iD Mobile's network

Find out everything you need to know about connecting to the iD Mobile network. 

We offer fast 3G, 4G and 5G network coverage for 99% of the UK population. 

iD Mobile is a MVNO (mobile virtual network operator) which means that we use another mobile network’s infrastructure (in our case, Three) to provide our service. So, you get to take advantage of Three’s excellent coverage and network speeds. 

Our 4G network covers 99.8% of the UK outdoor population, while our 3G network has 98.7% coverage. And in a recent independent study comparing UK mobile networks (OpenSignal, April 2020), we had the third fastest 4G download/upload speeds with 19.1/7.4 Mbps. 

5G is the future of mobile network technology and it’s available now on iD Mobile. With average speeds expected to be around 10x faster than average 4G speeds, it’s going to be significantly quicker than what we’re all used to. Watch this space for news of when 5G is coming to iD Mobile. 

You can find out the signal strength in your area with our handy online coverage checker. Use the postcode search to check all the places you usually use your phone, like your home and work addresses. You can also view both 3G and 4G coverage. 

Please note: the coverage checker is a computer-generated prediction, so please use it as a guide only. We try to make it as accurate as possible, but it's not a guarantee of actual signal coverage. For example, no mobile network can guarantee how strong your indoor signal will be, because the signal strength needed to pass through walls and other features varies from building to building. 

There are a few tips that can help you to boost your signal: 

1. Try moving location. If the fault is indoors, sometimes switching rooms can help. 

2. Turn your phone off for 10 seconds and then restart. Yes, this old trick really does help! 

3. Try your SIM card in another device that’s unlocked to the iD Mobile network. 

If you’re still experiencing coverage issues, you can let us know by logging a coverage fault with our Live Chat agents. We'll investigate the cause of the fault and try to get you up and running as soon as possible. 

There are a few things you can check yourself if you’re experiencing any network issues - such as you can’t make and/or receive calls, texts, MMS or use data. 

If you’re in the UK: 

• Use our online coverage checker to see if there are any network issues in your area 

• Log in to the iD Mobile App or My Account online to check your remaining allowances 

• If you’ve used up your allowances, check if you have set a Bill Cap and if you have any balance remaining 

If you’re abroad: 

• Check you have roaming enabled on your phone 

• If you’re in one of our Inclusive Roaming destinations, check your remaining allowances 

• If you’re not in an Inclusive Roaming country, check if you have set a Bill Cap and if you have any balance remaining 

You might also need to update your network settings:

Please contact our Live Chat team if none of the above has helped solve the problem. Our agents are available to answer chats 9am - 8pm Monday to Friday, and 9am - 6pm Saturday and Sunday. 

All handsets provided with an iD Mobile plan go through extensive testing to make sure they’re compatible with our network. 

If you didn’t get your handset through us, check the list on our website to make sure it’s compatible. If your handset isn’t on the list, it means your ability to use iD Mobile services may be affected. You can visit Carphone Warehouse or Currys Mobile to view a range of SIM free iD Mobile compatible devices.