In 2024, much of the world is heavily reliant on technology, especially smartphones. People use them for payments, tickets, finding directions, work, and almost everything other activity. Naturally, given the demand for mobile services, countless providers are striving to provide the best value for customers. In the UK, there are “The Big 4” network providers and then a stream of virtual network providers targeting low-cost SIM cards. Lebara is a virtual network that’s been established since 2001, and we tell you below why it’s worth making the switch in 2024.
1. Which Network Does Lebara Use?
Mobile Virtual Networks Operators (MVNOs) often work in partnership with one of The Big 4 because they don’t have the native infrastructure to facilitate their services. Lebara runs on the Vodafone network, meaning when you switch to Lebara you’ll get one of the best coverages in the UK.
Partnering with this network means that they’re able to provide services to 99% of the population through 4G. As well as 4G, Lebara can supply 5G users with speeds of up to 20mbps. Essentially, making the switch to Lebara will give you the confidence of a top-tier network but at a fraction of the cost.
2. Is Lebara Good When Roaming?
Whenever you travel outside of the UK, you’re faced with roaming charges, which vary from provider to provider. For the most part, contract SIMs from the UK don’t include international minutes or data, meaning you’ll be paying an additional charge – often daily. Even within the EU, roaming charges are soaring thanks to the aftermath of Brexit.
Fortunately, Lebara steps in to save the day because it’s dedicated to providing affordable SIMs for international users attempting to keep in contact with loved ones. With that in mind, every SIM card comes with at least 100 minutes included. This means cheaper roaming is an excellent reason to ditch your old provider and make the move.
3. Versatile Availability of Lebara SIMs
Lebara is a SIM-only mobile provider, meaning you’ll never find handset contract deals. There are a total of 7 SIM plans available from Lebara, and this is more than enough when you consider what’s included. Every plan involved unlimited UK minutes and calls, but the data starts at 3GB and goes up to unlimited usage for a reasonable price. If you choose a plan with at least 30GB of data, Lebara will throw in unlimited international calls.
The main reason why you should move to Lebara is the international minutes, which is pretty unique when compared to other UK mobile providers. At its core, Lebara is designed to empower migrant workers, travellers, and international business people that need to get in touch with home. Even outside of the unlimited and free call provisions, international calls through Lebara only cost 1p per minute.
When you move up to the unlimited data plans, which start at an acceptable £25, you can choose from two different options. The first SIM comes with 100 international minutes included and the second with unlimited international minutes. The only difference in the price is £5, which is nothing when you consider how long people can spend communicating with loved ones back home.
Lebara SIM card plans can be cancelled whenever you like, meaning you’re never locked into lengthy contracts. Instead, you pay for your plan on a monthly-rolling system, which is good for people with poor credit because there’s no credit check involved. Alternatively, if a rolling SIM doesn’t suit your needs, you can top up on a PAYG basis – a suitable option for casual travellers.
If you ever run out of your allowance and need a little boost to get through the month, you can easily add a bolt-on to your package. For example, you can add on an additional GB of data or 50 more international minutes for just £3.
4. You Can Keep Your Number With Lebara
When people move networks, they’re often concerned that they’ll lose their mobile numbers. Naturally, this would be a pain for most people because it means changing your details for every single subscription you have, which could be hundreds in this day and age. Fortunately, when you move to Lebara, you can easily take your number with you.
All you need to do is contact your previous network and ask for a PAC (Porting Authorisation Code). Usually, you’ll receive this via text and it’s valid for 30 days after the request – you can reset this by requesting your PAC again. After making your first payment for your Lebara SIM, you simply input your PAC into the relevant area and the change will begin to take place.
It usually only takes one working day for your existing number to port across, so be mindful of weekends and bank holidays. If you need to receive important calls in the meantime, you should give out your temporary number to those that need it. Remember, once you’ve ported your number across, you will lose access to it on your old SIM.
5. Lebara Has Excellent Customer Service
When you make the move to Lebara, you should have nothing but a smooth experience, but things do happen. Fortunately, you can easily get in touch with Lebara by contacting 0207 031 0791 daily between 9 AM and 9 PM. Once you’re a proud Lebara user, you can reach customer service for free by dialling 5588. If that doesn’t suit you, you can make contact through their online chat portal, social media channels, and email. Alternatively, you can read through their extensive FAQ, which you can find on the website.
Lebara is a relatively small mobile provider, which is why you won’t find it in the Ofcom report. However, if you head over to Trustpilot, you will find 21,030 reviews (time of writing) and an average star rating of 4.8 out of 5. If you spend time searching for other UK-based mobile providers – even The Big Four, you will realise that Lebara’s rating is around 3 stars higher.
6. Lebara is Excellent Value for Money
When you consider the low starting cost for Lebara, the inclusion of international minutes, and the use of Vodafone’s network, it’s clear to see that Lebara is superb value for money. Additionally, the fact you can buy a SIM card for just one month will help users avoid roaming charges from their own providers – even more fuel to the value for money.
Even though Lebara is great value for money, you need to consider the type of user you are when deciding to make the switch. For example, if you are never going to leave the UK and have zero reasons for international minutes, then consider your options.
Lebara is an MVNO that has a very niche customer in mind – international users. They capture this market excellently by offering a range of different SIM-only deals, which start at only £5 – every SIM includes some free international minutes ranging from 100 to unlimited. Using the Vodafone network, Lebara has the power to provide its users with first-class mobile coverage, which only makes the argument for why you should make the move even stronger. Are you ready?