Smarty Mobile Review, Is Smart Good?

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Smarty Review

Are you looking for a simple, transparent, and value-for-money telco provider? Well, then your search ends with Smarty Mobile. Owned and operated by Three Network, this MVNO is ideally launched to offer straightforward SIM-Only plans at low costs.

Additionally, Smarty Mobile believes in offering short-term plans and will never bind you in long-term strings and contracts. It means that if you start disliking the carrier at some point or if it becomes unable to fulfill your requirements, you can easily cut your strings off the network without being judged or questioned.

And the plus points don’t end with that, as Smarty offers plenty of other perks too, like excellent 5G coverage and unlimited data plans at an affordable price. But like all networks, it also comes with certain downsides that you should know before making a final choice.

To cut through the clutter, we have mapped out a detailed Smarty Mobile Review so you can check what’s good about Smarty and where it is still lacking, as it will help you decide whether it’s the right fit for you or not.

Smarty Deals

Get double data for the same price!

  • Buy now and get 24GB for £8(double data)
  • Buy now and get 200GB for £14 (money off)
  • Get Unlimited for just £18 (10% off)

Offer ends on 13th February 2023

Pros and Cons

Smarty Mobile comes with both pros and cons; hence, it is recommended to learn about both of them to make an informed choice. However, remember that the pros and cons will just give you an overview of the network and you should scroll down the page to the end to get a complete understanding of the MVNO.

Pros

  • No contract
  • No credit checks will be conducted
  • No annual price rises
  • Affordable and flexible plans
  • Includes unlimited calls and texts in all plans
  • Features Wi-Fi calling to supercharge your signal

Cons

  • It only offers sim-only plans, which might be a disadvantage for some users.
  • Plans are quite limited
  • It doesn’t give many perks or extras.

Smarty Sim Only Plan Deals

Is Smarty a good network to invest in? If this question bothers you much, then read on and learn about its tariffs and plans to get some clarity in your head. Since this network operator brags much about its simplicity, it’s no surprise that it just offers six sim-only plans to choose from. The best thing is that all plans feature unlimited calls and texts and the worst part is that you have to choose among these limited options only.

Learn more about these plans in the table mentioned below.

PriceDataLearn More
£65GBView More
£78GBView More
£816GBView More
£1040GBView More
£12100GBView More
£15150GBView More
£17200GBView More
£20UnlimitedView More

As already said that Smarty doesn’t believe in making long-term contracts, all these plans are available on a rolling monthly basis, so you can bid goodbye to them at any point in time without getting penalized.

In addition, Smarty Sim-Only plans is that it lets you use your entire allowance for tethering, which is yet another major plus of this mobile virtual network operator. Don’t forget that Smarty Mobile doesn’t require a credit check, making it an ultimate choice for those with bad credit history.

These plans are also equipped with an EU roaming so you can travel in EU countries without having to worry about your connectivity and availability.

These Sim-only plans also work with tablets and mobile broadband devices, like WiFi routers and dongles. Also, there will be no speed caps when you choose Smarty sim-only plans, which is yet another major advantage of this MVNO.

Smarty Add-Ons

Running out of data? Worry not as data add-ons is available to make your life easy. Along with Sim-only plans, Smarty Mobile also features three Data Discount plans. The major perk of opting for such options is that they offer a money-back guarantee on any unused. If their terms and conditions are to be believed, you will get £1 back for every 1GB not used.

The best thing is these data add-on plans never expire as long as you have a live pay-monthly SIM.

CostData
£61GB
£72GB
£83GB

Are you a family of eight and looking out for an affordable plan? Well, don’t worry as Smarty Mobile offers Group Plan to benefit families. All you have to do is buy one SIM card and get a 10% discount on every SIM you add to the primary account. You can add up to eight members in total.

So, all in all, Smarty Mobile is a good choice, especially if you are on a tight budget or you don’t want a sim with long-term contracts. While there are not many plans available to choose from, customers will still like whatever it is offering with those limited options. Also, do not forget about the rewards you’ll be getting for unused data.


Network and Coverage

Network Coverage holds a substantial value when it comes to the Smarty Mobile, as no matter how good the plans are, there’s no point in investing in the carrier if its coverage is not up to the mark.

Speaking of Smarty Mobile, it is owned by one of the prominent networks in the country, Three, hence, you can expect nationwide coverage and excellent audio quality. All sim-only plans offered by Smarty features fast 5G, 4G, and 3G data, which means that you will never face call-drop or out-of-coverage problem with this carrier.

It is believed that Three’s 4G coverage reaches around 99% of the UK population, so you can keep connected with your loved ones no matter where you go. In addition to the 4G, Smarty also offers incredible 5G coverage to the users so that they can enjoy lightening fast download and upload speed. However, you should keep in mind that Smarty has recently launched 5G services and it is currently available in around 486 towns and cities in the country.

So, if 5G is your topmost priority, it is recommended to use the Network Checker to determine whether you will get 5G signals in your area or not, and then make a choice accordingly. According to Opensignal’s study, Smarty’s parent network, Three, offers 25.2Mbps download speed and 6.3Mbps upload speed, with 48.3ms latency.

Among the big fours in the UK, Three stands at the second position and is just behind EE. However, this network is worse on latency and is referred to be the slowest at 48.3ms.

Smarty’s traffic management policy is simpler than most other MVNOs, as it doesn’t enforce any network throttling and always tries to offer great speed and bandwidth. Since this carrier uses Three’s spectrum, it has access to the 2100MHz for 3G, 800Mhz, 1400MHz, and 1800Mhz for 4G and 3.4GHz and 3.6-4GHz for 5G.

Overall, Smarty offers good network coverage and incredible speed to the users that help them stay connected with their near and dear ones. While it is worse on latency, it offers the second-best download and upload speeds after EE.

International Calling

Got convinced and making your mind about switching to Smarty Mobile? Well, hold your horses and check about Smarty’s International Call policy before making a final move, especially if your family and friends live overseas.

Since Smarty Mobile trades on its simplicity and affordability, it doesn’t include an international calling function in its existing plans. But it doesn’t mean you cannot connect with your near and dear ones living abroad with Smarty. 

Select an “Out of Plan” add-on and place international calls and send messages without any hassle. The price for making international calls varies from one country to another; hence, it is advised to check the cost per minute while choosing the “Out of Plan” add-on.

This add-on simply works like a PAYG plan and the cost totally depends on the country you want to contact.

So, in the nutshell, if your family member living abroad and you often call internationally, then Smarty Mobile might not be the best option for you as it charges much for making international calls or sending messages. However, if international calls aren’t your thing, then you can surely opt for this carrier without thinking twice.

If making international call is a key feature that you need, you may consider Lebara Mobile, it provides free internationals calls to over 42 countries at no extra next cost.

International Roaming Service

Although Smarty Mobile doesn’t include an international calling in its existing plans, you can rely on this carrier for roaming services. All sim-only plans offered by Smarty are equipped with an EU roaming, with a speed cap of 12GB as a fair use limit.

Smarty EU roaming

Smarty Mobile works just like home when you visit an EU member country. You can easily make calls, send messages, and use data allowance with no hidden charges and at no extra costs.

However, subject to their fair use limit, you can use only up to 12GB of data each month out of your monthly allowance. If you run out of data when roaming, then you have to buy a data add-on to continue using services.

In addition, users must note down that roaming service is available only in EU countries and plans won’t cover you when traveling outside the European Union. In such a case, you will have to opt for the Out of Plan add-on to stay in touch with your family and friends. The best part is that if you don’t use all your add-ons, then you can put that money towards your next month, which means you will get what you are paying for without any compromise.

Also, do not forget that Smart Mobile plans also offer a Wi-Fi calling function; hence, you can use this feature too when traveling abroad if you find any secure and strong Wi-Fi connection. However, this feature is not that reliable when traveling outside, therefore, you must consider the Out of Plan add-on to avoid any mess later on.

Customer Service

Customer Services is yet another significant element that can make or break your decision. Is Smarty a good network? If you keep on thinking about this question, then check its customer service first and then make a decision. Customer Support is the backbone of any telco provider and Smarty is no exception.

It helps customers to fix their queries and questions, so they can use the network smoothly and hassle-free. Speaking of Smarty’s customer service, its team is available daily from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm, but the support is limited to chat only. You can also chat with their Smarty Bot at any point in time to deal with some common problems.

Their wait times depend on how busy they are at that specific time and you might have to wait for a while when connecting with their services. Additionally, they won’t be available on Christmas Day and New Year. If you need their help outside of these days or opening hours, then submit your question via web chat and they will answer them as early as possible.

On the famous product review site TrustPilot, Smarty scores 4.3 out of 5. 64% commetors rate is as Excellent and 19% users with Great. Overall it is a great mobile service.

FAQ

Is Smarty a good network?

Yes. Smarty offers low cost plans, WiFi calling, EU roaming, and unlimited calls and texts, which further makes it a good value network.

What network does Smarty use?

Smarty is an MVNO that uses the infrastructure of Three Network. It offers coverage in all those locations covered by its parent network.

Who owns Smarty Mobile?

Three Mobile owns and operates Smarty Mobile; hence, you will get the same speed on Smarty as you get on the Three network.

Does Smarty support 5G?

Yes. Since Smarty uses the Three network’s spectrum and bandwidth, it also offers 5G coverage to all 486 locations as given by its parent network.

Why is Smarty so cheap?

There are plenty of reasons that make Smarty a cheap telco provider. Firstly, it offers limited plans; secondly, it is an MVNO that uses another network’s infrastructure; thirdly, it doesn’t offer additional perks or extras.

Final Verdict

That’s all about the Smarty Mobile Review. It’s no surprise that Smarty is one of the leading choices for consumers who just want a no-frills sim card. Having a limited selection of plans with no minimum terms further simplifies the whole process, and its ability to get a discount on your bill for unused data is unique.

So, if you are searching for something simple and affordably-priced, Smarty Mobile is well worth a look.

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