Consumer experts conducted a survey and subsequently named the best phone provider in the UK. Numerous factors determine what makes a good or a great phone provider, including network quality, customer service and price. Most Brits now have smartphones, and these devices have become a lot more than just communication devices. Many of us have come to rely on our phones for shopping, online banking, and even refilling prescriptions.

So, a good network provider with a strong network and decent customer service is something that most UK phone users are concerned with. In one of its recent customer satisfaction surveys, the consumer group Which? analysed various network providers available to UK customers to determine which one is the best. The experts examined things like network, customer service and value for money, as well as technical support, incentives and the speed and ease with which customers can get in touch. And none of the four major providers took the top spot.

Smarty earned the top spot on the list with a customer score of 82%, beating out all of the big names, including Virgin, EE and O2. The provider’s cheapest deal costs just £6 per month and includes unlimited UK calls and texts, 5GB of data and a rolling contract that can be cancelled at any time.

The provider also has plans that cost £8 per month and £10 per month. On its website, Smarty promises a more straightforward way of getting a phone plan compared to other providers. “Hidden fees, long contracts, price rises, and misleading fine print, that’s absolutely not fine,” it says.

“We’re different. No smoke. No mirrors. No spin. We bring clarity through simplicity and straightforward plans and services – all at a fair price.”

Smarty is powered by Three. However, Three Mobile only took the number 16 spot in the rankings. The results are based on a survey conducted last year, which included 4,153 members of the public.

The best-to-worst mobile providers in the UK, according to Which? survey, are:

1. Smarty
2. Voxi
3. Talkmobile
4. Lebara Mobile
5. Tesco Mobile
6. Giffgaff
7. 1p Mobile
8. Asda Mobile
9. EE Mobile
10. Sky Mobile
11. iD Mobile
12. Vodafone Mobile
13. BT Mobile
14. O2 Mobile
15. Lycamobile
16. Three Mobile

This means that none of the largest mobile providers in the UK made the top five in the rankings. The four largest mobile providers in the UK are EE Mobile, O2 Mobile, Vodafone Mobile and Three Mobile.