BT may be considering a major acquisition of UK mobile networks, but in the meantime it’s worth examining how the country’s operators are performing as the market transitions from 3G to 4G. Two recent, independent pieces of research offer useful, complementary perspectives: P3 Benchmark, which conducts tests using specially equipped vans, and Global Wireless Solutions (GWS), which carried out a hands-on “pub crawl” of network testing across London.
Both reports were published within the same week, are based on real-world testing, and have no known affiliation with the networks they evaluated. Their differing methodologies provide a broader picture of network performance across the UK.
EE declared “best in test” by P3 Benchmark
EE, formed by the merger of T-Mobile and Orange in 2010, has benefited from sustained investment and early adoption of new technologies such as HD voice and 4G. Ofcom’s decision in 2012 to allow EE to use its existing spectrum to launch 4G ahead of rivals gave the operator a significant head start, letting it grow its customer base and expand infrastructure before competitors entered the market.
Those advantages are reflected in P3 Benchmark’s results: EE was named “best in test” with an overall score of 366 out of 500. It also topped the data category with 226 out of 310 and achieved an 81% success rate for data in major cities.
An EE spokesperson said that numerous independent benchmark tests this year consistently place EE first, citing Speedtest.net, RootMetrics, GWS, Ofcom and P3 as examples. They emphasised continued investment and network expansion and welcomed further independent testing to help customers compare providers.
P3’s report does raise questions about how Ofcom’s tests are conducted and whether a common testing standard should be adopted to set realistic expectations for consumers.
Despite EE’s overall lead, voice performance was a different story. Three topped voice with a score of 153 out of 190, followed by EE with 140. Vodafone and O2 scored 94 and 84 respectively. In large cities, Three achieved a 75% call success rate, rising to 91% in smaller metropolitan areas.
P3 also ran London-specific tests. EE led again for both calls (88 out of 125) and data (167 out of 200). Three matched EE’s call score in the capital but recorded the weakest data score (99 out of 200). Vodafone outperformed both O2 and Three in combined scoring for London.
GWS: “4G still not on tap” in pubs and on trains
Global Wireless Solutions produced a striking report highlighting poor connectivity on London commuter trains, and followed up with a practical assessment of mobile performance in pubs. Their pub crawl covered 14 venues across the city to measure the real-world experience a typical user might expect while socialising.
GWS found that observed average speeds were significantly lower than Ofcom’s reported national averages. Their tests showed 3G download speeds around 2.0 Mbps—roughly three times slower than Ofcom’s 3G average of 6.1 Mbps—and 4G download speeds averaging about 4.3 Mbps, roughly 3.5 times slower than Ofcom’s 4G average of 15.1 Mbps. These differences prompt questions about testing methodology and whether regulator figures reflect everyday user experiences.
EE again performed best in the GWS study, being the only network available in two of the pubs tested, including one near 10 Downing Street. Across all pubs, the average in‑pub upload speeds were 1.0 Mbps on 3G and 2.7 Mbps on 4G. Based on these measurements, uploading a 4MB photo would take about 34 seconds on 3G and about 17 seconds on 4G.
On the plus side for pub-goers, network access was available for 97% of the time spent testing, and call retainability was very high at 99.7%, meaning voice calls were rarely dropped.
Paul Carter, CEO of GWS, commented that while British pub culture remains vibrant and people remain reachable, operators still have significant work to do on 4G rollout. He suggested that political and regulatory decisions—such as public messaging from the regulator and pressure around national roaming—have made faster progress on 4G more difficult, and argued that changes in those attitudes would ultimately benefit consumers.
Conclusion
Across the major UK networks, voice coverage is broadly reliable, but both 3G and 4G data performance still need improvement. Speeds observed in real-world tests remain modest by international standards, and variability in reliability highlights the importance of transparent, consumer-focused testing methodologies. The contrast between regulator-reported averages and hands-on measurements underlines the value of multiple independent studies to give consumers a clearer understanding of their mobile experience.
For now, whether you’re commuting or enjoying a pint, you’re likely to stay connected—but data speeds and consistency can still fall short of expectations.
What do you think about the current state of UK mobile networks? Let us know in the comments.