ~£40-100 per user over the contract.
2. International roaming charges. Even on plans advertising "free EU roaming", actual treatment varies. Some networks charge £2-3/day for EU use. Worldwide (outside EU) typically £3-7/day. For travelling staff, this can add £200-1000+ per year unexpectedly. Negotiate roaming explicitly.
3. Out-of-bundle data overage. On capped plans (5GB, 10GB, 50GB), going over the allowance costs £5-10 per additional GB. One business trip with poor WiFi can produce a £50-200 unexpected bill. Choose plans with realistic data buffers, or unlimited plans for heavy users.
4. Premium-rate calls. Calls to 084x, 087x, 0871, 0900 numbers are usually NOT included in "unlimited UK calls." These can cost £0.50-2.00 per minute. Watch where your staff actually call.
5. Early termination fees. Standard UK business mobile contracts: leaving early typically costs the full remaining contract value. Check this before signing, particularly if business circumstances might change.
6. Auto-renewal lock-ins. Some contracts silently roll over for another 12-24 months unless you give specific notice in a narrow window. Set calendar reminders or negotiate this out.
What actually matters in the network choice.
Coverage at your real sites. Don't rely on coverage maps — they're optimistic. Run signal-strength apps (e.g. nPerf, OpenSignal) at your actual office locations, on the routes your field staff actually travel, in the rural sites your team visits. Network performance varies hugely by specific postcode. A network that's "best" in central Birmingham might be marginal in a Black Country industrial estate 5 miles away.
5G availability. If your team relies on mobile broadband (tethering for laptops, mobile hotspots, hybrid workers using phone data as primary internet), 5G coverage at their working locations matters. EE has the broadest UK 5G; Vodafone and O2 cover most urban areas; Three has strong urban 5G. Rural 5G is still patchy across all networks.
International travel patterns. Vodafone has historically offered the most generous EU roaming. Three's "Go Roam" worldwide proposition is competitive. EE charges EU roaming as a small daily fee on most plans. If half your team travels EU monthly, network choice can save £500-3000 per year.
Customer support quality. Business support lines vary substantially. EE Business has dedicated business support with reasonable wait times. Vodafone Business has decent enterprise account management. O2 Business support is competitive. Three's business support is improving but historically thinner than the others. For mission-critical mobile, support model matters as much as headline price.
Contract flexibility. Standard 24-month UK business contracts are the norm. 12-month and 1-month rolling options are available at a premium. If you're early-stage / fast-growing, contract flexibility may matter more than absolute lowest price.
Carrier-agnostic. UK engineering. Honest scope.
Telexico sources business SIM-only contracts across all four UK networks (EE, Vodafone, O2, Three). We assess your usage patterns, coverage requirements at your real sites, and operational needs, then procure the right network and contract for your operation.
Where this differs from buying direct: you get carrier-agnostic recommendation (network choice based on operational fit, not which network we have the best margin with), single relationship across mobile + broadband + VoIP + AI Receptionist (one named UK contact, one bill, consistent contract terms), no mid-contract price rises on Telexico-negotiated agreements, and the option to mix networks within the same fleet for operational reasons.
The free Telexico audit reviews your existing mobile estate (network mix, monthly costs, data usage patterns, contract end dates) and recommends the right path — including, where appropriate, suggesting you stay with your current supplier after renegotiation. Our incentive is solving the operational problem, not winning every quote.
Review my current setup.
Not ready to switch yet? Send us your current contracts, bills, or photos of your existing equipment. We'll review what you have, what you're paying, and where you could simplify, consolidate or improve — without any pressure to buy anything from us.
We benchmark your existing broadband, phones, mobile and IT against current UK market pricing and what your business actually needs.
Real engineer review of your current connectivity, voice setup, WiFi, security and continuity — strengths, gaps, and where you're overpaying or underprotected.
We tell you honestly what's available at your postcode — FTTP, leased line, alt-net carriers — and which makes commercial sense for your operation.
For businesses still on ISDN or aging on-premises PBX — an honest cost-and-feature comparison before the 2027 BT switch-off forces a rushed decision.
No hard sell. No fixed package pressure. If we're not a better fit, we'll tell you straight — and recommend what is.
Frequently asked questions
What is a business SIM-only plan?
A SIM-only plan provides just the network service — calls, texts, data — on a SIM card that you put into your own handset. You don't get a phone with the contract. SIM-only means lower monthly cost (typically £8-25 per user per month vs £25-80 for handset bundles), more flexibility to refresh your handset estate independently of network contract cycles, and the option to use any unlocked phone.
When does SIM-only make sense vs a handset contract?
SIM-only makes sense when: (1) your staff already have business phones and just need network service. (2) You prefer to buy handsets outright (own them, depreciate them on your own schedule). (3) You want flexibility to refresh phones when needed, not when the network contract dictates. (4) Total cost over 24-36 months works out cheaper than the handset bundle. Handset contracts make sense when: cash flow matters more than total cost, you want a single monthly fee that includes the phone, or you prefer the operational simplicity of one bundled cost per user.
How much does a business SIM-only plan cost in the UK?
Typical 2026 UK ranges. Basic (5-10GB data, unlimited calls/texts): £8-12 per user per month on 24-month contracts. Mid-tier (50-100GB data, unlimited everything, EU roaming): £15-22 per user per month. Unlimited (truly unlimited data with fair-use): £20-35 per user per month. Multi-user discounts typically kick in at 10+ users. Single-month rolling contracts cost ~30-50% more than 24-month commitments.
Can I get an unlimited business SIM-only plan?
Yes — all four UK networks offer unlimited business SIM plans. 'Unlimited' in UK mobile context means unlimited UK data subject to fair-use policies (typically 1000GB/month or similar threshold beyond which speeds may be throttled or service reviewed), unlimited UK calls and texts. Tethering allowances vary by network and plan — some include unlimited tethering, some cap it at 30-100GB/month. Read the fair-use policy before signing; 'unlimited' is the marketing claim, fair-use is the actual contract.
How long does porting take to a new SIM?
UK mobile number porting typically completes within 1 working day. The process: request a PAC (Porting Authorisation Code) by texting PAC to 65075 from your current SIM. The PAC is sent to you instantly. You then give the PAC to the new network during the SIM activation. The port completes overnight or within 1 working day with no service gap. Multiple lines port in parallel.
What contract lengths are available?
Standard UK business SIM-only contracts come in 1-month rolling, 12-month, 24-month, and 36-month variants. 1-month rolling: maximum flexibility but ~30-50% more expensive per month than longer terms. 12-month: balanced flexibility and price. 24-month: standard UK business SIM length, best price-flexibility balance. 36-month: lowest monthly cost but locks you in for the longest period. Most UK SMEs choose 24-month for the standard balance.
Do business SIM-only plans include EU roaming?
Most do, with caveats. Post-Brexit, the UK networks have varying EU roaming treatment: some include it free up to fair-use limits (typically 5-30GB depending on network and plan), some charge small daily fees (£1-3/day), some include it in higher-tier plans only. Worldwide roaming outside the EU is usually charged at daily rates or via dedicated international add-ons. For teams travelling regularly, EU roaming inclusion is a real cost factor — picking the right network and plan can save £20-50 per traveller per trip.
Can Telexico source business SIM-only plans across all networks?
Yes. We're carrier-agnostic across EE, Vodafone, O2 and Three. We assess your usage patterns and coverage requirements then procure the right network and contract for your operation. Same single Telexico relationship covers your broadband, VoIP, AI Receptionist and mobile under one supplier — single bill, single named contact, single set of contract terms with no mid-contract price rises.
Tailored around your business.
Send us your current setup. We'll review what you have, what you pay, and where we can simplify, consolidate or improve it — no hard sell, no fixed-package pressure.