Connectivity score 84/100; median home broadband around 150 Mbps. Here is how to get a phone working in United Kingdom from the moment you land, and what it costs.
Good to know
- Public Wi-Fi coverage in cafรฉs, transit and hotels in London.
- Any apps or services that are blocked or throttled, and whether a VPN is needed.
- Emergency numbers and whether they work from a foreign SIM.
Airalo is the world's largest eSIM marketplace โ 200+ countries, pay for what you use. Order before you fly and activate on arrival. No physical SIM needed.
Browse Airalo eSIMs for United Kingdom โTwo essentials for expat digital life in United Kingdom โ security and privacy, from one account:
Keeps your connection private and bypasses content restrictions. Essential in United Kingdom and wherever you move next. Covers 52 countries.
Get NordVPN โMoving abroad means managing bank accounts, utilities and services across multiple countries. NordPass keeps all your logins secure in one place.
Get NordPass โ๐ Affiliate disclosure: Some links on this page earn The Global Expat Hub a small referral fee at no extra cost to you. Our country scores, ratings and editorial content are never influenced by affiliate or advertising relationships. Learn more.
Official & reference sources
One labelled partner per page. Paid placements never influence the United Kingdom liveability score, safety rating or warnings.