What are the best SIM only deals out there for working from home?

SIM only deals
(Image credit: Future)

Many people across the country find themselves frequently working from home these days. Whether that be because of an effort to save money on public transport, looking after children, a complete lifestyle chnage or due to issues around the recent Coronavirus.

And if you do work from home, you will want to make it as easy as possible for yourself. Among all of the things you'll need though, a SIM only deal is likely not the first thing to come to mind but it can actually be an extremely helpful tool.

Say for example your broadband connection is intermittent or maybe you've just moved in and haven't been able to set it up yet. In those cases where your internet can't get your back, a SIM only deal can allow you to tether your devices and avoid slow internet.

It can even save you when your ADSL internet is too slow to keep up or if you just need to text and call all day and your current plan can't keep up. No matter the reason you need to find new SIM only deals for working from home, we've answered the key questions here.

What are the best options? Am I able to get a 5G SIM plan for ultimate latency and super fast speeds? Or even just for those who need to know all of the upgrades you can do to make a home the perfect office space.

What is a SIM plan?

When you buy a phone contract, you get both the handset and a SIM to go inside the handset. This SIM gets you calls, texts and data to use. The amount you get depends on which SIM you choose. 

You can choose to either get a phone contract with a SIM already with it or buy the phone SIM-free and get a SIM separately. And if needs be, you can even get dual-SIM phones and put two in at once.

The best SIM only deals for working from home

Why would I need a SIM plan for working from home?

There could be a number of reasons for getting a SIM plan for working from home. Whether you need a better SIM or don't have one in the first place, a SIM plan can replace the need for broadband or just help you deal with slow internet.

Put your new SIM into your phone and it can be used as a second device alongside your laptop, allowing you to access emails, texts and other services. And, if you live somewhere with poor internet connection, you could even tether all of your devices off of the phone SIM.

What makes the perfect SIM plan for a home worker?

This will completely depend on what kind of work you're doing at home. If for work you need super fast connections, EE will be the obvious choice to go for. Find that your job requires constant use of social media? Voxi can offer you completely unlimited access to most social media platforms without using your data.

Obviously, an unlimited data plan will be needed if you're having to constantly be on the internet, maybe performing video calls or streaming content. And if you do just need a cheap plan that can perform calls and texts, iD or Three can get you that at a low price.

Finally, if you know you're only going to be temporarily working from home, you might want to stick with a 1-month rolling SIM like Smarty Mobile.

Can I get 5G SIM only deals?

As part of the big push to enter the 5G movement, most SIM plans now offer compatibility for both 4G and 5G depending on what your phone is set up for. Some networks - EE for example - will require you to pay more for 5G compatibility.

When working at home, it is best to focus on 4G as you will be unlikely to be in a 5G connected area. In the future, 5G is likely to receive a wider range and be common on phones. For now, there is a limited number of handsets that have 5G connections.

However, if you live in a 5G zone and are all set up for it, it could be worth checking out the best 5G phone deals or even 5G broadband 

More advice if you're having to work from home

If you're having to work from home then there's probably a few other things worth getting sorted. Make sure you have a remote access VPN sorted. Maybe get your desk set-up feeling comfortable with an ergonomic chair and a cheap monitor in your office.

If you don't already have one or aren't given one by work, it could be worth seeing what laptop deals are available and have a think about the best way to do meetings from home.

Alex Hughes

Alex is a journalist who has written extensively about all things broadband, SIMs and phone contracts, as well as scouring the internet to land you the best prices on the very latest in gadgets and tech. Whether that be with the latest iPhones and Android handsets, breaking down how broadband works or revealing the cheapest SIM plans, he's in the know, and will help you land a bargain.