Check every network, then test calls and data inside the property before exchanging contracts or committing to a long mobile plan.
Before viewing
- Compare all four main networks in Ofcom’s Map Your Mobile tool.
- Check indoor and outdoor predictions separately.
- Look at operator status information for persistent local work or faults.
- Identify which services are essential: voice, home-working data, 2FA texts or connected devices.
During the viewing
With permission, test near the front and rear of the property, upstairs, in the room intended for work and in any basement or extension. Switch Wi‑Fi off. Make an ordinary call, send a text and perform a small data task.
Ask questions that produce evidence
- Which networks do current occupants use?
- Do calls work in the whole property or only near windows?
- Is Wi‑Fi Calling required?
- Has service changed recently?
- Is broadband stable enough to support Wi‑Fi Calling during busy periods?
Plan for the first weeks
Do not port your only number immediately if the new address has not been tested. A temporary PAYG SIM or Dual-SIM arrangement gives you time to verify coverage before changing network.
After moving in
Keep notes during the cooling-off or return period for any new mobile service. Test on weekdays and weekends, check incoming calls as well as data, and confirm that important account-security texts arrive. If the result is poor, act within the provider’s applicable cancellation or complaint process rather than waiting for the problem to resolve itself.
Include the commute and surrounding area
Reliable service at the front door may not cover the railway station, school route or roads used every day. Test the places where the phone is expected to hand over between cells, particularly rural lanes and cuttings. For remote work, check upload stability and call reliability as well as headline download speed.
A coverage check before committing to the address
Test the rooms where calls and data will matter before the cooling-off or return window closes. Compare weekday and evening performance, check the route to work or school and confirm whether Wi‑Fi Calling remains available during a broadband or power interruption.
- Use the exact postcode and indoor position in every record.
- Try the intended network with the actual phone, not only a different handset.
- Include the cost of a second network or broadband fallback in the decision.
Official sources
- Ofcom — Map Your Mobile
- Ofcom — Map Your Mobile coverage checker update
- Ofcom — Improving your indoor coverage
Facts checked: 25 July 2026. Network features, device menus and coverage can change. Recheck your exact phone model, software version, network and plan before relying on a feature.
