Tesco Mobile Limited is a

mobile virtual network operator A mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) is a wireless communications services provider that does not own the wireless network infrastructure over which it provides services to its customers. An MVNO enters into a business agreement with a mobil ...

(MVNO) in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. It is operated by British retailer

Tesco Tesco plc () is a British multinational groceries and general merchandise retailer headquartered in the United Kingdom at its head offices in Welwyn Garden City, England. The company was founded by Jack Cohen (businessman), Sir Jack Cohen in ...

, using the network O2 as its carrier except in Ireland, where the network operator is

Three Ireland Three Ireland (Hutchison) Limited (formerly Hutchison 3G Ireland Limited), commonly known as 3 Ireland or Three Ireland, is a telecommunications and Internet service provider operating in Ireland as a subsidiary of CK Hutchison Holdings, oper ...

Overview

Tesco Mobile was established in May 2003 and launched pre-paid mobile services in Tesco stores and online by the end of the year. In January 2014, the network in the United Kingdom started offering 4G service, for its pay monthly and SIM only customers at no extra cost, extending the service to pay as you go customers in July of that year. , the company was a 50:50 joint venture between Tesco (through its subsidiaries Tesco Mobile Communications Limited and Tesco Mobile Services Limited) and O2 UK. In 2023, Tesco Mobile was serving 5 million mobile customers and was the biggest virtual mobile network in the UK. In January 2024, Tesco Mobile and Virgin Media O2 signed a ten-year renewal of their agreement.

Outside the United Kingdom

Ireland

In December 2006,

Tesco Ireland Tesco Ireland Limited is the Republic of Ireland, Irish subsidiary of supermarket group Tesco. Tesco Ireland was formed by Tesco plc's 1997 purchase of the Irish retailing operations of Associated British Foods, namely Powers' Supermarkets Limi ...

announced that it would enter into a joint venture with O₂ Ireland to offer mobile telecommunications services. The service, which was Ireland's second MVNO (the defunct Cellular 3 having been the first), used the O₂ network but operates separately. It has been allocated the area code ''089''. As with Tesco's mobile service of the United Kingdom, it is branded Tesco Mobile. The network commenced operation in 2007. Tesco Mobile had 375,000 customers in Ireland as of August 2017. In March 2015, after it was announced that Three had purchased O2's Irish operations, it was announced that the O2 Ireland network would close and that the O2 website, shops and network would merge into

. As a result, Tesco Mobile Ireland moved from the O2 network to the Three network. Since August 2018, Tesco Mobile customers can access Three masts, which means that they can now avail of 4G as well as increased 3G coverage.

Slovakia

In December 2009, Tesco Stores SR announced that it would enter into a joint venture with Telefónica Slovakia to offer mobile telecommunications services. The service, which is Slovakia's second MVNO (the naymobile having been the first), uses the O₂ network but operates separately.

Czech Republic

In May 2013, Tesco Stores ČR a.s. announced that it would enter into a joint venture with Telefónica Czech Republic to offer mobile telecommunications services. The service uses the O₂ network.

Discontinued operations

Tesco Mobile Hungary was a 50:50 joint venture, providing Tesco Mobile branded services in Hungary through Tesco stores and online, using Vodafone's technology and network. Services were ended in April 2016, and the service was taken over by Vodafone.

References

External links

* {{Irish mobile phone companies Tesco Mobile virtual network operators British companies established in 2003 Telecommunications companies established in 2003 Mobile phone companies of the United Kingdom Telecommunications companies of the Republic of Ireland