The prepaid carrier Mint Mobile was already one of the best value prepaid carriers on the market, but a new deal at the carrier has just made it an even stronger choice for thrifty customers this week.

For a limited time, you'll be able to get any of the carrier's plans for just $15/mo. That includes the popular unlimited data plan, which is half price with this excellent promotion this week.

Breaking this deal down, you'll be paying just $180 upfront for a full year of service, which is an astoundingly low price for a plan that includes unlimited talk, text, and 50GB of high-speed 5G data per month.

Frustratingly, this deal does appear to be for new customers, so existing Mint users will have to sit this one out for now. If you are looking to switch up your plan for something a little cheaper, however, then this could be your ticket to some serious savings this year versus the big names.

Get a full year of cheap unlimited data at Mint Mobile

• See more: check out all of today's deals at Mint Mobile

Note that today's excellent discount on the unlimited plan is not the only deal available at Mint Mobile this week. Right now, you can get a huge discount of up to $1,080 on the latest Galaxy S26 series with a new plan and trade-in. I've attached details on that deal below, but note that it's almost sold out already!

Also available at Mint Mobile this week

• O2's 2G networks set to be pulled from 2029 in line with industry
• 4G and 5G networks are more secure and more efficient
• Some IoT and connected systems still use 2G

Virgin Media O2 (VMO2) has become the latest UK mobile operator to announce plans to shut down its legacy 2G networks, beginning in 2029.

At the same time, VMO2 said not having to look after 2G networks will free up more resources to look after, and improve, 4G and 5G network capacity, speeds and reliability.

The company already started shutting down its 3G networks in 2025, with a national cutoff planned as soon as this year, but 2G networks remained open in the meantime.

VMO2 to start pulling 2G networks from 2029

EE is also turning off its 2G networks from 2029, with VodafoneThree following suit in 2030.

While VMO2 promises to warn customers to help them identify affected devices and migrate to more modern networks, most smartphone users are unlikely to notice an impact because modern smartphones rely on 4G and 5G networks instead.

But IoT devices, smart meters, payment terminals, alarm systems and other crucial infrastructure has traditionally used 2G networks.

"While most customers won’t need to take any action at all, some businesses might need to start planning for this now," CTO Jeanie York explained.

The industry-wide 2G shutdown ultimately falls under government plans to strengthen telecoms security, following concerns over supply chain risks, cyberattacks and the general security of critical national infrastructure.

VMO2 also disclosed the environmental benefits of the shutdown. Though its 2G networks only carry 0.5% of all VMO2 mobile network traffic, it accounts for more than 10% of the company’s total cell site energy consumption. The company declared that its 4G and 5G networks are 10x more efficient.

The end-of-financial-year sales have seen many smartphone deals across flagship, mid-range and budget handsets, including some rare discounts on the current iPhone 17 range.

If you splurged on a new phone during the sales, you may be interested in signing up for a new SIM-only plan if you bought one outright, especially if you’re not 100% happy with your current provider.

Even if you didn’t buy a new phone, it can still pay to shop around for a new SIM-only plan, as you may find one that fits your needs better than your current one. You could be paying for a ton of data with your current provider that goes unused, for example. Or maybe you’d benefit from having international calls included in your monthly price.

Given how competitive the telco market is currently, providers are jostling for your attention — whether it’s generous mobile data allowances, discounts on the monthly plan fees or inclusions like international calls and texts — and it would be a good idea to take full advantage.

The best part is, unless your current plan is tied up with a mobile phone, it’s so easy to switch providers. If the promotional plan discount of the SIM-only plan you signed up has just wrapped up, you can easily swap to a different provider that’s offering its own discounted plan with next to zero hassle.

I’ve put together a list below of the best SIM-only plans I’ve spotted this EOFY across a range of use cases and budgets, with all the inclusions and discounts:

Best value EOFY SIM-only plan

Best cheap EOFY SIM-only plan

Best EOFY SIM-only plan on the Telstra network

Best EOFY high-data SIM-only plan

Best EOFY long expiry SIM-only plan

More of the best SIM-only plans

Keen to shop around more? Check out the most popular SIM-only plans in the widget below:

• Verizon has launched a loyalty program called Verizon Shine
• This is open to all customers
• It includes weekly freebies and competitions, as well as letting you accrue 'Verizon Dollars'

If you're a Verizon customer, you can now get more for your money, as the network has just launched a loyalty program called Verizon Shine — a play on ‘rise and shine’.

Verizon Shine is available now to all customers, but you have to manually opt in from the My Verizon app. Once you do, you’ll find a weekly drop of rewards every Monday, including various freebies and discounts from partner brands, such as free coffee from Starbucks.

You’ll also be able to enter competitions, with prizes including a three-day trip to see the World Cup final and a breakfast with David Beckham. That competition opens on June 22, and others include a New York City food tour with chef Andrew Zimmern, trips to watch NFL games abroad, and a dance lesson with the Rockettes.

A new kind of dollar

Plus, once you’re enrolled in Verizon Shine, you won’t have to pay any activation or upgrade fees, and you’ll start earning ‘Verizon Dollars’, which you’ll gain each month to the value of 3% of your bill (excluding taxes and fees).

These Verizon Dollars can be put towards purchasing new phones and accessories, or for purchases from partner brands like Hilton, Marriott, Starbucks, Sephora, and Roblox. Though you can’t use them for a discount on your Verizon bill.

So, there’s a lot here, and seemingly no reason not to sign up for Verizon Shine if you’re already a customer. Whether it will prove compelling enough to keep Verizon customers from switching or attract many new customers remains to be seen, but it’s a nice perk for anyone who does stick with the network anyway.

If you're on the Vodafone network in Australia and you weren't able to make calls this morning between 7:30am and 9:40am AEST, you weren't alone. Vodafone confirmed that there was an outage at one of its network hubs around that time, but the matter was quickly investigated and fixed, with services back to normal as of around 11am AEST for most customers.

At its peak, at around 9am AEST, there were over 8,200 complaints on DownDetector but, as of 11:53am, that's dropped dramatically to around 650, with the graph on a downward trend.

We've checked this ourselves and, while no one in TechRadar's Australian office is on the Vodafone network (either directly or via an MVNO like TPG or Lebara), a family member has confirmed that he has full service.

Other customers on Reddit and Facebook have also confirmed that all is well.

If you still haven't been able to connect, you could try putting your phone into Airplane Mode and back on again for it to search for the Vodafone network, or you could just do a full restart and that should definitely sort you out.

Vodafone's mobile network went down just before 8am AEST this morning, affecting not only its direct customers, but potentially even those on MVNOs on its network, like users with TPG and Lebara. That means this current outage could be affecting millions of customers, although Vodafone has confirmed it's "urgently investigating".

There's currently no updates on the Vodafone website, with even its Network Status Checker throwing up errors.

According to DownDetect, there were over 8,000 complaints as of 9am AEST this morning, but that's dropped since, although there's slight uptick again as of 11am AEST.

My team and I will keep an eye on what's happening and update you as often as we can with any fresh information we get.

Vodafone's official statement since this morning hasn't changed. While the company hasn't yet said anything on X, the statement has been posted to its Facebook account.

This outage has even affected Vodafone stores, not just customers on its mobile network.

Vodafone has issued a new update as of a few minutes ago, stating that the issue has been "isolated and resolved".

That's also reflected on DownDetector, where the number of complaints as of 11am AEST has dropped to 1,386.

While no one in the TechRadar Australia office is on the Vodafone network, a family member is and can confirm that they have full network coverage and is able to make calls.

Vodafone's Network Status Checker, however, is still rather slow and many of us in Sydney's CBD are still getting errors when we check what's happening with the network in our location.

And we're back!

Vodafone's latest update says that the issue has been "largely resolved". Apparently the network crash was caused because of "an outage at one of our network hubs at around 8am".

Vodafone clarifies that most customers should now be able to make calls and send texts as usual, although "some may continue to experience intermittent issues".

If you still can't access the Vodafone network, try putting your phone into Airplane Mode and back on again, or do a full restart.

Vodafone has issued any final statement regarding its mobile network outage, but we're not expecting anything further since the Facebook post about an hour ago.

Everyone we've asked who is on the Vodafone network have confirmed that they can now make calls and send texts, so there shouldn't be anything to worry about further.

Whether Vodafone will compensate its customers for this outage is as yet unknown, but we think not — it wasn't for long and, importantly, it wasn't a hack, but given it was at the start of the working day and would have affected not just private customers but businesses as well, Vodafone might offer at least some bonus data to affected users, if nothing else.

There's big news for Verizon customers this week as the carrier has just unveiled its Simplicity plan, a new flat-rate unlimited plan that — on paper, at least — looks like it could disrupt the entire cell phone plans market.

As someone who covers Verizon's deals and plans all year round at TechRadar, I've been scanning the carrier's site today to determine whether the Simplicity plan is worth checking out (or even switching to).

The top-line message is this: the new Simplicity plan clocks in at a flat rate of $45/mo for existing customers or an introductory price of $30/mo for new customers who switch and use auto-pay.

You can get up to 12 lines on a single plan, but unlike the carrier's other MyPlan unlimited plans, the per-line cost stays the same across the board. In short, you don't get a multi-line discount here, unlike with the carrier's other post-paid unlimited plans.

What you do get, however, is completely unlimited 5G data on the carriers' high-end Ultraband wireless network, 10GB of monthly mobile hotspot allowance, and access to a few new perks. See more details just below.

What does the Simplicity Plan include?

• 5G Unlimited Ultra Wideband
• Verizon Dollars and Shine loyalty perks
• Optional streaming packages
• Unlimited talk, text, and data
• International roaming and satellite texting
• 10GB Mobile hotspot
• Up to 50% off accessory lines

I think the most interesting new additions for the Simplicity plan are the new Verizon Loyalty perks.

First up, there's a Verizon Dollars cash-back scheme that gets you 3% back on your monthly spend at the carrier. Interestingly, you can redeem that at both Verizon and a number of partners, including Starbucks, Adidas, and Target. According to the carrier, you'll also get discounts on hotels and tickets.

The next Verizon Loyalty feature is Verizon Shine, which looks to me like a straight-up, good-old-fashioned carrier perks program. Every Monday, customers get the chance to win a 'once-in-a-lifetime experience' and there are also daily promotions for free gift cards, merchandise, and other giveaways.

This week's perks include $5 Starbucks gift cards and FIFA wine tumblers, while the 'experience' is the chance to attend the FIFA World Cup finale with David Beckham. Not too bad (unless you hate soccer, of course).

One slightly underrated feature of the Verizon Loyalty program is that you'll automatically waive activation and upgrade fees. Again, a 'nice to have', but your mileage is going to vary here in terms of whether it's a killer feature or not.

What about deals on the latest phones?

When reading about the Simplicity plan on the Verizon website, the plan initially struck me as being similar to those offered at Visible Wireless, one of Verizon's prepaid sub-brands. The Simplicity plan is still technically a post-paid option, but the line between traditional post-paid plans and small-carrier prepaid plans is tending to blur a little these days.

For example, you can either bring your own device, trade in for a discount on a new one, or spend a little extra per month to opt in for the Simplicity upgrade program. This program is very similar to Boost Mobile's Infinite plans, in that you pay extra per month for an included device with a free upgrade cycle every year.

There are two tiers here: Plus and Pro. The Plus tier will clock in at $35/mo and include devices between $350 and $830 in value. That's your option for covering 'standard' flagships like a Galaxy S26 or iPhone 17. The Pro tier is $50/mo extra and includes devices up to $1,200 in value, like the higher-end iPhone 17 Pro Max or Galaxy S26 Ultra.

Paying up to $50/mo extra on your plan is definitely quite a pricey add-on, so I think leveraging the free upgrade cycle is going to be key here for maximizing value. You'll need to make sure your device is kept in pristine condition so you can easily hand it over every year. Note, however, you need at least 33% of the device's cost to be paid off to be eligible for an upgrade.

So, what's the catch?

On paper, I think the Verizon Simplicity plan is a pretty strong offering, but as always, there are still a few things in the fine print that can catch out a potential customer.

One thing I've seen is that video streaming seems to be capped out at 720p, which is better than the Welcome Unlimited plan's 480p SD, but far worse than the Ultimate Unlimited's 4K UHD streaming. I think it's a little annoying that you get access to the super-speedy 5G Wideband network, but you're still limited to 720p mobile streaming.

While we're on the topic, it's worth mentioning that you should really make sure you're covered by the Verizon Wideband 5G network before you sign up. For some, particularly existing customers, this is a given, but if you're new, note that the Wideband network is usually concentrated in major cities.

Other little things I've spotted are that taxes aren't included in the price, and the introductory switching offer really only applies to new customers. To get that $30/mo per line cost, you'll need to combine the $10/mo auto-pay loyalty discount with a $15/mo switching discount. The baseline plan is actually $55/mo, which explains why existing customers will pay $45/mo with the auto-pay discount.

If you are an existing customer, I'd definitely weigh up your options here before transferring over to the Simplicity plan because it's not a like-for-like upgrade over the carrier's myPlan options. For one, it's a separate plan unto itself, so you might miss out on any loyalty discounts or device credits already accrued on your account.

In comparison, the Simplicity plan looks like a great standalone option for new customers who just want a barebones unlimited plan with a fixed single-line price.

You probably know how much mobile data you pay for every month, but do you know how much you actually use? I suppose, in this day and age, that’s like asking if you know how many liters of water you drink every month (“No, but I know it’s a lot”).

Mobile data usage has skyrocketed in recent years due to a variety of factors (not least the advent of autoplay features in social media apps such as TikTok). Analysis from Ericsson suggests the amount of data transferred over cellular data networks has increased more than sevenfold since 2020, with the monthly average now standing at 25GB per device in both the US and Western Europe.

But while it’s true that most of us are using more mobile data than ever, these numbers don’t quite paint the full picture — they embolden mobile operators to sell oversized data plans, and, in all likelihood, you’re paying for more data than you actually need.

That 25GB figure is skewed by smartphone users who rarely, if ever, touch Wi-Fi. We all stream HD video over 5G and occasionally set up mobile hotspots for our laptops, but some people do these things near-constantly (yes, really), using upwards of 100GB per month and disproportionately affecting the monthly average.

By contrast, Ofcom’s Communications Market Report 2025 suggests the average person in the UK uses 10.6GB of data per month, while Statista puts the equivalent US figure at between 5 and 15GB, which aligns with Ofcom’s findings. All three numbers are significantly lower than the 25GB figure quoted by Ericsson, suggesting they account for those disproportionately high usage cases (there are, of course, disproportionately low usage cases to consider too).

Unlimited mobile data plans are a popular choice among users who don’t want to be charged per gigabyte or exceed a monthly limit, but as above, these plans are rarely better options — financially speaking — than the cheaper, fixed-capacity data plans they sit above.

“Mobile operators and MVNOs [Mobile Virtual Network Operators] face higher network costs as data usage increases, which is why plans with larger allowances typically cost more,” Christian Banhans, UK Managing Director at mobile operator spusu, exclusively tells TechRadar. “However, many customers only use a fraction of their monthly data, meaning they may be paying for more than they actually need.”

“The main reason customers use less data than their allowance is psychological, as they want to avoid running out, so they often choose plans with more data than they need,” Banhans continues. “Providers also face fixed costs for each plan, alongside the costs of (often unlimited) minutes and texts. In our experience, the difference in underlying costs is relatively small compared with the pricing difference between plans.”

“Larger plans often have a lower cost per gigabyte, making them appear better value even when much of the data goes unused. This is where the gap between what customers pay for and what they use tends to be greatest.”

How to check your data usage

Banhans notes that there are several ways consumers can avoid paying for more data than they need. “The first is to sync your phone’s internal data counter to the billing cycle and track how much data you need per month, or download a standalone application to do that.”

To check your data usage on your iPhone, go to Settings, Cellular (or Mobile Service), then scroll down to the Mobile Data menu. The Current Period displayed here reflects your data usage since the last time your Mobile Data Usage Statistics were reset, which will probably be some time ago. To align that figure with your specific monthly billing cycle, you’ll want to scroll down to the bottom of the page and tap Reset Statistics on the same day each month that your billing cycle resets. You can set up a recurring Reminder to help you remember to do this.

A more straightforward solution, though, is to track your data usage through your network provider's official app — which will already be aligned with your monthly billing cycle — or use a third-party data tracking app like My Data Manager and Data Remaining.

On Samsung phones, the process is simpler. If you go to Settings, Connections, then Data Usage, you’ll see your data usage displayed in a monthly format by default. To manually align the dates to your monthly billing cycle, tap Billing cycle and data warning, then Start billing cycle on.

To see your monthly data usage on Pixel phones, go to Settings, Network & internet, then SIMs. You can choose which date you’d like your data usage stats to be reset under App data usage cycle. The process is similar for most other Android phones.

How to choose the right data plan

If, using the above methods, you find that you’re paying for more data than you actually use, you’ll want to choose a data plan that better fits your needs.

I suggest choosing a data allowance that sits a gigabyte or two above your monthly average, unless the provider in question makes it easy (and affordable) to add more data to the plan as and when needed. “It’s also important to account for occasional high-usage months, as well as factors such as Wi-Fi access and travel habits, when choosing the right allowance,” Banhans adds.

Some network providers allow you to ‘rollover’ unused data so it can be used in another month, but this shouldn’t be seen as a reason to choose a data allowance that far exceeds your real-world monthly average: “While rollover data is often presented as a solution to unused data allowances, the extra data frequently goes unused and eventually expires unless a customer’s usage varies significantly from month to month.”

In some cases, unused rollover data can be converted into money off new plans or device contracts, but these savings are often laughably small compared to the money you’ll have overspent on accruing that rollover data in the first place.

So, in summary, while unlimited and large-capacity data plans are attractive options for many people, network providers rely on consumer ignorance to sell these often excessive packages. If you put in the small amount of work required to determine your actual monthly data usage — using the methods outlined in this article — you could save hundreds over the course of a year.

The popular prepaid carrier Mint Mobile has just unveiled that all three of its non-unlimited data plans are receiving a small (but welcome) boost to their monthly data allowance.

Now, the entry-level 5GB plan will get 6GB of data per month, the 15GB plan will now be 17GB, and the 20GB plan will now be 23GB. Impressively, the carrier has bumped up these allowances without touching prices for existing and new customers alike.

That means the same cheap plans starting at just $15 per month, on average for the entry-level 6GB plan. As always with Mint Mobile, you'll get the best prices overall if you get a full year of data upfront. Here's a quick breakdown of the new allowances and prices:

Of all the plans, I'd still say that the unlimited data plan at Mint Mobile is my top value pick thanks to its generous 20GB of monthly hotspot allowance. With the increased data values on the other plans, however, they're definitely a competitive option now if you just want to cover the basics.

Note that the carrier does have a few deals right now that can knock some cost off most of the above. For example, new customers can currently get $15 off any three-month plan, which can make the entry-level 6GB plan just $30 upfont ($10 per month average!).

If you're on the lookout for a new phone, then I also highly recommend Mint Mobile's current deals on the latest Pixel 10 and Galaxy S26 series, which are knocking up to $500 off the flagships when you bundle them up with a new plan. See more details on these deals just down below.

Good Mint Mobile deals this week

• The banking app Monzo is launching new mobile phone plans
• The three plans will get cheaper the longer you stay with Monzo
• They launch this summer, and you can join the waitlist now

Mobile banking app Monzo is shaking up the UK's mobile phone networks with three new eSim plans that launch this summer — and they get cheaper the longer you stay.

Monzo Mobile will piggyback on the Virgin Media O2 network, and the banking app says it will reward loyalty by reducing your monthly bills by 5% each year, up to a total discount of 30%. That's a new trick that could prove popular with anyone who's tired of contract price hikes.

So how do those three plans break down? As you can see below, Monzo will be offering an £8 per month plan (with a 10GB data cap), a £12 per month plan (for 30GB of data), and an 'Unlimited' plan for £20 per month. Beyond the data caps, the main differences between the three are their roaming options.

These aren't the absolute cheapest mobile network plans in the UK — for example, Lebara (which uses the Vodafone network) currently has a 10GB monthly rolling contract that costs on average £2.48 per month over a year, and includes roaming.

But Monzo Mobile's plans are certainly still tempting, and the digital bank will be hoping to convert some of its 15 million customers with features like the ability to track your mobile data, roaming and more within the Monzo app.

The flipside is that you'll need a Monzo current account to join its new mobile network, with the waitlist open now if you head to official Monzo Mobile page.

How good a deal is it?

The launch of Monzo Mobile is certainly a smart move for the digital bank, which has strong brand recognition in the UK — but not everyone is convinced it'll be a home run just yet.

Duygu Yenidogan-Schmidt, General Manager for Core Banking at Monzo, said that "we've always believed your bank should do the hard work for you" and that the new network is "mobile, done the Monzo way.”

However, Monzo isn't the first new mobile player we've seen recently. Earlier this year Revolut launched a mobile plan that gives you a free NordVPN subscription for all plans. The digital bank Klarna also has a waitlist open for its new unlimited plan.

Jez Samuel, Uswitch mobiles expert, said: "We’re seeing more players enter mobile than ever before, which can only mean more choice for consumers. Flexible, no-contract plans are appealing, but that flexibility cuts both ways as Monzo can change the price of its plans at any time.”

While Monzo Mobile's headline feature is its 5% loyalty discount, there's nothing to stop it rolling out inflation-linked price rises. The banking app told This is Money that there is no "commitment" to imposing price increases "at this stage".

Customers who are already on high-value networks like Giffgaff also won't necessarily be tempted to switch. Over on Reddit, one commentator claimed that the "O2 network is disappointing" and that they're "super shocked that EU roaming is not included across all plans" (you don't get this on the £8 per month Monzo Mobile plan).

Meanwhile, a current Giffgaff customer said they're "definitely not sold" due to the pricing and lack of EU roaming in the base Monzo plan. Still, Monzo users could still see value in tracking their banking and mobile usage in one app, and we'll find out exactly how popular this new player is when it launches this summer.

• AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon are working together to offer standardized satellite connectivity
• It would benefit customers not covered by cell towers, like in national parks
• Operators globally are looking to use satellite for more than emergencies, now

In a rare turn of events, three of the biggest mobile carriers in the US have announced they will be working together to tackle 'dead zones' across the country using satellites.

The joint venture, formed by AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon, should help to improve connectivity in areas where traditional towers can fail, such as national parks and highways.

Satellites could also provide continuity in disaster-struck regions, where land-based infrastructure damages can cause widespread outages.

Satellite technology to eliminate dead zones

Because the joint venture's plan revolves around direct-to-device satellite tech, it would mean that regular smartphone could access signal in rural areas without consumers needing to buy specific satellite phones. While many phones now offer limited services via satellite, it's hoped that the scheme would make roaming between cellular and satellite networks more seamless.

"Having launched the first nationwide, satellite-powered direct-to-device network for text and data, we’ve seen firsthand how critical reliable connectivity can be when America needs it most," T-Mobile CEO Srini Gopalan commented.

T-Mobile already partners with SpaceX, which has been expanding its footprint across voice and data services on top of earlier emergency texting functionalities. AT&T and Verizon also have partnerships with AST SpaceMobile for their satellite services.

The announcement comes amid a broader global shift, whereby satellite networks are becoming more tightly integrated with regular 5G and 6G cell connections, instead of being a separate emergency-only tool.

As well as improving coverage and performance for customers, the joint venture also anticipates industry benefits, such as industry-wide device compatibility and an easier way for mobile network operators (MNOs) to integrate satellite connectivity for their customers.

The agreement in principle is yet to be confirmed, pending regulatory approval and confirmation of the finer details.

• Vodafone launches 5G home broadband
• The move opens up 'full fibre-like speeds' to 3.7 million more homes, and over 26 million homes in total
• Renters can benefit from a one-month rolling contract option

If you’re living in short-term accommodation or somewhere without access to full fibre, Vodafone’s new 5G broadband packages could be for you.

The company is now offering “full fibre-like speeds” to customers via 5G, opening up high-speed internet connectivity to the 3.7 million UK homes that still struggle with the unreliable speeds offered by part-fibre or copper wires.

The move will also benefit students and renters in short-term accommodation, as Vodafone’s 5G broadband package is available on either a one-month rolling contract or traditional 24-month contract — its full fibre packages, by comparison, are only available on the latter contract.

Vodafone’s 5G Power Hub router can be self-installed — it doesn’t require an engineer visit, nor an existing landline to be set up — it’s powered by Wi-Fi 6, and Vodafone promises speeds of up to 150Mbps. That’s around three times faster than the typical part-fibre speed.

Is 150Mbps fast enough for gamers? Definitely. But Vodafone does caveat its offering by saying that “because it’s wireless, speeds can fluctuate at times based on signal strength, how far you are from the mast and how busy the local network is at any given time. Placing your 5G Hub in the best position possible will help maintain a stable, reliable connection.”

The company will also soon launch an outdoor 5G hub, should your 5G signal be stronger outdoors than indoors. This hub will “lock on to the strongest 5G signal available in the area and connect directly to the indoor Power Hub router,” delivering “a consistent connection throughout the home.”

Until now, Three was the only major UK broadband provider to offer 5G broadband — but even that package was (and still is) offered on a minimum 12-month plan. Vodafone’s merger with Three in June 2025 has clearly allowed the former to make use of the latter’s infrastructure: “The integration of Vodafone and Three’s networks is supercharging VodafoneThree’s 5G footprint, enabling Vodafone 5G Broadband to reach millions more homes with high-speed connectivity,” Vodafone said in a statement.

Vodafone’s 5G broadband is available now for £21 per month on a 24-month contract, or £30 per month on a rolling 30-day contract. Those prices are for the 50Mbps plan; they rise to £22 and £32, respectively, for the 150Mbps plan.

At any one time, there are usually great deals to be had at Mint Mobile. Right now, however, it is a particularly good time to consider making the switch with the carrier's latest promotion on the Google Pixel 10.

Currently, you can get the device for just $299 (was $599) upfront if you pair it up with one of the carrier's plans. No trade-ins are needed, and the plan is also discounted to just $180, which is half the usual price.

So, with this particular deal, you're paying $480 upfront for a full year of unlimited data and a Google Pixel 10. When you average that out, it equates to just $15/mo for phone and plan, which is pretty astonishing in terms of value.

It's also worth noting that while Mint Mobile has featured $500 off the Google Pixel 10 series for a while now, it's only been on the higher-end Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL. This is the first time I've seen the standard Pixel 10 for so cheap at the carrier, and it's arguably a much better fit with the carrier's cost-effective prepaid plans.

Mint Mobile's excellent Google Pixel 10 deal

• See more: check out all of today's deals at Mint Mobile

Also available at Mint Mobile this week...

• BT is re-opening its BT Mobile service to existing broadband customers
• These plans will be eSIM-only and come with built-in spam detection tools
• BT says BT Mobile will 'live alongside' its existing EE mobile network

If you’re a BT customer who would prefer to have your broadband and mobile plans under one roof, you’re in luck: BT is bringing back BT Mobile.

At a press conference announcing BT’s appointment as the Official Telecommunications Partner of UEFA Euro 2028, the company confirmed that BT Mobile — which was shuttered to new users in 2023 — will reopen for new and existing BT broadband customers in the near future.

BT Mobile plans will be eSIM-only and come with AI-driven spam detection tools as standard. Similar tools already exist on the BT-owned EE network, but EE charges customers £2 per month to access them.

This is just one of the ways in which BT will differentiate its two mobile brands. “Different customers want different things,” Claire Gillies, CEO, Consumer at BT Group, explained in a panel discussion attended by TechRadar, “and each of our brands will have its own unique set of attributes [...] BT Mobile and EE will live alongside [one another], serving the customers that are best suited to [each brand]. We’ll target them separately."

“We have a population on BT who talk about reliability. They talk about security, they talk about the support they get — having a UK-based call center continues to be very important to that population. And then you have the EE customer, who is [part of] a busy family home, who's looking for the latest innovations in tech, the fastest networks."

“But some customers would prefer to have all of their services conveniently from one provider,” Gillies continued. “And to date, those customers have been looking elsewhere for mobile, whether that’s towards our EE brand or others in the market. This is an opportunity to bring more to them in a more convenient way, and, of course, provide the benefits that come with that, including a better, more reliable network, and a more secure network, because we're starting with security built into those mobile plans.”

BT Group's CEO, Allison Kirkby, was similarly bullish about the ease with which consumers will perceive the differences between BT Mobile and EE: “We’ve been running with multiple brands for well over a year now, and we're very clear [about] how we can differentiate the brands so that they're complementary to each other. We've also learned a lot about how to better target [customers] so that the two brands working together can be more than some of their parts.”

• BT reveals host of new offerings for businesses and consumer users across the UK
• Business users will now get free security tools as part of BT contract
• BT also selected as official telecoms partner of Euro 2028

BT has announced a host of new updates and upgrades for its customers across the UK, as well as revealing it has been chosen as the official telecommunications partner for the upcoming Euro 2028 football tournament.

Launching a new "Behind Brilliant Things" at London's Wembley Stadium, the company unveiled a host of new announcements as it looks to continue its role as a mainstay of UK connectivity.

Along with its Euro 2028 news, the company also revealed the comeback of its BT Mobile brand, new eSIM offerings, and extra security tools for business and customer accounts.

Euro 2028 and more

"As the connector of the country, BT really matters, especially when it comes to events that connect the country, unite the country and showcase the country to the rest of the world," noted Allison Kirkby, Chief Executive, BT Group.

Since the start of the decade, BT has been the single biggest investor of all FTSE companies into UK infrastructure, she added, with the group spending £25 billion to become "digital backbone" of the country in what Kirkby called "a once in a generation investment."

This puts BT on track to reach more than 90% of UK homes and businesses by the end of the decade - a major rise from the current two-thirds.

The company already connects over a million businesses across the UK, along with public sector partners, making it a crucial ally for firms around the country.

"BT really is the only UK operator with the ability, the security expertise, and the operational resilience that can deliver connectivity of this magnitude across the UK," added Jon James, CEO Business.

"BT is trusted every day to deliver the services that help the UK succeed."

In order to help maintain this success, James revealed "a significant upgrade" to the security tools BT offers business customers across the UK, who will now receive Cyber Threat Protect, a new security solution powered by CrowdStrike, free of charge.

"BT is delivering big security for small and medium businesses, at a time when cybercrime has never been more worrying," James added.

Set to be held across 9 cities and broadcast to over 2 billion fans worldwide, Kirkby noted how Euro 2028 offers BT a huge opportunity to show off the state of its network, as well as providing a lasting technology legacy to continue after the tournament.

"Only BT could be behind moments," she said, adding , "you can't always see it, but we're there...trusted to connect homes, businesses and communities, trusted to protect families, organizations and critical public services, and trusted to supercharge the UK - powering progress, so everyone can thrive in this digital age."

• Three is introducing speed caps on phone, SIM Only, and mobile broadband plans for new and upgrading customers
• The cap is 100Mbps in most cases, with Pay As You Go having a lower cap
• Existing customers aren't affected, and contract customers will be able to pay extra to remove the cap

Three seems to have just taken a step backwards, because where previously you could get uncapped 5G on all of its plans at no extra cost, the network has now implemented speed caps.

Specifically, new Pay Monthly mobile plans (meaning contracts on SIM Only or with a new handset) will have a 100Mbps speed cap, and so will mobile broadband plans. It is still possible to get uncapped speeds, but you’ll have to either choose a new ‘Lite+’ plan or pay an extra £4 a month.

On Pay As You Go, the cap is instead 25Mbps — or 50Mbps if you have an automatically renewing pack.

That’s quite a reduction compared to what the network is actually capable of — in a January 2026 report, for example, Opensignal found that the average 5G download speed on Three was 187Mbps. But now, to get that, you’ll have to pay £4 extra a month on the company’s new Pay Monthly plans, and there’s no way to uncap your speeds on Pay As You Go.

The only good news here is that these changes don’t affect existing contract customers, and if you’re currently on an auto-renewing Pay As You Go plan, then you’ll also retain uncapped speeds while you stick with the same pack.

But of course, when you come to upgrade your contract, or if you ever change your Pay As You Go pack, then you will have these caps put in place.

The merger might be to blame

The internet, understandably, is not best pleased by this change, with Reddit reactions including “time to leave”, “my to-do list has moved away from Three on it”, and “the merger should never have been allowed through.” That last quote references Three’s merger with Vodafone, which might be to blame for these new speed caps, especially as Vodafone itself restricts speeds on some of its plans.

Interestingly, these changes don’t appear to apply to MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators) that operate on Three’s network yet, with iD Mobile confirming that there are not currently any speed caps on its network.

So, as well as typically being cheaper than Three, its MVNOs may now have a clear advantage — though how long that will last remains to be seen, with iD Mobile also noting that “the industry trend is clearly moving toward tiered speeds.”

Still, for now, if you’re on Three and due an upgrade — or were considering switching to Three — you might want to look at one of its MVNOs instead.

In news that is both ridiculous yet unsurprising, Australia’s telecommunications sweetheart, Telstra, has announced it will be raising prices across its postpaid and prepaid plans from May 5, 2026.

Most postpaid plans will go up by AU$4 per month, while prepaid plans can expect a AU$5 monthly increase.

This is the second price hike in less than 12 months, with the previous one coming in July 2025 when most plans increased by around AU$5 a month. Telstra’s NBN plans were also affected by the previous price increases but, as it currently stands, they’re unaffected this time round.

The changes to postpaid plans are as follows:

As you’ll see, the Premium plan is unaffected by the price increase, but elsewhere there are hikes of up to AU$4 per month.

In the case of prepaid plans, the increases vary depending on plan length. Telstra’s six-month and 12-month plans, for example, are going up by AU$20 and AU$45 respectively. However, as a small gesture of goodwill, Telstra is increasing the amount of data included with these plans. The full range of prepaid plans with new pricing is as follows:

As tends to be the case with any price increase across any service, Telstra says they’re necessary to help “ongoing investment in our mobile network infrastructure, enabling innovation and the rollout of new features that expand connectivity options for customers”. The telco touts its rollout of satellite-to-mobile messaging — which could prove invaluable to customers beyond the range of Telstra’s mobile network — as being a prime example of said innovation.

Time to change?

If you’re a Telstra customer and feel these price increases are a bit of a slap in the face, then the good news is that you can still gain access to much of the telco’s expansive network coverage while paying an awful lot less.

Whether you prefer a postpaid or a prepaid plan, there are several options available from smaller telcos, called MVNOs, who use what is known as the Wholesale Network. You can view our guide to the best mobile plans on the Telstra network for more information.

This is technically different to the full, main network that direct Telstra customers enjoy. The main differences tend to be a cap on the download speed you can achieve — usually between 100Mbps and 250Mbps — and they offer slightly less in the way of network coverage. However, it’s likely only people in extremely remote parts of Australia that would be affected by this change.

For everyone else, there’s plenty of value to be found and money to be saved by switching to a different provider, and I’ve picked out my three favourites below. Alternatively, if you want to consider switching networks, be sure to check out my guide to the best SIM-only plans.

I love my SIM-only rolling contract. It delivers a huge amount of data, unlimited calls, and best of all, there's no commitment. If your contract is up or you're looking to switch contracts, then you'll want to know Smarty is offering a double data upgrade that gets you 80GB for £10 a month.

This is one of the huge benefits of going with a rolling contract: if I want more data or find a better deal elsewhere, then I can jump over without any hassle at all. But, with 80GB of data, that's enough to cover all your app downloads, video watching, and social media browsing.

But, if that's not enough, a 200GB SIM will only cost you £15 per month. This is the perfect solution if you're streaming shows and movies with your mobile data.

These SIM cards will work on your existing handset, or if you're thinking about buying one of the new Samsung Galaxy S26 phones, then they're compatible too.

Today’s best cheap SIM-only deal

Smarty provides simple, honest, SIM-only plans, including eSIMs. Every plan is good value and so flexible, so it can be changed or cancelled at any time. If you've never heard of Smarty, the company also utilises Three's network, which means they're able to deliver a reliable service.

My SIM plan includes 10GB, which allows me to watch videos, download apps, play games, and browse the web. The 80GB package that Smarty is offering here is therefore more than sufficient to cover most people's needs.

There's also EU roaming included up to a fair 12GB limit, which I'm sure will be sufficient for most holiday trips. To top it all off, the plan includes unlimited calls and texts as well as WiFi calling.

It's also worth checking out our cheap phone deals and mobile phone deals if you're looking to save money on your next handset.

Mint Mobile's incredible New Year deal is finally drawing to a close today, so I'd highly recommend our readers check out this promotion before it's gone for good.

The deal in question is the coupon code 15NOW, which you can use at checkout to knock an impressive $15 off any of the carrier's three-month plans. Amazingly, this stacks with a new customer promotion that brings the unlimited plan down to $45.

Combined, you pay just $30 upfront here for Mint's unlimited plan, meaning a dirt-cheap price of just $10/mo on average – for the first three months, at least.

From what I can see, this deal might be exclusive to new customers, so existing Mint users may have to sit this one out. If you are looking to try out Mint Mobile on the cheap, however, this is a fantastic opportunity to do so without having to fork out for a full year at once.

As specifically stated, this is an extremely limited-time promotion, so definitely consider taking advantage of this coupon code before it vanishes for good. As of writing, there are 15 hours left, so I wish you all good luck!

Get cheap unlimited data plan at Mint Mobile

• See more: check out all of today's deals at Mint Mobile

Note, if the above deal has expired by the time you hit this page, there are still really great deals elsewhere on Mint's site right now. They include super-cheap Google Pixel phones, great discounts on unlimited plans, and even a brand-new option for home internet. I've rounded those up just down below.

More of today's best Mint Mobile deals

The EE network experienced major problems with outgoing calls for a short period today, but the issues appear to have now been fixed.

The issues problems started at around 3.50pm GMT, when a large spike in reports from customers hit 6,700 by 4.17pm GMT on Downdetector and a peak of about 7,800 at 4.20pm GMT. Most reported being unable to make phone calls, although some said this also hit incoming calls.

Fortunately, the number of reports quickly dropped over the next hour and EE confirmed to us that it had fixed the issue. A spokesperson said that "for a short time some customers had intermittent issues when making outbound mobile calls", but that "service has been restored quickly".

Here's what happened during EE's latest outage, which fortunately wasn't anywhere near the scale of the one that hit phone calls on BT and Vodafone too in July 2025.

That's quite a spike

While nothing is yet official, there are definitely problems on the EE network right now – at the time of writing, there are over 9,300 reports on Downdetector (above).

Most of those (87%) are reporting issues with mobile signal, with many in the comments on Downdetector and on social media saying that they can't make calls.

EE hasn't commented yet to acknowledge any widespread problems, but I'm contacting them now and will update this liveblog if I hear anything.

Mostly affecting phone calls

X is now littered with posts like the one above from EE customers saying that they can't make phone calls.

Some say they can't make or receive calls, while others are reporting that they are getting incoming calls but can't call anyone.

This feels like a technical fault in the same vein as the one that hit the network in July 2025, which also affected mobile calls. But we're still yet to get any official comment from EE on what's causing today's problems.

Good news on the horizon?

I've contacted EE for comment, but there are signs that this outage could fortunately be a short-lived one.

A few comments on Downdetector are reporting that "calling is back now" and that it's worth trying again if you're on the network.

The recent spike in reports has also dropped back down to just over 5,800 from a peak of 8,400 at 4.22pm GMT – so let's hope it keeps moving in that direction.

This one could be over soon

If you're still having problems with mobile calls on the EE network, you're increasingly in the minority – the number of reports on Downdetector has plummeted to just under 1,500 at the time of writing, so it very much looks like this has been a temporary blip for most.

Hopefully, that graph continues in the same direction, and the evidence on social media suggests that'll be the case. There haven't been any new posts from frustrated EE customers on X for around half an hour, so whatever caused this glitch seems to have been fixed very quickly.

I'll been keeping an eye out for any residual issues, but fortunately it looks like this outage has been a very minor one compared to the moment when EE, BT and Vodafone went down for thousands in July 2025.

A statement from EE

It looks like today's calls outage is over for the vast majority of people – and EE has now given me a statement confirming that.

An EE spokesperson told us: “Earlier this afternoon, for a short time some customers had intermittent issues when making outbound mobile calls. Service has been restored quickly and we apologise for any inconvenience caused. All other EE services were not impacted.”

That is backed up by the number of reports on Downdetector, which is now under the 500 mark and heading back towards baseline levels. Fortunately, it looks like we can wrap this one up, although as always I'll be keeping an eye out for any aftershocks.

The Galaxy S26 is likely to drop any week now, but it's not the only game in town if you're looking for a high-end Android device. For example, have you considered the excellent Google Pixel 10 Pro XL?

This flagship device is currently free with a new unlimited data line at T-Mobile, which is, in my opinion, is the standout deal on the entire carrier's site right now. Unlike the current deals on the higher-end Samsung devices, no trade-ins are needed for this particular promotion, which makes it a very strong option.

While I don't have a crystal ball to predict T-Mobile's opening deals on the Galaxy S26 series, I imagine they'll almost certainly involve some form of trade-ins so definitely don't overlook this promotion if you need something with a relatively low barrier to entry.

We're also massive fans of the Pixel 10 Pro XL, too. Not to persuade you away from Samsung and into the dark side, but we scored it an impressive four and a half stars out of five when we reviewed it last year. It's a device that compares very favorably to the Galaxy S25 range, with a stunning 6.8-inch display and some of the best cameras we've ever tested on a smartphone.

The only downside? The chipset, which does lag behind the Galaxy S25 series on power, unfortunately. If that doesn't bother you, though, then you're getting a ton of phone for your money here. While you do still need a new unlimited plan to be eligible, the Pixel 10 Pro XL is still worth $1,199, so this is a significant discount.

T-Mobile's superb Google Pixel 10 Pro XL deal

• See more: check out all of today's deals at T-Mobile

Other T-Mobile deals to check out this week

Mint Mobile's promotions for both new and existing customers keep getting stronger, and right now, it might just be the best time to go all-in at the well-known prepaid carrier.

While Mint is already known for great phone deals, one often overlooked area at the carrier is its new home internet plan. Dubbed '5G Home Minternet', this plan gets you unlimited 5G data for a seriously low price each month.

How cheap? Well, if you're an existing Mint customer, you can get your home internet for as little as $30 per month. Considering you can be smart and take advantage of the carrier's introductory deals on both cell plans and phones, there's serious potential here for a super-cheap all-in-one unlimited data scenario.

For example, you can bring your own phone to Mint right now and get an unlimited data plan for $15 per month for an entire year, thanks to an intro deal. That's just one example where you could pay just $45 per month for an entire year of both internet and cell phone service.

Another great option is Mint's current deal on the Google Pixel 10 Pro XL. This superb device has a massive $500 discount, alongside a whole year of data for just $15/mo. That's a case where you can get a cheap phone, a cheap plan, and then stack some cheap internet on top.

Get cheap home internet at Mint Mobile

• See more: check out all of today's deals at Mint Mobile

More of today's best deals at Mint Mobile

If you’ve been running out of mobile data a lot on your current phone plan but don’t want to shell out more cash on a bigger data plan, then this deal from Tangerine Mobile may be what you’ve been looking for.

For a limited time, Tangerine is slashing the price of its SIM-only 5G plans by 50% for the first four months, starting with AU$15 per month for its base 30GB plan. The plan will then revert back to $30 from the fifth month onwards.

Moreover, each plan will also get double data for the first six months as well, boosting that base plan to 60GB for the period.

This deal above also beats our choice for the cheapest 365-day plan on the Telstra network, which is from Boost Mobile. Boost’s offering is for 240GB for AU$300, while Tangerine’s aforementioned plan, when extrapolated through a full year, provides 540GB of mobile data for the same amount. That averages out to AU$25 for 45GB per month.

Tangerine Mobile SIM plans also include a 1000GB data bank, allowing you to reserve any unused monthly data to accrue for use when needed later.

If you really want to push your data usage and easily fill up that data bank, the top Tangerine SIM-only plan will net you a whopping 320GB of mobile data for the first 6 months for AU$30 per month (and then AU$60 after four months, which is still a lot of data for that price!).

You won’t get this deal directly from Telstra, so if coverage is important to you, then this offer is hard to pass up.

• Verizon users in Boston are locked out of several big channels
• It’s the result of a contract dispute that’s still unresolved
• Now, Verizon has issued a $10.99 refund to affected customers

Normally, you’d like to think that your TV service is more or less reliable – after all, if you’re paying for channels, you expect to be able to watch them. Yet that’s proved to be anything but the case for thousands of Verizon customers in Boston – and after a month of channel blackouts, they’re finally being issued a refund.

The problems started on December 15, 2025, when a dispute erupted between Verizon Fios and Cox Media Group, which carried some channels for Verizon users. After the contract between the two companies expired, they were unable to reach an agreement on a new deal, meaning access to some programming from Fox and NBC was halted. The result was that Verizon customers missed out on swaths of programming, including NFL broadcasts, among other things.

The affected channels vary by city, but they include WFXT (FOX, Charge!, Laff) in Boston, MA and Providence, RI. In Pittsburgh, PA, WPXI (NBC, MeTV, Laff, Pittsburgh Cable News Channel) is unavailable.

In an extraordinary statement to its users (via Boston.com), Verizon said that it “has exhausted all options to get Cox to play fair on behalf of our customers.” Both sides are blaming the other: Verizon says Cox is asking for too much money, while Cox says Verizon has turned down multiple offers from the company.

As a consequence, Verizon is issuing $10.99 in credit to each user “to show affected customers we have their back.” Boston.com reports that this is intended to “cover the costs of other platforms and services, where the content on the blackout channels is available.” If you’re eligible for the refund, Verizon will reach out to you this week to let you know how to redeem the offer.

No resolution in sight

There’s no doubt that this is a painful move for Verizon. Not only is it having to cough up credit for large numbers of affected customers, it's still unable to resolve the dispute that lies at the heart of this ongoing matter. That’s a bad look for any TV provider.

But it’s an even more painful situation for Verizon’s Boston-based customers, who have missed out on some key TV moments since the blackout came into effect – including the New England Patriots’ run to the Super Bowl.

That game is due to take place on February 8, and local fans of the team will be hoping Verizon can settle the dispute before then. If not, they’ll have to find other ways to watch the game.

With no resolution in sight, it’s unknown how much longer Bostonians will be locked out of the affected TV channels. If you’re affected and want to know how you can catch the Super Bowl, our guide has got you covered.

It's the perfect time to check out Visible Wireless, as the prepaid carrier currently has one of the best deals I've ever seen for new customers.

Right now, you can use the code SWITCH26 at checkout to get a massive discount of up to $12 per month for an extremely generous 26-month period.

With this deal, you can get the standard Visible plan for $19/mo (was $25), the Visible Plus plan for $26/mo (was $35), or the Visible Plus Pro plan for $33/mo (was $45). These are all some of the lowest prices I've seen for the plan tiers, respectively, which were already excellent value at full retail.

Note that this particular promotion at Visible ends on February 2, so while you've still got over a week to sign up, it won't be available for much longer.

Get a cheap unlimited plan at Visible Wireless

• See more: check out all of today's deals at Visible Wireless

Visible's latest deal is especially great because it gives you plenty of options. Usually, the carrier runs tier-specific promotions, so this is fantastic for the vast majority of users – if they're new customers, that is.

If you're on a budget, then the standard Visible plan is a great option at $19/mo. It's not only cheaper than much of the competition, but still includes unlimited data and mobile hotspot allowance.

If you want an alternative to the feature-laden unlimited plans at the big carriers, then Visible's Plus and Pro Plus plans are also great. Both feature unlimited premium data on the super-speedy Verizon Wideband 5G network, unlimited mobile hotspot allowance, and either HD or 4K streaming. These are the kinds of perks you usually pay top dollar for at the major carriers, so it's doubly impressive to think you can get them for such a low price (for 26 months, at least).

The prepaid carrier Metro by T-Mobile has just launched a batch of excellent New Year deals that are perfect if you're looking to switch up your pricey plan to something manageable.

For example, if you have a phone ready to port over, then you can currently get a 5G unlimited plan for just $25 per month - a price that's up there with the very cheapest prepaid plans on the market right now.

Even better still, Metro's unlimited plan not only comes with a five-year price guarantee but also access to parent company T-Mobile's excellent T-Mobile Tuesday perks. That means things like cheap movie tickets, cashback on meals, and chances to win prizes in regular draws.

If you're not looking to bring a device, then note that Metro also has some incredible deals on phones right now. That includes a free iPhone 16e with a new line on the carrier's mid-tier ($50/mo+) plans, or a free Samsung Galaxy A17 on an unlimited plan for just $40/mo. You can read more about these deals just down below.

Get a cheap unlimited plan at Metro by T-Mobile

Other great Metro deals today

Verizon's service should now be restored following a major outage that lasted for around 10 hours and impacted hundreds of thousands of people.

It was the popular United States wireless carrier's first major outage since October 2024, and it was a bad one, with customers across the country seeing 'SOS' in place of network bars.

Many users reported no network bars, and on phones like the iPhone, those were replaced with SOS, with no ability to make or receive calls or texts beyond using data.

The problems started at around 12:30PM ET, with thousands of Verizon cellular customers reporting issues with the network on social platforms including X (formerly Twitter) and Threads, as well as in the comments below on this article. At its height, Down Detector reported more than 180,000 issues.

Verizon eventually confirmed to TechRadar that its network was experiencing a disruption shortly after 1 PM ET, then was relatively quiet on the issue until issuing a substantial update around 9 PM ET.

Verizon noted then that it majorly let customers down and that credits would be on the horizon for those affected, then added that it was "working non-stop and making progress," . Verizon's statement continued with: "Our teams will continue to work through the night until service is restored for all impacted customers." Finally, at 10:24 PM ET, Verizon confirmed the outage was resolved.

If you're still having issues, it's best to try restarting your device.

We invite you to vote in our poll below to let us know if you're on Verizon and are still being impacted by the outage, and to comment down below.

We're still continuing our live coverage of this major Verizon outage ahead and have reached out to the carrier for more information on what caused the outage.

The spike is real on Down Detector – as of 12:16PM ET there are over 46,000 reported outages and a few of my colleagues who use Veirzon are seeing 'SOS' in place of network bars on there iPhones.

For those counting, Down Detector is now at over 90,000 reported issues, with many in the comments noting that on their phones, 'SOS' is appearing instead of network bars. This likely indicates that the device can't reach the cellular network and instead defaults to satellite connectivity, a feature offered by the iPhone and other smartphones.

Here's a look at what that looks like, courtesy of TechRadar's Editor-at-Large, Lance Ulanoff's iPhone 17 Pro Max, which is connected to Verizon's network here in New York City.

Verizon's own Network Status isn't showing any issues

Interestingly, Verizon's Network Status checker doesn't appear to show any issues, and I've tried plugging in a few different locations to get it to update. Please let us know in the comments if you're on Verizon and experiencing this outage.

Based on social media posts and Down Detector comments, it's clear that the New York Metro Region, Texas, Florida, Las Vegas, Nevada, and South Carolina are experiencing issues.

I am also encountering a 'please try again' pop-up when using the tool, so it might be experiencing an outage.

I am keeping an eye on Verizon's own social channels – mainly @Verizon, @VerizonSupport, and @VerizonNews on X – to see if any comment or acknowledgment is being issued, but there's nothing as of yet.

Meanwhile, here's a sampling of impacted users taking to social platforms to report issues with Verizon.

I use Visible, one of Verizon MVNO's, and still have service

I swapped from Verizon to Visible this past November during the carrier's Black Friday - Cyber Monday sale and am still seeing service on my iPhone 17 Pro Max, actually 5GUW with two bars of service.

Now, Visible is Verizon's MVNO, which means it's a 'mobile virtual network operator' that actually offers its service via Verizon's network, so it's peculiar that it's not impacted by the outage ... at least as of yet.

Verizon just confirmed the issue with TechRadar and is working on a fix

We've heard back from a Verizon spokesperson, and the carrier has confirmed that an issue is impacting its network.

"We are aware of an issue impacting wireless voice and data services for some customers. Our engineers are engaged and are working to identify and solve the issue quickly. We understand how important reliable connectivity is and apologize for the inconvenience."

Verizon states that it's aware of the issue hitting both voice and data for some customers, but doesn't show how far-reaching the impact is. It's clear it's quite wide; scroll down and read the comments below.

There is no timeline for a resolution, but Verizon's engineers are working on it. So that's a positive.

It's a good time to try Messages via Satellite on your iPhone

If you see "SOS" on your iPhone 14 or newer, now is a good time to try "Messages via Satellite." Apple originally designed this for when you're out in the wilderness or a place that's intended to have no cellular reception, but it's a good way to stay in contact with family and friends during a network outage.

You can see our guide to using Messages via Satellite here.

Verizon's responding back to frustrated users on social media

While we still haven't seen a formal Tweet from the @Verizon account, the @VerizonSupport account is responding to individual customers who are tweeting about network connectivity issues. And it appears to be the same message to most folks, likely automated and asking for a DM to help troubleshoot the issue.

Other carriers are spiking on Down Detector, but it's likely not another outage

As we see with almost all service outages, competing services tend to spike when one carrier is experiencing one. With mobile carriers, it's generally the case that one person has Verizon and is in the midst of the outage, and they're reaching out to someone at AT&T, T-Mobile, or another carrier; if they don't, they fail to do so.

Generally, it's that Verizon can't connect to that network, not that AT&T or T-Mobile is simultaneously experiencing another outage, though it's possible.

A look at 'Messages via Satellite' on iPhone

While I'm still seeing service on Visible – Verizon's own MVNO – with 5G UW, my colleague, Lance Ulanoff, on Verizon proper, is still seeing SOS and is attempting to use 'Messages via Satellite' on his iPhone 17 Pro Max. Here's what that looks like: it's a pretty nice visual interface that takes over the Dynamic Island.

Down Detector reports are dropping, but many are still reporting issues

Let's take a quick status check on Down Detector – while reported issues with Verizon were at nearly 180,000, it is starting to drop to around 120,000. A significant drop, which might point to some recovery, but also still way above the number we expect Verizon or any cellular carrier to be at on a normal day.

Lance headed onto the streets of NYC to give 'Messages via Satellite' a go, as his iPhone 17 Pro Max in Cosmic Orange that's connected to Verizon is still showing SOS. He connected via satellite, following the prompts, but the four messages he sent me still haven't been received on my end.

Verizon's outage is impacting voice, text, and data for cellular customers

Here's a quick update – reported outages for Verizon began spiking a bit before 12:30 PM ET on January 24, 2026, and Verizon confirmed the issue shortly after 1 PM ET. The outage is affecting nearly all parts of Verizon's cellular service in the areas covered, including New York, New Jersey, the Carolinas, Texas, and Florida, among others. Just look at the comments below.

Additionally, it affects voice, text, and data, with many affected phones displaying an SOS icon instead of the usual network bars and 5G/5G UW/4G in the top corner. For iPhone users with a 14 or newer model, you'll be directed to satellite services, including 'Messages via Satellite'.

Verizon's provided an update, but there's still no estimate for a fix

Verizon just shared another update via @VerizonNews on X. As expected, its engineering team is still investigating the issue and working to resolve it, but there is no estimate yet for when recovery will occur.

And further, Verizon's not sharing any information on what's causing the issue – we've reached back out to Verizon to ask for more information, though we might not hear back until this is resolved.

Let's talk about those network bars

If you see bars but are unable to make a call or receive data, remember that those bars simply indicate a connection to a cell tower. In that case, you're in range, and it's still casting, but it's similar to a home Wi-Fi network that is casting without a direct pipeline to the World Wide Web.

In this case, as Verizon works to restore its network and resolve the issue, you may be able to reach a cell tower and have a strong signal, but it's not sending any data or voice traffic back to you. Meaning that you won't be able to use the internet, or at least use it at close to normal speeds, make calls, or send a message.

It's also likely that when Verizon is unaware that recovery is underway, a full restoration will take longer and can vary by location. Of course, there's a chance you don't even see those network bars as of right now, as many are seeing those swapped for SOS.

New York City's official emergency notification system has commented on the situation, noting that if you're on Verizon and are impacted by this outage, it may affect your ability to dial 911 in an emergency. It advises you to try calling from a landline or another device, or to visit a precinct, if you have an emergency.

You can also try using 'Emergency SOS via Satellite' if you're an iPhone 14 or newer.

We have a slight update, at least from folks on Verizon, but it's not a fix, more like a glimmer of recovery.

Here in NYC, my colleague Lance Ulanoff is now seeing two bars of service and 5G after a restart on his iPhone 17 Pro Max, which is connected to Verizon. Though it's super spotty and has quickly gone back to SOS, meanwhile, other colleagues are still seeing SOS and not even seeing the network bars after a restart.

So, fair to say that Verizon's network is still impacted, and we're waiting on further updates from the carrier on what's causing the outage and when recovery might be. Judging from the comments below, though, it appears many are seeing it come back, then disappear back to SOS or no bars.

As we noted earlier, other carriers are operating normally, with T-Mobile posting on X (formerly Twitter) that its network is performing well. It does note that if you're attempting to reach someone on Verizon, you may not be able to establish the connection.

We're still waiting for an update from Verizon as well on the current network issues.

Just like T-Mobile, AT&T is also confirming that its network is operating just fine ... albeit with a bit more sass.

The carrier writes, "Our network? Solid." and then notes that if you're having issues, it's due to another network but doesn't mention Verizon by name. AT&T then shouts out some switching offers as well.

Verizon is finally showing some proof of life in NYC

We won't call this a full recovery just yet, but my colleague Lance Ulanoff is now seeing three bars and 5G UW. His first call to me failed, and it showed 'Call Failed' on the iPhone, but on the second attempt, after a brief delay, I was able to hear him, and he was able to hear me.

I also had him run a quick speed test, and on Verizon 5G UW from a 17 Pro Max, he got 19.8 Mbps download and 5.97 Mbps upload. So this is progress, but we're not sure how widespread the recovery is. Let us know if service is starting to come back in the comments below.

Of course, we'll update you if this disappears again or if we get another comment from Verizon.

Quick update – Lance's phone quickly went back to SOS and then back to a few bars, so it's likely that Verizon is working on restorations and that there is a flood of iPhones and other phones like Pixel and Galaxy devices trying to get back online.

We're keen to hear Verizon provide another update on what exactly is going on, as the last one was at 2:14 PM ET – over an hour ago.

We reached out to Carolina Milanesi, President and Principal Analyst at Creative Strategies, Inc., for her thoughts and expertise on the current outage impacting Verizon:

"Sadly, we are getting accustomed to outages, whether they are network Verizon today, ATT in 2024, AWS at the end of 2025, and I fear this is the new reality as cyber attacks increase and reliance on major cloud and AI providers increases," wrote Milanesi.

While there is no evidence that today's issues are a cyberattack, such outages are certainly on the rise. One thing that I'd hope we see improved is communication from the impacted services, but that's not the case yet ... with Verizon today, Verizon in 2024, or the outages in between.

And here's the latest look at the reported outage map from Down Detector – Verizon's outage is very widespread, hitting the East Coast – Northeast and Southeast – Midwest, and even select metropolitan cities on the West Coast.

Here's where we stand 4 hours in

This is officially the biggest and longest outage of 2026, but I'll level with you, it's also the first outage of 2026. Even so, this will stand as a major outage for Verizon, disrupting cell service for countless customers, and it's still ongoing.

Verizon's latest update on the outage came at 2:14 PM ET, close to two hours ago, and it didn't provide much of a real needle pusher. It noted that the engineering team is focusing on addressing the interruption and is fully committed to resolving it. No mention of what's causing it or the estimated time for resolution.

We've reached out to Verizon to ask for more information and are waiting to hear back; that'll likely be the case until another wide statement is issued. For now, though, if you have Verizon, your ability to make calls, send texts, and use data – aka browse the web on 5G or even 4G – is likely affected. If you're on an iPhone, you're likely seeing network bars replaced with SOS. You can see our guide to sending messages via satellite here.

Keep posting in the comments below to let us know if your service is still out, if it's showing signs of coming back to life, or if it's being a bit of a tease like my colleagues have been seeing. For what it's worth, I still have two bars and 5G on Visible, but Lance is seeing Verizon with no bars and no mention of 5G with no connectivity.

Krispy Kreme to the rescue, sort of

While it's not a service recovery, Krispy Kreme is at least making those impacted by Verizon's major outage today feel a little bit better. The iconic doughnut chain has confirmed to TechRadar that it'll be serving up free original glazed doughnuts from 5 PM to 7 PM across the United States at its locations as a 'sweet backup plan.'

That's pretty great, and I can confirm a Krispy Kreme original glazed can really hit the spot. If only Verizon would provide another update!

Verizon provides an update, but still no time for a resolution

Well, Verizon's finally shared another update on the ongoing network disruption as of 4:12PM ET. It doesn't state the cause of the issue or how long it'll take for it be resolved, but it does read, "Verizon's team is on the ground actively working to fix today’s service issue that is impacting some customers."

Verizon's clearly working fast to resolve the issue, but as of now many, many customers are still without connectivity. We'll keep you updated!

Krispy Kreme donuts are secured

Lance and I headed to a Krispy Kreme in NYC and can confirm that donut deal is real. You're entitled to one free Original Glazed donut and the offer is valid from 5PM to 7PM, it certainly helps for a tasty treat after a stressful day – that's contuining to the evening – for Verizon customers.

Patience is a virtue, right?

Lance Ulanoff here.

We're nearing hour 6 of this Verizon outage, and while some are reporting restored service, many of us are struggling to maintain even LTE support on what's supposed to be a 5G network. Plus, coverage is wildly inconsistent. Some people have a few bars of 5G, others have just LTE, and some have nothing.

On the ride home, I notice some people on their phones happily scrolling through their feeds. It was hard to tell, though, what network they're on. In my own house, my wife has 5G while I'm suffering with SOS.

This will be a slow road back.

The impacts of the Verizon outage

Beyond not being able to access the internet, make calls, or receive texts, the implications of Verizon's major 6+ hour outage today are far-reaching. Take this, for example: live sporting events are affected, especially when you need connectivity to pull up tickets on your phone to enter the venue.

In New Jersey this evening, the NJ Devils take on the Seattle Kraken, and the team recommends fans save their tickets to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet before leaving for the venue.

And here's an update on the current number of reported outages at Down Detector – it's fallen to about 43,000, which is still an abnormally high number pointing towards an outage by down from the over 180,000 reports from earlier today. Meanwhile, we're awaiting further updates from Verizon on the timeline for resolution.

Verizon's outage is now stretching on for 6+ hours

We're now stretching into 6 hours of this Verizon outage that's knocked out phone, text, and data for a huge swath of customers across the United States. The issues began shortly before 12:30PM ET, and Verizon confirmed a network disruption after 1 PM ET.

While at its peak, Down Detector reported over 180,000 incidents; it has since fallen to around 40,000, but hundreds of thousands of customers have reported issues. You can see many of those on social platforms, like X (formerly Twitter) or Threads, and even see more of them by scrolling below to the comments.

Now, my colleagues and I at TechRadar want to know whether you've been affected by today's Verizon outage, so please take the poll below and feel free to comment.

We're still awaiting an update from Verizon on the resolution timeline or the cause of today's issues. The carrier last posted an update at 4:12 PM ET, noting that teams were on the ground working to resolve the outage. And if you're on an iPhone and seeing SOS, here's a guide to trying to send messages via satellite.

We're now in hour 7 of this Verizon outage

We're now into 7 hours of what is still a very active and ongoing Verizon outage, so let's take a look at the outage map on Down Detector that's based on the most recent reports. It shows fewer outages, but it's still quite high for a typical day at Verizon, with over 37,000.

It seems that the Northeast, specifically New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, is a bit of a hotspot for Verizon's network issues. Still, Boston, Washington DC, Florida, LA, and Phoenix are all on here as well.

From the comments below, I see that TechRadar readers on Verizon are still experiencing issues in Massachusetts, Alaska, Mississippi, Maryland, Virginia, and New Hampshire, among others, and remain affected by this outage.

I'm on Visible – Verizon's MVNO – and haven't been impacted, but I spoke with my colleague, Lance, who still has no service. His wife, though, has 1 bar showing and 5G with the ability to browse the internet and make calls, though not to Lance, and his son has LTE.

One of my friends in NYC has an iPhone 16 and is still seeing "SOS" instead of network bars or 5G on his device. He tried a restart, a soft reset, and turning Airplane mode on and off – all to no avail so far. He hasn't attempted to try Messages via Satellite, though that is a bit hard to pull off in metro areas with tall buildings like NYC.

And our poll is still open, so please vote on what you're currently experiencing with Verizon, and thank you to the 20,000+ who have already voted.

Some things to try on your phone

If you're starting to see a bar or two return, or want to try and make that happen while we wait for further updates from Verizon, here are a few ideas on what to do.

Given that the network outage is still active and Verizon is working to resolve it, there's no guarantee these will work. You might find that even if you're seeing a bar or 5G appear, you can't connect either, and as Lance wrote earlier, that can be par for the course as parts of the network come back online, but not fully online, or they get pulled back down again as Verizon attempts to ensure 100% recovery.

Unfortunately, the recovery will likely be slow.

• Sounds simple, but try restarting your phone.
• Try a soft reset if you're on an iPhone – press and hold the volume up button, press and hold the volume down button, then press and hold the power button until you see the Apple logo.
• Turn on Airplane mode and then turn it off.

We're now in hour 8 of this Verizon outage

We're now in hour 8 of this outage and are now past four hours since Verizon's last update on the network disruption, though we have asked the network for another update.

Judging by the comments down below, it appears that many across the United States – Georgia, Massachusetts, Florida, Texas, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, to name a few – are still in the midst of this Verizon outage, while others have seen bars reappear and then disappear soon thereafter.

One of my friends in New York City who has an iPhone 17 Pro Max just told me that after hours without service, 5G appeared and then went away after about a minute – certainly frustrating. Similarly, my colleague Lance Ulanoff is seeing Verizon service come in and out on his iPhone 17 Pro Max – at times, a bar or two appearing, and then quickly disappearing.

It does appear that a few of you are seeing better luck with service reappearing and lasting a bit longer, so let's hope Verizon is making progress, and we'll see that across all impacted areas soon.

Verizon finally gives us an update, and says it will work through the night to get its network back online

Well, nearly five hours since Verizon's last update that its team was actively working on the issue, we finally have another update, and it's not a resolution.

You can read it in full below, but the carrier is first acknowledging that it let its customers down majorly today and that its "teams will continue to work through the night until service is restored for all impacted customers."

Unfortunately, that means we're likely still hours away from a complete recovery, though Verizon says it's "working non-stop and making progress."

And Verizon does formally mention credits for customers affected by the major outage, Verizon offers some hope: "We will make this right - for any customer affected, we will provide account credits and share updates soon."

"Today, we let many of our customers down and for that, we are truly sorry. They expect more from us.

We are working non-stop and making progress. Our teams will continue to work through the night until service is restored for all impacted customers.

We will make this right - for any customer affected, we will provide account credits and share updates soon."

Lance's iPhone 17 Pro Max on Verizon is finally showing some positive signs, and hopefully that means a few of you in the comments might be seeing this as well ... though mileage will undoubtedly vary.

After switching to 'Searching,' the iPhone was able to show 5G and two bars of service with Wi-Fi turned off. Lance ran a quick speed test and scored 89MBps download and 1.48MBps – not the strongest speeds ever recorded, but a sign that the network connection was there.

It's lasted about 14 minutes so far, so let's see if the connection sticks.

Verizon says the outage is resolved, but a restart of your phone might be required

TechRadar has received another update from Verizon, and it's a positive one. As of 10:24 PM ET, Verizon's Christina Moon Ashraf confirmed that "the outage has been resolved" and that, if you're a Verizon customer still experiencing issues, it's best practice to "restart" your device.

Further, Christina Moon Ashraf writes, "For those affected, we will provide account credits. Details will be shared directly with customers." Lastly, as the earlier statements echo, it concludes with "We sincerely apologize for the distruption."

This is largely good news, and based on the comments below, it appears many of you are reporting that service has returned, while others note a partial return with only some features working. It might be that Verizon is still making some adjustments, but I'll include the same list of tips from before, beyond just restarting your phone, to try and see if that can help bring service back to life.

We'll, of course, update this if we hear further from Verizon as well – those might come from me in the early morning hours tomorrow or from my TechRadar colleagues in the UK who will be online well before then.

It's also good news on the credit front, and once we hear more about the process for obtaining those, we'll update the guide. And I do hope that Verizon will detail a bit more about what exactly happened today and the steps it's taking to ensure the likelihood of an outage at this scale – lasting for nearly 10 hours – happening again can be reduced.

• Sounds simple, but as Verizon suggests, try restarting your phone.
• Try a soft reset if you're on an iPhone – press and hold the volume up button, then press and hold the volume down button, and finally press and hold the power button until you see the Apple logo.
• Turn on Airplane mode and then turn it off.

'We learned to disconnect and appreciate'

In all the madness and anger – or any other emotion you want to for this outage – there was one Verizon customer who left a comment that stood out to me. Posted by an anonymous user on Down Detector, they said, "Today we learned to disconnect and appreciate and some of us even met some pretty cool people."

Now, that's a glass-half-full kinda person and I appreciate that outlook. More so because it's been a trying 12 hours. But it does show that sometimes disconnecting can be a good thing.

We're 12 hours in and things are coming round

12 hours, and over 1.5 million complaints later, DownDetector is now showing only around 1,500. So looks like services are coming back for most customers and it shouldn't be long before it all goes back to being 'business as usual'.

As of 10.20pm ET, Verizon confirmed that the issue had been resolved, but the company is yet to offer an explanation as to what went wrong.

It's given the competition a chance to take a dig at Verizon. T-Mobile sent its customers a message to reassure them there wasn't any issue with its own network, while AT&T said that if any of its customers were experiencing problems, "It’s not us...it’s the other guys.”

Verizon services should now be back to normal for everyone. If your phone is still not picking up the network, trying turning on airplane mode and off again or restart your phone.

That hadn't worked for some our readers until about an hour ago, but hopefully you'll rest easy for the rest of the night knowing you'll be receiving spam calls again in the morning.

There's still no word from Verizon on what caused the outage, but we'll update this live blog when we hear more.

The most recent update from the carrier is below:

Will Verizon customers get a refund?

We're still in the aftermath of the big Verizon outage, and one of the main questions is whether customers will be reimbursed for the problems that lasted 12 hours?

Right now, all Verizon has said is that "we will provide account credits" and that "details will be shared directly with customers". So far, we haven't seen any evidence of anyone receiving those details – if you have, please do share them in the comments below.

While some may have preferred a refund rather than a credit, not all mobile networks promise compensation during outages – so that's at least a small silver lining on a very bad day for Verizon customers.

Some are still having issues

While the Verizon outage is over for most people (aside from waiting to receive credits, see post below), some are still experiencing residual issues almost a day on.

Over on Downdetector, the reports are at around 2,300 at the time of writing – nowhere near the peak of 182,000 reports at 12.45pm ET yesterday, but still not insignificant. In the comments, some have noted "still out in NC", "I’m still SOS (South Jersey)", and "New Hampshire and I'm down".

There are similarly some anecdotal reports over on X, with a number of users posting that the network is "still down" for them. Fortunately for us, that isn't our experience, with TechRadar's Editor at Large Lance Ulanoff reporting that "all systems are normal here" in New York and that he's currently hotspotting on his Verizon 5G network while on a train, which is "working smoothly".

If you're still having issues, Verizon's advice is still for customers to "restart their devices to reconnect to the network". Clearly, that isn't working for everyone, but hopefully those remaining cases will be resolved soon.

Verizon will give customers a '$20 account credit'

Well, Verizon has issued its next comment—arriving at 9:42 AM ET—and once again the carrier is apologizing and admitting it "did not meet the standard of excellence you expect and that we expect of ourselves."

Maybe more importantly, though, Verizon is finally detailing what the credit it will be offering looks like, and I have a feeling it might not meet the mark for those in the comments below.

Verizon writes, "To help provide some relief, we are giving you a $20 account credit that can be easily redeemed by logging into the myVerizon app to accept. On average, this covers multiple days of service. Our business customers will be contacted directly about their credits."

The nice part is that it’s a somewhat automatic credit that Verizon customers should be able to accept. Still, though, considering it was an over 8-hour outage, I’m not sure this will be music to the ears of impacted customers.

The carrier does provide a little more detail, though: "This credit isn’t meant to make up for what happened. No credit really can. But it’s a way of acknowledging our customers' time and showing that this matters to us."

Additionally, Verizon says if you're still experiencing the outage, it recommends restarting your phone to help get it back online. There's no exact timing for when the credit option will appear in the MyVerizon app, but let us know if you see it in the comments down below.

Full statement from Verizon:

"Yesterday, we did not meet the standard of excellence our customers expect and that we expect of ourselves. To help provide some relief to those affected, we are giving customers a $20 account credit that can be easily redeemed by logging into the myVerizon app to accept. On average, this covers multiple days of service. Our business customers will be contacted directly about their credits.

This credit isn’t meant to make up for what happened. No credit really can. But it’s a way of acknowledging our customers' time and showing that this matters to us.

If customers are still experiencing issues, we encourage them to restart their devices to reconnect to the network. We are sorry for what you experienced and will continue to work hard day and night to provide the outstanding network and service that people expect from Verizon."

Not seeing the $20 credit? Verizon will send a text when it's available

If you're not seeing the $20 credit from Verizon on your account page – either on the web or in the MyVerizon app on Android or iOS – you're likely not alone. Lance hasn't seen it yet, and we reached out to Verizon, who informed us that it will send out a text to customers when the $20 credit becomes available.

I'm not yet sure if that process has begun or if it's planned for later today – though I really hope it is –, but we've asked Verizon and will hopefully hear back soon. If not, it's a bit of a waiting game. You can read a bit more on the $20 credit and some thoughts on its impact here.

Below, I'd invite you to take TechRadar's poll to let us know if you think the $20 credit is enough for the outage. Feel free to vote and leave a comment below. You can even let us know if you see the $20 credit appear.

It doesn't appear that Verizon's begun the process for issuing the credit, but TechRadar has confirmed that it is a $20 credit per account, not per line. This means that if you have a family plan with any number of lines, you'll be eligible for a $20 credit.

As a refresher, you'll be able to redeem the $20 credit within the MyVerizon app for iOS and Android, and Verizon will send a text when that option becomes available. Verizon has not yet confirmed when it will be available or when the process will start.

Verizon confirms a software issue caused the outage and there is 'no indication' of a 'cyber security incident'

In a statement to TechRadar, Verizon is shedding some light on the over 8-hour outage yesterday, January 14, 2026, that affected many of its customers across the United States. The outage was caused by a software issue, and Verizon is conducting a full investigation into the cause.

Furthermore, Verizon notes that this wasn't a cyberattack: "As of now, there is no indication that this was a cyber security issue."

Here's the full statement from a Verizon spokesperson to TechRadar:

"This was a software issue and we are conducting a full review of what happened. As of now, there is no indication that this was a cyber security issue."

Customers are still looking for the $20 credit

While Verizon did inform us that the multi-hour outage yesterday, January 14, 2026, was caused by a software issue and that there were no signs of a cybersecurity issue, we're still waiting for the carrier to start serving the $20 credit for customers.

The last update earlier this morning noted that customers will be able to access the $20 credit on their account page in the 'MyVerizon' app for iOS and Android. Verizon also noted that it would notify customers via text that the credit was available.

Based on the comments below and my colleague, TechRadar's Editor-at-Large, Lance Ulanoff, Verizon has yet to start texting about the credit or make it accessible in the app. As Lance noted, the app doesn't show a credit but still has the notice apologizing for the outage up top.

The $20 credit is appearing as redeemable for some in the MyVerizon app

Here's some good news – hours after Verizon announced that customers would be able to get a $20 credit due to the over 8-hour outage that impacted the carrier's customers across the United States, we have Chris who commented down below, as well as my colleague Lance Ulanoff, confirming they both were able to see it in the app.

For Lance, it appears at the top of his 'MyVerizion' app, reading: "We're sorry we've let you down. Redeem your $20 credit below. Credit will be applied in 1-2 bill cycles." with a 'Redeem Now' button below. He clicked it and received a success screen (see below) confirming that there is only one $20 credit per account.

For Chris, in the comments below, he wrote: "Received the $20 credit in the Verizon app. Had to click on the notification icon, and then redeemed the credit. It will be applied in 1-2 billing cycles." That's a few more hoops, but if you're not seeing it up top, the notifications section is a good place to check.

Seemingly, Verizon has not yet sent a text message informing customers of the ability to redeem the $20 credit. We also haven't received any updates from the carrier on the specific details of the 'software issue' that caused the outage, but we expect Verizon to release more information after it completes its investigation in the coming days.

Been thinking about making the switch to Verizon? The carrier has a fantastic bonus for new customers today that's well worth checking out.

The promotion in question is a $200 e-giftcard when you buy a new phone and line at the carrier - a really nice little bonus that lets you take a sizeable chunk off your plan costs. Even better still, it's a promotion that stacks with the other various Verizon deals that are available on the carrier's site right now.

Such deals include a free iPhone 17 Pro Max with a new line on the Ultimate Unlimited plan, or up to four iPhone 17 Pros free with a Welcome Unlimited plan. If you'd prefer Android, that same four-phone-for-free deal is also available on the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus and Google Pixel 10 Pro XL right now - the latter being a particularly good promotion.

There's no telling how much longer these phone deals will last at Verizon, so it's well worth considering making the switch if you're interested. All of these deals are extremely similar (or identical) to those offered over Black Friday, so they're absolutely worth considering.

[Editor's note] When this page was originally published, the e-giftcard deal was incorrectly stated to end on Wednesday, 14th January. The promotion is still available, and this page has been amended to reflect that.

New customers get $200 at Verizon today

• See more: check out all of today's phone deals at Verizon

More of this week's best Verizon deals

Sick of paying a ton of money for an unlimited plan? If so, the prepaid carrier Mint Mobile has a fantastic deal right now that's definitely worth checking out.

Right now, new customers at Mint can get a full year of the carrier's excellent unlimited data plan for just $180 upfront - half of what you'd usually pay. With this deal, you're paying just $15/mo on average for a full year of unlimited data, which is a fraction of what you'd usually pay at the big carriers.

Considering it's easy to port over your number to Mint, this particular deal is a fantastic choice if you've already got a cheap unlocked phone ready to go. Simply bundle it with today's deal for a full year of super-cheap worry-free unlimited data.

Note that this particular deal actually debuted way back on Black Friday of last year, so it's technically a holdover. It's highly likely that it's due to end pretty soon, so don't hesitate to pick it up before it's gone for good.

Get cheap unlimited data plan at Mint Mobile

• See more: check out all of today's deals at Mint Mobile

More of today's best Mint Mobile deals

I've just spotted the perfect two-line unlimited plan for thrifty couples (or anyone) looking to switch up their setup for something a little cheaper.

Over at T-Mobile prepaid, you can currently get a fully-featured unlimited prepaid plan for just $75/mo when you bundle over 2 lines. That's a plan that includes unlimited 5G data, talk, text, and access to the excellent T-Mobile Tuesdays perks program.

These are features that make the plan almost the equivalent of the brand's more well-known post-paid plans. As a prepaid plan, however, you're not locked into the usual lengthy contracts or T&Cs, so it's a good option if you need flexibility in that regard.

Multi-line offers are also pretty rare in the prepaid plan world right now. Even with stiff competition from the likes of Mint Mobile, this two-line offer from T-Mobile looks like a decent option - and certainly better than the similar prepaid offerings from the other big carriers. Getting reliable coverage and T-Mobile Tuesdays are major selling points here, particularly the latter, as that's something that you won't find at Mint.

Get two unlimited lines for $75/mo at T-Mobile

• See more: check out all of today's deals at T-Mobile prepaid

Note that the above deal is fantastic for securing a cheap unlimited plan. It doesn't, however, get you access to the big free cell phone deals that you can usually get alongside the carrier's pricier plans.

It's definitely a more flexible option overall, but if you're interested, you can check out a few of this week's best T-Mobile deals below, which include the latest iPhones, Samsung Galaxy phones, and Google Pixel phones.

More of this week's best deals at T-Mobile

• BT and Three networks went down in June and July
• Connections to emergency services were affected
• Ofcom is now investigating the culpability of the networks

Update, December 16: We've updated this story with statements from BT and Three.

Original story follows:

Cell phone outages aren't just an inconvenience, they can actually put lives at risk if emergency service calls are disrupted – and Ofcom has announced it's investigating BT and Three over major downtime that happened in July of this year.

For BT, there was a software-related issue that caused BT and EE systems to break down on the 24th and 25th of July 2025. As you might remember if you use those providers, customers couldn't make or receive calls, or get in touch with the emergency services.

A separate incident also affected the Three network across the UK on the 25th of June, so this was clearly a bad couple of months for the country's networks. Again, customers were left unable to reach the police, ambulance, and fire services through their mobiles.

These incidents were reported by the companies involved, a legal requirement once disruption hits a certain level. It's Ofcom's job as the regulator to decide how responsible the service providers are – and whether or not the issues could have been prevented.

We asked both Three and BT for their reactions to the news. A BT spokesperson said: "We are aware that Ofcom has begun an investigation into the technical fault impacting voice calls on our network on 24th and 25th July 2025. We will co-operate fully with Ofcom throughout the investigation and apologise again for any issues caused by this incident."

Meanwhile, a Three spokesperson told us: “Three experienced disruption to voice services following an exceptional spike in network traffic triggered by a third-party software configuration change. Since the outage, we have engaged openly with Ofcom and will continue to cooperate fully with their investigation."

'Appropriate and proportionate measures'

"Mobile operators are required to take appropriate and proportionate measures to identify and reduce the risks and prepare for the occurrence of anything that compromises the availability, performance or functionality of their network or service," says Ofcom.

"Our investigations will seek to establish the facts surrounding these incidents and assess whether there are reasonable grounds to believe that BT and Three have failed to comply with their regulatory obligations."

If Ofcom decides that BT and Three have failed in their duty to keep their networks up and running, a hefty fine is the most likely outcome. Last year, BT was fined £17.5 million by Ofcom for a failure of its service that blocked thousands of 999 calls.

Customers would probably settle for being able to connect to the cellular service they're paying for, when they need to. Both BT and Three say they are cooperating with the investigation, and hopefully taking steps to stop these problems from happening again.

I've been on a SIM-only rolling contract for as long as I can remember, and I would honestly never go back to a 12 or 24-month contract. I love the ability to cancel at any time – and I can guarantee I'm always on the best deal. One such deal available right now is this Smarty triple data upgrade from 8GB to 24GB for only £7 per month.

That's a ridiculously low price for enough data to watch TV shows and movies, play games, and download apps.

The promotion is available for up to 15 consecutive months and then your plan will revert to the 8GB data package. However, as with these rolling contracts, you can cancel whenever you want if you find a better offer or want to add more data.

Today’s best cheap SIM-only deal

Smarty is known for its flexible and affordable SIM plans. With so many consumers wanting cheap data plans that can be cancelled at any time, Smarty delivers exactly that. The company also utilises Three's network, which means they're able to deliver a reliable service.

The deal includes 24GB of data, which is more than sufficient to stream TV shows and music as well as download apps. There's also EU Roaming included up to a fair 12GB limit, which I'm sure will be sufficient for most holiday trips. To top it all off, the plan includes unlimited calls and texts as well as WiFi calling.

This is one of the best SIM-only deals available at the moment, but if it doesn't quite hit the spot, then you'll want to take a look at these cheap phone deals or the best mobile phone deals instead.

If you've been thinking about upgrading your phone at T-Mobile, then take note that the carrier's big end-of-year seasonal deals are likely to end soon. We've had great deals since Black Friday, but they're slowly starting to dry up now.

For example, while you can still get the carrier's excellent four-phones-for-free deal on the iPhone 17, the free iPad and Apple Watch that was available with the iPhone 17 Pro is no longer available. The iPhone Air was also free without a trade-in, which again, isn't available today.

On the bright side, you can still get some really incredible deals like a free Google Pixel 10 with a pair of Pixel Buds 2 without a trade-in. You can also get four free Galaxy S25 on the Essentials unlimited plan, which is an incredible deal for multi-line users since that plan is $100/mo for four lines. With these deals, you've got plenty of choice, regardless of whether you want an iOS or Android device.

Check out today's best deals at T-Mobile just below, including a few fresh promotions that have just landed today on the iPhone 15 Plus and Galaxy Z Flip 7.

T-Mobile Cyber Week deals likely to end soon

If you're eying up that next upgrade, then today's Verizon Cyber Monday deals are offering fantastic choices. Everything from the latest iPhone 17 to internet packages have excellent deals, and I'm rounding everything up right here on this page.

These deals have actually been part of the carrier's seasonal sale for a few weeks now, but you're not missing anything by checking-in now. For example, Verizon's Cyber Monday deals include record-breaking discounts on the iPhone 17 Pro Max, Galaxy S25 Ultra, or Pixel 10 Pro XL, to name just a few. All these high-end devices are currently available for free without a trade-in - and you can also throw in a free tablet and smartwatch for good measure, if you're willing to pay extra for various lines.

While these deals have been knocking around for a few days now, I'd still rank them as the best I've seen yet from the carrier in 2025. I track Verizon deals all year round, so I'm particularly excited about promotions like the one on the iPhone 17 Pro Max, which is available for free on a much cheaper plan than before (the mid-tier Plus plan).

As always, I've laid out the various plan criteria needed to be eligible for these Verizon Cyber Monday deals just below. I've also included some device overviews, if you're still wondering what phone to go for.

Today's best Verizon Cyber Monday deals

Verizon Cyber Monday deals: FAQ

What models does TechRadar recommend?

Today's best Cyber Monday deals at T-Mobile are already live and offer some of the strongest promotions I've seen at the carrier. As someone who tracks the best T-Mobile deals all year round here at TechRadar, I'm rounding up my favorite promos just below.

While most of today's deals are reruns from last week's big sale, you can still get amazing discounts on the iPhone 17, Galaxy S25, and even internet packages. My list of today's best T-Mobile Cyber Monday deals includes all of the above, as well as a few alternate options that are easy to miss.

- Check out T-Mobile's Cyber Monday sale in full

Highlights today include the carrier's impressive four-phones-for-free deal on the iPhone 17, which lets you bundle four devices on the carrier's Essentials plan. Considering the plan costs just $100/mo for four lines, this is easily one of the best Cyber Monday phone deals for families right now. If you're not a single-line user, then you can also get a free iPhone 17 Pro with a trade-in, plus the option to bundle in a free iPad and Apple Watch, which is a rare promotion from the carrier.

You can check out more about these deals, as well as promotions on Android devices, just down below. Looking for more recommendations? Head on over to our Cyber Monday deals hub page for live updates from our team of experts here at TechRadar.

Today's T-Mobile best Cyber Monday deals

Other deals at T-Mobile today

1. iPhone 17 series: up to $1,100 off with a trade-in
2. Pixel 10 series: up to $1,100 off with a trade-in and plan
3. Galaxy Z series: up to $1,100 off with a trade-in and plan
4. Unlimited plans get third line free
5. Apple Watch 11: $200 off with new line, or buy one get $300 off second
6. Samsung Galaxy Watch 8: free with a new watch line
7. Bring your own phone: get Essentials plan for $50/mo
8. Amplified home internet: free $300 prepaid card

T-Mobile Cyber Monday deals 2025: FAQ

What model does TechRadar recommend?

How do I save as much cash as possible?

As with Cyber Monday deals at other carriers, the biggest discounts at T-Mobile are tied to new lines on unlimited data plans or trade-in rebates.

Because of this, you'll definitely want to make sure you read the fine print. Note that the biggest discounts are locked behind the higher-end Experience Beyond or Go5G Next plans, which can cost an eye-watering $100 per month for a single line.

If I were looking to upgrade my phone, the first thing I'd do is add up my total costs over the duration of a 24-month plan. You can then, of course, subtract your various Cyber Monday discounts from that total amount. Note that T-Mobile always throws in your third line free, so that's worth bearing in mind if you're a multi-line user.

It's go-time if you're looking for an upgrade at one of the nation's biggest (and best) carriers. Today's T-Mobile Black Friday deals are offering some of the most impressive discounts I've seen so far in 2025 across a wide range of phones and plans - including the iPhone 17, Galaxy S25, and much more.

Just below, you can check out all of today's best T-Mobile Black Friday deals laid out with the various plan terms and eligibility.

- Check out T-Mobile's Black Friday sale in full

Highlights include a free iPad and Apple Watch alongside the iPhone 17 Pro; a rare deal indeed from T-Mobile. There's also the option to bundle four iPhone 17 for free alongside the carrier's Essentials plan, which is quite possibly the best Black Friday phone deal for families right now. If you're more into Android, then the good news is that you can get similar discounts on Google and Samsung devices, too.

As someone who tracks the best T-Mobile deals all year round, I can tell you that today's Black Friday offerings are definitely a notch above what we usually see. Of course, to get the biggest discounts you do need plans and trade-ins, so I've made sure to include all the various information - including some buying advice further down the page.

Today's best Black Friday T-Mobile deals

Other deals at T-Mobile today

1. iPhone 17 series: up to $1,100 off with a trade-in
2. Pixel 10 series: up to $1,100 off with a trade-in and plan
3. Galaxy Z series: up to $1,100 off with a trade-in and plan
4. Unlimited plans get third line free
5. Apple Watch 11: $200 off with new line, or buy one get $300 off second
6. Samsung Galaxy Watch 8: free with a new watch line
7. Bring your own phone: get Essentials plan for $50/mo
8. Amplified home internet: free $300 prepaid card

T-Mobile Black Friday deals 2025: FAQ

What model does TechRadar recommend?

How do I save as much cash as possible?

As with other deals at major carriers, the biggest discounts at T-Mobile are nearly always tied to either a trade-in rebate or a new line on an unlimited plan. I really don't see this changing for the upcoming Black Friday deals.

You might find a few upfront discounts on prepaid options for cheaper phones, but all the big iPhones, Google Pixel, and Samsung Galaxy device deals will be tied to a plan for sure.

Because of this, you'll probably want to go into this year's Black Friday deals at T-Mobile armed with an idea of what type of plan you want to go for. Note that the biggest discounts will almost certainly be locked behind the higher-end Experience Beyond or Go5G Next plans, which can cost an eye-watering $100 per month for a single line.

If I were looking to upgrade my phone, the first thing I'd do is add up my total costs over the duration of a 24-month plan. You can then, of course, subtract your various Black Friday discounts from that total amount. Note that T-Mobile always throws in your third line free, so that's worth bearing in mind if you're a multi-line user.

While you're here, don't forget to check out our main Black Friday deals roundup for more information on the upcoming sales. You can also see our Black Friday landing page for an overview of today's stories from our team of experts.

The annual Verizon Black Friday deals are already live today, with excellent options across the board - including iPhone 17, Galaxy S25, Google Pixel, and even internet packages. Looking to upgrade? Well, I've rounded up all today's best discounts just below.

The carrier's seasonal promotions have actually been ongoing for a few weeks now, but Verizon has just added a brand new batch of exceptional promotions. Highlights include the iPhone 17 Pro Max, Galaxy S25 Ultra, or Pixel 10 Pro XL for free alongside a new unlimited line without a trade-in and the option to bundle in free accessories, too.

As someone who covers Verizon deals all year round, these are definitely some of the best promotions I've seen in 2025, with more generous terms than what's usually required.

With that said, as always, Verizon's Black Friday deals revolve around potentially pricey unlimited plans, so it's definitely worth considering your options before you jump in. That's why I've included the various eligibility criteria for each one, as well as some specific recommendations for devices based on our product testing here at TechRadar.

Today's best Black Friday deals at Verizon

Verizon Black Friday deals: FAQ

Will Verizon feature more deals over Black Friday?

Verizon has already launched two waves of early deals ahead of Black Friday, so I wouldn't expect too much more at this point. Deals like the current promotion on the iPhone 17 Pro Max are already the best we've seen from the carrier in 2025, so it's doubtful that it will launch an even better option.

With that said, you never know. Stock on the latest iPhone 17 range is pretty good at the moment, so there's really no rush if you're willing to wait it out until Black Friday itself.

What models does TechRadar recommend?

How do I save as much cash as possible?

Unfortunately, there are no real surprises when it comes to Verizon Black Friday deals. As with the carrier's promotions at other times of the year, the biggest discounts will be reserved for those who sign up for one of the carrier's priciest unlimited plans.

You may also, depending on the various T&Cs, have to trade in an old device to be eligible for a discount. In recent years, Verizon and other carriers have been a lot less strict on the criteria, however, so your mileage may vary when it comes to this year's Black Friday deals at the carrier.

For example, last year, Verizon offered the excellent iPhone 16 Pro for free without even having to trade in. Recently, the iPhone Air and iPhone 17 have both been free under similar criteria too, so there is precedent for excellent promotions that don't require the usual trade-in.

While you're here, I'll also shout out our main Black Friday deals page if you're looking for more recommendations from TechRadar. You can also check out our Black Friday landing page for a quick overview of today's related stories from our team of experts.

If you've been waiting for Black Friday in the hopes of snagging the all-new iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone Air at a discounted price, Vodafone's Black Friday sale is answering your call.

Vodafone's SIM plans are receiving AU$14 p/m discounts for Cyber Weekend – knocking its small and medium plans to just AU$39 and AU$49 for the first 12 months, respectively. On top of that, they've also had their data doubled to 120GB and 400GB over your entire chosen contract.

All that gets even better when you pair your chosen plan with one of the new phones. While there is no discount on the device itself, the limited-time AU$14 p/m discount extends for the full 36-month term when paired with a new Apple handset – saving you a total of AU$504. Already a great option if you're looking to avoid large up-front payments, this deal is very hard to ignore.

While the double data and discount make it a lot more attractive, the biggest downside to this deal for some will be the lock-in contract. However, beggars can't be choosers when it comes to iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro deals.

We've been hunting all the best Black Friday sales, and it's pretty slim pickings on the iPhone deals – and basically radio silence regarding outright discounts on Apple's latest suite of smartphones.

The only outright iPhone 17 deal we've found is a weak AU$100 off the iPhone 17 Pro through Amaysim – which results in just AU$70 off once you pair it with the required plan.

And, while we have our fingers crossed for sweeter Black Friday iPhone sales, we're doubtful.

If you're looking to upgrade your iPhone, but don't necessarily need the best of the best, Vodafone is running a similar deal on the budget-focused iPhone 16e.

Been holding off on that phone upgrade? Verizon has just launched a huge early Black Friday sale that could just tempt you into finally springing for that shiny new flagship.

Several deals are available now at the carrier that can get you the very latest flagship smartphones for free on an unlimited data plan without the usual trade-in criteria.

As someone who covers Verizon deals all year round, these are easily some of the best promotions I've seen – and you can see my top picks just below.

A few highlights include the option to bundle in a free iPad and Apple Watch with the iPhone 17. Not only are the freebies impressive, but the device itself is available for free with a new line on any of the carrier's unlimited plans, including the more budget-friendly Welcome unlimited plan.

For premium devices, you can get the iPhone 17 Pro and Galaxy S25 Plus for free with a new line on the Ultimate plan right now, or the iPhone 17 Pro Max and Galaxy S25 Ultra for just $5 per month each.

And, if you're thinking about upgrading your internet, there's also a fantastic Verizon Black Friday deal that lets you pick between a free Samsung TV, Nintendo Switch 2, or a Samsung tablet. You can read more about these deals, and others, just below.

Today's best Verizon Black Friday deals

More early Black Friday sales to shop today

• Amazon: 45% off TVs, AirPods, air fryers & vacuums
• Apple: iPads, AirPods & MacBooks from $119
• Best Buy: $1,000 off TVs, laptops & headphones
• Home Depot: 40% off appliances, furniture, grills & tools
• Lenovo: 45% off laptops & tablets
• Lowe's: up to 30% off appliances, holiday decor & tools
• Target: 40% off Christmas decor, clothing & furniture
• Walmart: furniture, cheap TVs & vacs from $69
• Wayfair: 54% off Christmas, furniture & decor

Switching up your expensive cell phone plan could just be the best way to save some cash this November - particularly because one of the best prepaid carriers has just launched an excellent early Black Friday deal.

Over at Visible Wireless, you can use the code SWITCH26 to get a massive discount of up to $12 per month over a healthy 26-month period. That's a potential discount of up to $312 in total on one of the best prepaid plans you can get right now.

The biggest discount available at Visible today is on the carrier's higher-end Visible Plus Pro plan, but note that a $6 per month saving also applies to the standard Visible Plan. If you're on a budget, then this one is an incredible choice because the deal drops its price down to just $19 per month on average.

That's $19/mo for a fully unlimited plan with 5G data speeds, unlimited talk and text, and unlimited mobile hotspot allowance. The only annoying thing with this plan, in my opinion, is that it's restricted to 480 SD video quality. If you want full 4K streaming, then you'll want to go for the Visible Plus Pro plan, which also offers quicker mobile hotspot and access to the blazingly quick Verizon Wideband 5G network.

Visible Wireless' early Black Friday deal

• See more: check out all of today's deals at Visible Wireless

Visible Wireless was already one of the cheapest cell phone plans for those looking for unlimited data on a budget, but this deal makes it an even better choice. If you're interested in knowing more about the carrier, I'd recommend checking out our Visible Wireless plans guide, which will tell you everything you need to know before you make the switch.

Tired of paying huge bucks for an unlimited plan you don't even use? One of the best prepaid carriers has just launched an early Black Friday deal that could be of interest.

Over at Mint Mobile, new customers can use the code YEAROFMINT at checkout to get an impressive 30% discount on the carrier's 12-month 5GB, 15GB, or 20GB plans. That's a potential saving of up to $90 on a range of plans that were already superb value as is.

The biggest saving here is on the 20GB plan, which goes from $300 upfront to just $210; for an average of just $17.50 per month. The cheapest option overall, however? That's the 5GB plan, which gets as low as just $10.50/mo with this coupon code.

Of course, 5GB of data doesn't go far these days, but this deal could be a fantastic choice if you're simply looking for a prepaid plan that covers the basics. Mint's plans still include unlimited talk, text, and mobile hotspot is also included.

Note, if you're more interested in an unlimited data plan, then I also highly recommend checking out Mint Mobile's deals on the Google Pixel 10 series. Right now, the carrier is offering new customers a massive discount of up to $600 alongside one full year of unlimited data for just $15/mo. I've attached more details on these deals just down below.

Mint Mobile Black Friday deal now live

• See more: check out all of today's deals at Mint Mobile

Also available at Mint Mobile today

• O2 has given many of its customers a mid-contract price hike
• In some cases, this price rise is 40% more than expected
• Ofcom says it's "disappointed by O2's decision" and has revealed tips

Update, October 31: An O2 spokesperson reached out to us with the following statement about its price hikes.

“As acknowledged by Ofcom in its letter to providers, its rules do not prevent companies from increasing annual price changes – for example, to invest in improving networks. The changes we have announced in no way breach any regulatory rules," the said.

 “We appreciate that price changes are never welcome, but demand for mobile connectivity is greater than ever, and any price change customers see on their bills is greatly outweighed by the £700m we invest each year into our mobile network to meet this growing demand. We have written directly to customers about this change, and they are able to exit without penalty if they wish.”

Original story follows:

O2 customers are understandably unhappy this week as a surprise mid-contract price hike has pushed their bills up by 40% more than they were previously told.

In an email sent to affected customers (below), O2 has said that from April 2026, their contract will increase by £2.50 a month instead of the previously stated £1.80 per month. In other words, that'll cost customers an extra £30 per year, rather than £21.60.

This price hike affects everyone on mobile and SIM-only contracts, unless you're on O2's 'Essential Plan'. And the UK's communications watchdog, Ofcom, has just heavily criticized the move.

“We are disappointed by O2’s decision. This goes against the spirit of our rules which are designed to ensure greater certainty and transparency for customers when they sign up," a spokesperson told us.

Ofcom has also given the UK's mobile networks, not just O2, a slap on the wrist. "Today, we’ve written to the major mobile companies reminding them of their obligations to treat customers fairly. We encourage any customer who wants to avoid these price rises to exercise their right to exit without penalty and sign up to a new deal, following our five top tips," the spokesperson added.

In order to exit your contract without a penalty, you need to do this within 30 days of O2 telling you about the price hike. And to help with that process, Ofcom has also revealed its four other main tips for those affected.

What are your options?

Ofcom's five tips for O2 customers – or customers on other networks in a similar situation – start with that penalty-free contract-cancellation option. In short, "your provider must give 30 days’ notice and let you exit your contract penalty free if they increase prices beyond what you agreed when you signed up", Ofcom says.

The obvious next tip is to shop around with price comparison sites like GoCompareand USwitch to find the best alternative deals. For example, Smarty (on Three's network) and Talkmobile (which piggybacks on Vodafone) currently offer compelling SIM-only deals with unlimited data right now.

You can also use the 'text-to-switch' process to leave O2 quickly. That just involves texting 'INFO' to 85075, which is a free service that gets the process started with some simple instructions.

Fourthly, Ofcom says you should also consider if you're eligible for a cheaper social tariff – these are often branded 'essential' or 'basic'. If you're claiming Universal Credit, Pension Credit, or other benefits, you could be eligible for one – to see the full list of available options check out Ofcom's social tariff page. They're cheaper and, helpfully, the price doesn't go up mid-contract.

Lastly, it's worth considering which network offers the best coverage in your area. While it isn't a perfect (its guides are based on predictions from mobile networks and crowdsourced samples) Ofcom's Map Your Mobile tool is a handy way to get a rough idea by searching your post code.

Analysis: The only answer for now is to switch

A number of O2 customers have been venting their frustration about the decision on the likes of X (formerly Twitter). Richard Webster (above) asked "how are O2 allowed to get away with increasing phone bills by 16.9%", while @silentplayer said "leaving providers is the only way you're listened to these days".

The issue has also prompted Martin Lewis from MoneySavingExpert to send an open letter to MPs asking them to "step in to stop mobile, broadband and pay-TV firms increasing prices mid contract by more than they said they would when people sign up".

Lewis also said O2's price hike "makes a mockery" of Ofcom's 'pounds and pence' consumer protection regime, which was introduced earlier this year – and subsequently also avoided by Sky, which said it simply wouldn't tell customers about price hikes before they signed up.

Commenting on its previous attempt to keep the networks in check, an Ofcom spokesperson said that "we want customers to have certainty about their monthly mobile bills" and "that’s why earlier this year we banned unpredictable price rises linked to inflation and instead required providers to tell customers upfront in pounds and pence about any increases in their contract".

Unfortunately, that hasn't been enough to stop the unexpected, above-inflation price hikes – so more drastic government action could be necessary. In the meantime, it could be time to switch to a new network using the tips above.

T-Mobile's current 5G Home Internet deal is one of the best options on the market if you're looking to upgrade your connection. Not only does it make a connection super-cheap, but you can get 5G speeds at your home without any annoying installation.

The deal in question is a $15 per month discount when you bundle together an internet plan with a phone plan at T-Mobile. Regardless of whether you're a new or existing customer, you can get 5G Home Internet plan for as little as $35/mo with this deal for a whopping five years, thanks to a price guarantee.

Even the entry-level 'Rely' plan offers internet speeds of anywhere between 134 Mbps to 415 Mbps download speeds, depending on your coverage. It's quite an impressive package for just $35/mo with this promotion.

If you're looking for a more fully-featured plan, that discount also applies to the higher-end Amplified and All-In plans. These plans include a 24/7 tech support line, and, in the case of the All-In plan, a subscription to Hulu and Paramount+.

All 5G Home Internet plans currently come with an additional prepaid gift card of up to $300 in value as a side bonus. That's a handy little gift that can be used to make your plans even cheaper – although that's exclusively for new customers making the switch to T-Mobile.

Today's best T-Mobile 5G Home Internet deal

• See more: check out all of today's deals at T-Mobile

T-Mobile’s 5G Home Internet is a flexible and affordable alternative to traditional broadband, starting at just $35 per month when bundled with phone service. All plans include unlimited data on T-Mobile’s expansive 5G network, a free 5G Gateway device, and a five-year price guarantee.

Depending on the tier, you also get perks, such as advanced cybersecurity features, 24/7 support, and even free Hulu and Paramount+ subscriptions with the top-tier All-In plan. To check your availability, simply use the zip-code checker provided on the T-Mobile site.

While 5G internet isn’t as fast or consistent as fiber or cable, it’s a great choice for everyday use like browsing, streaming, and working from home if you want something simple and contract-free. Plans range from $55 to $75 per month (or $35 to $55 with today's deal), and all include taxes and fees upfront.

There’s also a 15-day trial with free returns if you’re not satisfied. For those in eligible areas, T-Mobile’s 5G Home Internet is a low-hassle way to stay connected, and the free Mastercard gift card is a nice bonus.

When it comes to cheap cell phone plans, there are plenty of excellent options on the market. Right now, however, one of the best options has to be Straight Talk.

One perk in particular has caught my attention at the carrier. It's a free Walmart+ membership that comes included with either the carrier's Gold and Platinum unlimited plans. That's a superb little bonus that usually costs $8.17 per month, or just over $57 per year.

Depending on how much you shop at Walmart, this perk is likely going to save you a whole lot more, too. The Walmart+ membership includes free delivery, savings on gas, and access to Paramount+, alongside many other perks. It also gets you exclusive early access to Walmart's Black Friday deals, which could be exceedingly handy for the retailer's big event next month.

If you're looking to save at StraightTalk, then the carrier is currently offering a $5 per month discount on the first three months via autopay. That brings the Gold Unlimited plan down to $50 per month and the Platinum Unlimited plan down to $60 per month. Currently, there's also a great discount on the iPhone 16e, which I've attached below.

Today's best StraightTalk perks and deals

• See more: check out all of today's deals at Straight Talk

• AT&T is set to pay out a whopping $177 million to settle lawsuits over two major data breaches
• The breaches were disclosed in 2024, but they took place in 2019 and 2024
• Claims are only open for a limited time, so if you were affected, act fast

AT&T has suffered several major data breaches in the last few years, and two of them resulted in a class action lawsuit that has now resulted in a $177 million settlement. The telecom giant has agreed to pay the sum instead of going to trial.

The settlement covers incidents disclosed in 2024, which affected tens of millions of current and former AT&T users across the United States. Under the terms of the deal, you may be able to claim up to $7,500.

You can only file your claim for a short time, though. So here's how to find out whether you're eligible for the payout from AT&T's $177 million settlement and how to file a claim.

What are the data breaches covered by the settlement?

As outlined by Kroll, the risk and financial advisory firm that serves as the settlement administrator in this case, the class action lawsuit covers two separate data breaches.

The first breach occurred in 2019, but was only reported by AT&T in 2024, once the data was being sold on the dark web. This breach involved personal data of over 70 million AT&T customers, both current and former, including Social Security numbers, legal names, and birth dates. As a result of this breach, AT&T had to force-reset account passcodes for millions of customers.

The second breach hit AT&T shortly after the 2019 one was finally reported. Hackers were able to access the phone records stored in Snowflake, which is AT&T's cloud-based data warehouse. This breach, which took place in April 2024, reportedly affected all of AT&T's customers – around 109 million.

What are the details of the AT&T settlement?

Separate lawsuits were filed for both data breaches, but were later consolidated into a single case. All parties have agreed to a settlement in March 2025.

The official settlement website states that the "parties have settled the actions in their entirety without any admission of liability or wrongdoing."

Although now consolidated, the settlement is still split into two tiers: AT&T 1 Settlement Class and AT&T 2 Settlement Class. The first class covers the 2019 data breach, which also included SSNs, and it will be eligible for a $149 million payout in total; the second class (the 2024 breach) will receive the remaining $28 million.

How to find out if you qualify for the AT&T settlement?

Kroll Settlement Administration should send you an email if you qualify for the settlement, so keep checking your mailbox. Make sure to also check the spam folder.

If you believe that you should qualify for either part of the settlement, but have yet to receive your email, you can reach out first.

To do so, either call at (833) 890-4930 or send an inquiry to the following address:

AT&T Data Incident Settlement

c/o Kroll Settlement Administration LLC

P.O. Box 5324

New York, NY 10150-5324

How much money can you get from the settlement?

If you were affected by the 2019 data breach and can prove a documented financial loss as a result of it, you're eligible for up to $5,000. Those affected by the 2024 breach can qualify for up to $2,500.

It's technically possible that you might qualify for both, but you'd most likely need to present Kroll with proof of two separate incidents.

If you can't prove that the data breaches led to financial loss, but still qualify for the payout, you'll receive a pro rata share of the remaining money, so it'll depend on the number of claimants.

How to file a claim?

You can file a claim in the AT&T data breach settlement directly on the Kroll website or through the mail.

In either case, you'll need to have your own Class Member ID in order to file a claim, which you'll get once Kroll reaches out to you via email or otherwise.

If you'd rather not submit your claim online, you can print out the claim and mail it to the address we shared above. Here are the forms you should use depending on which claim you were affected by.

• 2019 AT&T data breach
• 2024 AT&T data breach
• Claim for those affected by both breaches

The claim has to be submitted or postmarked by December 18, 2025.

If you've been eying up a plan at Visible Wireless, then now's a great time to consider making the switch to the popular carrier, thanks to a new introductory deal. Right now, you can get a unique six-month Visible+ Pro plan for just $135 upfront, which is half the price that you would usually pay ($45/mo) for the high-end plan.

It's also a whole lot cheaper than the $450 that you'd pay if you were to commit to a full year of service at the carrier.

With this deal, your payments average out at $22.50/mo, which is extremely impressive considering the Visible+ Pro is one of the most fully-featured prepaid plans you'll find anywhere right now.

It's a plan that features unlimited premium data on the super-speedy Verizon Wideband 5G network, unlimited mobile hotspot allowance, and unlimited 4K UHD streaming. These are the kinds of perks you usually pay top dollar for at the major carriers, so it's doubly impressive to think you can get them for such a cheap price (for six months, at least).

Get Visible's best plan for cheap

• See more: check out all of today's deals at Visible Wireless

In recent months, we've seen the best Visible deals offer excellent discounts on Google Pixel devices and even iPhones, but this promotion is arguably better for a wider range of people. It's not the biggest discount in the world, but you're skipping a potentially big upfront payment, which makes it perfect if you're just looking to try out Visible Wireless for less.

Verizon's excellent freebie deals on its phone and internet packages are still up for grabs this week - including one of the best seasonal promotions we've ever seen from the carrier.

Right now, you can bundle in a free NFL Sunday ticket worth up to $480 with one of the carrier's excellent 5G Home internet or FIOS fiber home internet plans.

This offer is available to both new and existing customers, giving you unlimited streaming access to the entire 2025 season through YouTube. That means you can watch up to four games at once on a single screen, enjoy unlimited streaming on mobile devices, and catch every key play and highlight along the way.

Existing customers can qualify by upgrading to a higher-tier internet plan or picking up an eligible phone upgrade. Even if you’re not planning on making a change, you can still claim a $200 discount on a ticket, which makes for an excellent bonus offer.

If you're not an NFL fan, then you can instead choose to opt for an Xbox Gaming bundle, which includes a headset, controller, and $100 Xbox gift card. Both these freebies bundle together with an additional $250 Amazon eGift card that Verizon is also offering on its higher-end 5G home internet plans right now.

Free NFL Sunday Ticket at Verizon

• See more: check out all of today's deals at Verizon

To redeem your free ticket, all you need to do is sign in to your Verizon account and navigate to the landing page that's specifically for the NFL Sunday Ticket. You've got 60 days to redeem your free ticket, and you'll also need a Google (YouTube) account to redeem it on. No other subscriptions are needed, so it should be pretty easy to get everything sorted before the NFL season officially starts this September.

Don't worry if you missed the offer last week, as a new limited-time deal on AT&T's fiber plans is available right now, meaning you can get an extra $100 reward card when you upgrade online to one of the carrier's super-fast internet packages.

It's easy to get, too. Simply enter the code EXTRA100 at checkout when signing up for a new line on any of the carrier's fiber plans to get your free gift. The offer ends on August 20, so you have limited time to take advantage of it.

Better still, if you choose one of AT&T's higher-end plans from 1 Gig and upwards, you get a $150 gift card on top of that $100 bonus from the discount code. It's a significant saving altogether and ideal if you're setting up a new connection with AT&T.

Oh, there's more, too. If you choose to sign up as an AT&T mobile customer as well after getting your fiber connection set up, you can get a 20% discount on your monthly fiber bill with an eligible plan. That's in addition to the combined $250 worth of reward cards from the other deals above. It's quite a package deal if you're happy to bundle everything together with AT&T.

Today's best AT&T fiber internet deal

• See more: check out all of today's deals at AT&T

AT&T's fiber internet is a relatively expensive option and is not available in all areas, but if you're eligible to sign up, you can get a super-speedy connection that's well-suited to gaming, streaming, and more. A plan starts at around $55 per month for the 300Mbps connection, which is still fast enough for general use, but demanding users in busy homes may want to consider one of the higher speeds of 1 Gig or more to prevent slowdown.

If you've been thinking about upgrading your internet, then now's a great time to consider AT&T's fibre plans. The carrier is giving away $50 reward cards right now as a limited-time-only flash sale.

To claim your gift, all you need to do is use the code SUMMER50 at checkout when picking up a new line on any of the carrier's fibre plans. Note, this particular deal is only eligible for online purchases.

If you're looking to buy one of AT&T's higher-end plans, you'll also get an additional $150 gift card on top of the previously mentioned $50. To stack up your savings, you'll need to use the code and check out with a 1Gbps fiber plan or above.

While I'm here, it's also worth mentioning that AT&T mobile customers will also get a 20% monthly discount on their plan cost. That's on top of all the various gift cards already mentioned in this article, so there's plenty of added incentive to bundle your internet and phone plans together if you're an existing AT&T customer.

Today's best AT&T fiber internet deal

• See more: check out all of today's deals at AT&T

While AT&T's fiber internet can be pricey, and availability is still limited in some areas, you get a super-speedy connection that's perfect for gaming, streaming, and multiple users. Plans start at around $55 per month for the 300Mbps connection, which is still plenty for most users.

Twigby’s excellent deal for new customers is still available this week, with some of the most affordable plans on the market up for grabs.

Today's deal offers new customers a $10 discount per month for their first three months of service. That brings the cost down to just $25 per month for the carrier's unlimited data plan. Paying just $75 in total, you save $30 here without any upfront investment needed.

Twigby Mobile operates on Verizon’s robust 5G network, which means you get access to one of the widest and most reliable coverage areas in the US. Whether you're streaming, browsing, or using GPS on the go, you can expect consistently strong performance in most areas. It’s especially appealing for those who already know Verizon works well in their region but want to avoid the higher prices and long-term contracts of postpaid plans.

As a prepaid carrier, it's also good if you're sick of the big post-paid plans. There's no need to sign up for a lengthy contract, as you simply pay month-to-month for the service. It's also compatible with a wide range of unlocked devices, including eSIM-equipped phones, so it's easy to switch if you have an unlocked phone ready to go.

Get a cheap three month plan at Twigby

While the unlimited plan is certainly a standout option at Twigby, it’s worth noting that this $10-per-month discount also applies to the carrier’s other data plans. That means you’re not locked into the highest-tier option if you don’t need it.

For lighter mobile users, Twigby’s 5GB and 10GB plans are good choices with the discount applied. You pay just $10 per month for 5GB or $15 per month for 10GB during your first three months. That's extremely competitive, so it could be a good option if you primarily use Wi-Fi or don't rely heavily on mobile data.

AT&T's excellent flash sale on the brand's high-end fiber internet plans is back again this week, with the carrier giving away $50 reward cards with a new plan.

To get your card, you need to use the code SUMMER50 at checkout. As before, this bonus flash-sale gift stacks on top of the existing gift card of up to $150 that AT&T was already offering. With the code, you can get even cheaper bills by bundling these prepaid cards together.

To get the full $200 off, you need to use the code and sign up for the higher-end 1Gbps plan or above. That will get you the $50 gift card from the code, plus an existing $150 gift card. Note, you can still get a smaller gift card of $50 or $150 with one of the more basic options.

Note that all the above 'freebies' also stack with a 20% discount for mobile customers. If you're using AT&T for your phone plan, then there's an added incentive here to bundle everything together for a cheaper all-in-one package. If you're not an AT&T customer, then you can instead get a full six months of service for free as a welcome bonus – again, stacking with the above gift cards.

Today's best AT&T fiber internet deal

• See more: check out all of today's deals at AT&T

While AT&T's fiber internet can be pricey, and availability is still limited in some areas, you get a super-speedy connection that's perfect for gaming, streaming, and multiple users. Plans start at around $55 per month for the 300Mbps connection, which is still plenty for most users.