PCMag editors select and review products independently. If you buy through affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing.

PCMag UK

UK Mobile Networks Are Boosting Data Limits during the Coronavirus Outbreak

Several UK mobile networks are taking action to assist the public during the COVID-19 crisis.

Robert Anderson
 & Robert Anderson Contributor

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

Our Expert
LOOK INSIDE PC LABS HOW WE TEST
65 EXPERTS
43 YEARS
41,500+ REVIEWS

Mobile networks such as Sky and Virgin are boosting data limits in response to the COVID-19 crisis.

EE and Three are offering free access to the NHS UK website without any changes to your data allowance, and Sky is offering a range of other benefits for customers. These benefits are part of a national initiative to assist the public during the coronavirus isolation period.

Sky Mobile

 

All Sky Mobile customers can get a 10GB data boost into their Sky Piggybanks, free of charge, and can be shared across all the SIMs on the account. This is a temporary benefit, but will continue to apply for all users while coronavirus is causing disruption in the UK.

Other added benefits for Sky customers at the moment include:

  • Sky Go Extra will be available to all customers for free, so busy homes will have access to Sky TV on three screens at the same time.
  • Calls to UK landlines at any time of day will be free for existing Sky Talk customers from March 21 to the end of April.
  • YouTube kids and Disney+ will be coming to Sky Q in the coming weeks, to give families even more entertainment choices.

Sky Mobile SIMO Deals

If you need to pick up an extra SIM card for emergencies, a family member, or simply for a new phone, this data boost will be useful during isolation. These are some of the current Sky SIMO deals that you could benefit from:

Virgin Mobile

Virgin Mobile is providing a data boost for users. Unlike Sky, you will need to wait a few days to pick up the benefits, as the boost will be available from March 23, 2020.

Pay Monthly customers will be getting unlimited minutes to landlines and other mobile numbers, plus a 10GB data boost at no extra cost, for a month.

These extras could also get extensions or additions depending on how the situation develops in the coming weeks.

Virgin Mobile SIMO Deals

This could be a great time to pick up a SIM-only deal to help out a family member or simply in case of emergencies. This is what we could find:

  • £9/month: 6GB data, 5000 minutes and unlimited texts
  • £12/month: 24GB data, 5000 minutes and unlimited texts
  • £19/month: 50GB data, 5000 minutes and unlimited texts

Free Access to NHS Websites

O2, EE, Three, and Vodafone aren't offering any data boosts at the moment, but they are offering mobile customers free access to NHS UK online, including the web sites of NHS England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

This is so UK citizens can get access to the latest health information at no additional costs, and without affecting data allowances.

O2, EE, Three, and Vodafone have announced this policy for mobile users. This Vodafone policy also applies to VOXI and TalkMobile customers.

Free access is expected to resume while COVID-19 remains prevalent in the UK. Phone calls to NHS 11 are also free to use across all providers.

Related

About Our Expert

Robert Anderson

Robert Anderson

Contributor

My Experience

I’ve been freelancing as a tech journalist for several years now, after long wanting to write about my passion for video games. I have bylines on Kotaku and other sites, but PCMag is where you can find most of my musings on gaming, its culture, and where the industry is going next. I also test online services for both businesses and individuals. If you’re interested in hearing me talk about entertainment, film, and TV, you can check out my Patreon and Substack, both under the name “Robby Knows.”

The Technology I Use 

Most of the tech I use every day is within the Apple ecosystem. Currently, I rely on a 2025 MacBook Air for computing and dabble in art projects on my 6th-generation iPad Mini. I don't go anywhere without my AirPods Pro 2 in my pocket. 

As an avid gamer, you better believe that I always have a controller in my hands if I’m not watching movies or TV. I use my PS5 and Switch 2 equally, depending on what’s the hot new release, and am always trying to find interesting ways to tinker with my Steam Deck.  

Given the current state of social media and technology, I find myself going more analog to escape the noise. I have a modest collection of watches, both automatic and digital, to free myself from the pings and notifications of the modern world. I also put my phone in a ySky lockbox for 12 hours every night to reduce my screen time. I spent a lot of the past year trying to read good books rather than scroll through feeds.

Read the latest from Robert Anderson

Read full bio