Is O2 any good? Yes, if coverage is what matters most. Opensignal’s January 2026 UK report gave O2 the Coverage Experience award, and people on O2 saw a 5G signal 57% of the time, well ahead of Vodafone at 29.6%. The weak spot is customer service. In Ofcom’s April to June 2026 figures, published on 26 October 2026, O2 and Sky Mobile generated the most pay-monthly mobile complaints. On price, O2’s Black Friday sale, which started on 5 November 2026, has Unlimited Plus at £19.99 a month on a 24-month contract, with Disney+ or Amazon Prime for six months, and Classic 75GB at £18 a month on 24 months. Both plans rise each April, so check the full term before you sign.
Last updated: 11 November 2026. Black Friday SIM prices are from O2’s Black Friday page on 11 November 2026. The Unlimited Plus April rises come from the tariff terms recorded for that plan on 5 November 2026, and match our live O2 Black Friday guide. Classic 75GB April rises appear on O2’s Black Friday page. Network figures come from Opensignal (January 2026) and RootMetrics (first half of 2026). Complaints data comes from Ofcom (published 26 October 2026).
SwitchSquid may earn a commission if you use the deal buttons on this page, which open O2’s plans through an affiliate link. It does not change the price you pay. Confirm the tariff, term, extras and April rises before you buy.
O2 review: the verdict in brief
What we looked at | How O2 does | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
Customer service | Among the most pay-monthly mobile complaints to Ofcom, April to June 2026, with Sky Mobile | Problems are more likely to turn into a complaint than on EE, Vodafone or giffgaff |
Coverage | Opensignal’s Coverage Experience award; 98% of time with a signal; 57% 5G availability | A strong everyday signal, and more 5G time than Vodafone or Three |
Speed | 32.8Mbps average download across 4G and 5G; 89.9Mbps on 5G (Opensignal) | Fine for streaming and video calls, but the slowest of the four on those measures |
City tests | Overall score 84.1 out of 100; 117.3Mbps median 5G download (RootMetrics H1 2026) | Solid in big cities, last of the four on the overall score |
Price, Black Friday 2026 | Unlimited Plus £19.99 a month, or Classic 75GB £18 a month, both on 24 months | A lower unlimited price than O2’s last two Black Fridays, but a long contract with April rises |
Price rises | Set in pounds: Unlimited Plus becomes £22.49 then £24.99; Classic 75GB becomes £20.50 then £23 | You know the exact rise before you sign |
O2 Unlimited Plus — £19.99 a month on 24 months, Black Friday price
- Unlimited 5G data with unlimited UK minutes and texts on a 24-month plan, from O2’s Black Friday page on 11 November 2026
- Disney+ or Amazon Prime for six months, with fair usage; the monthly price rises to £22.49 from the April 2027 bill and £24.99 from April 2028
- Main limitation: a 24-month contract, so you pay two April rises before it ends
Who O2 suits, and who should look elsewhere
O2 makes the most sense if you live or work somewhere its signal is strong, you want more time on 5G than Vodafone currently offers, and you are happy to take a 24-month SIM to get this year’s Black Friday price. It also suits people who use Priority extras, or who want a big high-street network with shops they can walk into.
Good fit: households that value coverage over raw speed, people who want unlimited data at O2’s current Black Friday price, and anyone who already likes Priority Tickets or O2 Extras.
Think twice: if Ofcom’s complaints record bothers you, if you want the fastest 5G (Three and EE lead there), or if you would rather pay a lower monthly price on a short contract. giffgaff and Tesco Mobile run on O2’s network and are often cheaper.
Already with O2? Do not just accept a renewal price. Our O2 deals for existing customers guide sets out the stay-or-move options.
O2 network coverage and speed
Two independent studies are worth knowing. They measure different things, so it helps to read them side by side.
Opensignal: everyday experience across the UK
Opensignal’s January 2026 UK Mobile Network Experience report uses data from real phones between 1 October and 29 December 2025. EE won 11 awards, Three led on 5G speed and O2 won the Coverage Experience award. O2’s 5G availability of 57% was second only to EE’s 77.4%, and well ahead of Three at 38.9% and Vodafone at 29.6%. That is the clearest network argument for choosing O2.
Opensignal measure (Oct–Dec 2025) | EE | Three | Vodafone | O2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Download speed, all connections | 53.2Mbps | 51Mbps | 37.5Mbps | 32.8Mbps |
Download speed on 5G | 92.2Mbps | 187Mbps | 130.9Mbps | 89.9Mbps |
Upload speed, all connections | 10.4Mbps | 9.3Mbps | 7.4Mbps | 6.4Mbps |
Time with a signal | 99% | 99.4% | 97% | 98% |
5G availability | 77.4% | 38.9% | 29.6% | 57% |
Video experience (out of 100) | 69.9 | 69.3 | 68.3 | 66.3 |
Speed is the trade-off. O2 was last of the four for average download, 5G download, upload and video experience. Speeds and availability figures are as reported by Opensignal and summarised by ISPreview.
RootMetrics: drive and walk tests in 16 cities
RootMetrics ran more than 609,000 tests between January and June 2026 in 16 of the UK’s largest metro areas. As ISPreview reported, EE topped every category again, with an overall score of 95.6. Three scored 89.5, Vodafone 88.4 and O2 84.1. Every network improved on a year earlier.
RootMetrics H1 2026 | EE | Vodafone | Three | O2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Overall score (out of 100) | 95.6 | 88.4 | 89.5 | 84.1 |
Median download speed | 130.3Mbps | 54Mbps | 48.1Mbps | 54.7Mbps |
Median 5G download speed | 230.8Mbps | 174.4Mbps | 158.9Mbps | 117.3Mbps |
5G availability (cities) | 80% | 62.3% | 62.6% | 78% |
In those city tests O2’s 5G availability was close to EE’s, at 78% against 80%, but its median 5G download was the slowest of the four. RootMetrics only tests large urban areas, so it says little about rural signal. For that, use O2’s coverage checker at the postcodes you actually care about, and ask someone nearby on O2 how the signal is indoors. Our O2 coverage checker guide walks through that check.
Customer service: what Ofcom’s complaints data shows
Ofcom publishes how many complaints it gets about each provider every quarter. In its figures for April to June 2026, published on 26 October 2026, EE, giffgaff, Tesco Mobile, Three, Vodafone and iD Mobile generated the fewest pay-monthly mobile complaints. O2 and Sky Mobile generated the most. Ofcom said complaints about O2 were mainly about faults, service and getting services connected.
That does not mean every O2 customer has a problem, and it is not the same as a satisfaction survey. It does mean that, of the people who took a complaint as far as Ofcom, O2 appeared more often than the other big networks in this period. If you have had a clean run with O2 already, that record may not change your mind. If you are choosing a network for the first time and service matters as much as coverage, it is a reason to compare EE, Vodafone or an O2-network MVNO such as giffgaff.
O2 SIM only prices in November 2026
O2 says its Black Friday sale started early this year, on 5 November, with the official Black Friday date on 27 November 2026. On O2’s Black Friday page on 11 November 2026, two 24-month SIM only plans stood out.
Plan | Monthly price | Rise from April 2027 | Rise from April 2028 | Extras |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Unlimited Plus, 24 months | £19.99 | £22.49 | £24.99 | Disney+ or Amazon Prime for six months |
Classic 75GB, 24 months | £18 | £20.50 | £23 | Unlimited UK calls and texts, plus Disney+ or Amazon Prime for three months |
Both include unlimited UK calls and texts. O2 calls the Unlimited Plus price its lowest-ever on that plan. Our O2 Black Friday SIM only guide notes that at each of the last two Black Fridays O2 sold unlimited data on 24 months for £20 a month, so this year’s £19.99 undercuts that headline. Classic 75GB is cheaper each month, and is the better fit if 75GB is plenty and three months of Disney+ or Amazon Prime is enough.
The catch on both is the term. These are 24-month contracts, and the monthly price rises by £2.50 each April. If you start in November 2026 you pay the starting price until your April 2027 bill, then the first rise, then a second rise from April 2028 for the rest of the term. Cancellation rights apply, but leaving early usually means paying the remaining months.
Price rises: what you will pay from April 2027
Since 17 January 2025, Ofcom has banned phone and broadband providers from using inflation-linked or percentage price rises in new contracts. Rises have to be shown in pounds and pence when you sign, which is why both plans above show their April figures. Ofcom explains the rules here.
On these two Black Friday plans the rise is £2.50 a month each April. That is already built into the figures in the table, not a surprise later. A shorter plan can be easier to leave, but these Black Friday prices are the 24-month ones O2 is promoting.
O2 Classic 75GB — £18 a month on 24 months, Black Friday price
- 75GB of 5G data with unlimited UK minutes and texts on a 24-month plan, from O2’s Black Friday page on 11 November 2026
- Disney+ or Amazon Prime for three months; the monthly price rises to £20.50 from April 2027 and £23 from April 2028
- Main limitation: a 24-month contract, and 75GB will not suit a very heavy data user
O2 extras worth knowing about
Priority: O2’s rewards scheme, including Priority Tickets and other offers. Extras have their own rules, so confirm what is included on the plan you actually take.
EU roaming: O2’s Black Friday page refers to up to 25GB of EU roaming on its plans. Fair usage and destination rules apply, so read the plan details before you travel.
Disney+ or Amazon Prime: six months with Unlimited Plus on the current Black Friday offer, subject to fair usage. It is a paid extra once the six months end unless you cancel.
eSIM and Wi-Fi calling: supported on most recent handsets, which helps where indoor signal is weak.
Volt: extra benefits if you also take Virgin Media. That is a bundle question, not a reason on its own to pick an O2 SIM.
O2 also sells Custom Plans and Refresh phone deals, which mix handset payments with airtime. This review is about the network and the SIM only prices above, not every handset promotion on the Black Friday page.
O2 vs EE, Vodafone and Three
Network | Best at | Weak spot | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
O2 | Overall coverage and 5G availability after EE | Most complaints in Ofcom’s mobile figures; slower speeds in Opensignal’s report | People who want a reliable everyday signal, including more 5G time than on Vodafone |
EE | Reliability, speed and 5G coverage | Plans usually cost more than the other networks’ cheapest deals | People who need the best signal everywhere |
Vodafone | Cheap big-data plans with cashback; fast city 5G | Lowest 5G availability in Opensignal’s report | City users who want lots of data cheaply |
Three | 5G speed | Weaker coverage in Opensignal’s report | Heavy 5G users in covered areas |
If you like O2’s coverage but want a cheaper short contract, giffgaff runs on O2 and our Tesco Mobile review covers another O2-network option. For the other big networks, see our Vodafone review.
How to switch to O2 and keep your number
Text PAC to 65075 on your current network. You will get your PAC code by text straight away, along with any end-of-contract charges.
Order your O2 SIM and enter the PAC at checkout, or give it when your SIM arrives.
Your number moves across within one working day of the request, and you should not lose service for more than a short time.
You do not need to give your old network 30 days’ notice. Your old contract ends when the number moves.
Check whether you are still in a minimum term first. Leaving early usually means paying the remaining months. If you are leaving an O2 plan, the same PAC process applies the other way.
Pros and cons of O2
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Opensignal’s Coverage Experience award, with 57% 5G availability | Among the most pay-monthly mobile complaints to Ofcom |
Black Friday Unlimited Plus at £19.99 a month, below the last two years’ £20 headline | 24-month contracts with a £2.50 rise each April |
Priority extras, shops on the high street, and eSIM support | The slowest of the four networks on Opensignal’s speed measures |
Price rises fixed in pounds up front | Shorter, cheaper SIMs often sit on the same network at giffgaff or Tesco Mobile |
Check O2 Unlimited Plus at £19.99 a month, Black Friday price
- Unlimited data, 24 months, £19.99 a month, rising to £22.49 then £24.99, from O2’s Black Friday page on 11 November 2026
- Six months of Disney+ or Amazon Prime, with fair usage
- Confirm the plan, term and April rises in your basket before you pay
FAQ
Is O2 a good network?
For coverage, yes. Opensignal’s January 2026 report gave O2 the Coverage Experience award, and O2 customers saw 5G 57% of the time, second only to EE. RootMetrics’ city tests in the first half of 2026 scored O2 84.1 out of 100, last of the four but still a solid urban result. The weak spot is Ofcom’s complaints record, where O2 and Sky Mobile generated the most pay-monthly mobile complaints in April to June 2026.
Is O2 better than EE?
Not on speed or reliability. EE won 11 Opensignal awards and topped every RootMetrics category. O2 is closer to EE on 5G availability than Vodafone or Three are, especially in RootMetrics’ city tests, and on 11 November 2026 its £19.99 Black Friday unlimited plan cost less than EE’s £26 Unlimited Essentials Plus Max SIM, though EE offers unlimited data from £12 a month with EE One discounts. If you need the best signal everywhere, EE is still the safer pick. Source: EE’s SIM only deals page.
How much is O2 SIM only in November 2026?
On O2’s Black Friday page on 11 November 2026, Unlimited Plus was £19.99 a month on a 24-month contract, and Classic 75GB was £18 a month on 24 months. Both include unlimited UK calls and texts, and both rise by £2.50 a month each April. Shorter O2 plans and O2-network SIMs from giffgaff or Tesco Mobile can cost less if you do not need this sale price.
Will my O2 price go up?
Yes, by a fixed amount, on these Black Friday plans. Unlimited Plus rises from £19.99 to £22.49 from the April 2027 bill and to £24.99 from April 2028. Classic 75GB rises from £18 to £20.50, then to £23. Ofcom requires those pounds-and-pence rises to be shown when you sign.
Does giffgaff use the O2 network?
Yes. giffgaff runs on O2’s network, so coverage is the same in practice, and Tesco Mobile is another O2-network option. That is why a cheaper giffgaff or Tesco plan can be a better fit if you want O2’s signal without a 24-month O2 contract. Our giffgaff review and Tesco Mobile review set out the current prices.
How do I leave O2?
Text PAC to 65075 to get your code, then give it to your new network. If you are in your minimum term you may have to pay early exit charges, which the reply text will show. A switch is usually finished within one working day once the new network has the PAC.
When does O2’s Black Friday sale start in 2026?
O2 says its Black Friday sale started early this year, on 5 November 2026. The official Black Friday date is 27 November. The Unlimited Plus and Classic 75GB prices in this review were still on O2’s Black Friday page on 11 November 2026. Offers can change, so confirm the price and term before you buy.
Sources: Opensignal’s January 2026 UK Mobile Network Experience report; ISPreview’s summary of that Opensignal study; ISPreview’s report on RootMetrics’ H1 2026 tests; Ofcom’s telecoms and pay-TV complaints, April to June 2026 (published 26 October 2026); Ofcom: telecoms price rises, what are your rights?; O2’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday page (11 November 2026); O2; EE’s SIM only deals page (11 November 2026).
