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Is Lebara down? How to check Lebara network status

Lebara runs on Vodafone's network and has no status checker of its own, so the quickest way to confirm an outage is Vodafone's network status checker: enter your postcode, no login needed. If it shows a problem, Lebara is affected too. If not, check your balance with *#1345#, restart your phone and try Wi-Fi Calling.

Check the official network status

This is Vodafone's status checker, not Lebara's. Lebara has no outage page of its own, says its network runs on Vodafone, and links to this page from its help pages. It needs no login: enter a postcode or use your location and turn on Show Network Status to see known problems. Lebara's own coverage map is Vodafone's map too, and shows normal coverage, not faults.

Is it Lebara or your phone?

  1. Check Vodafone's network status checker with your postcode. Lebara runs on Vodafone, so if Vodafone shows a problem or planned work nearby, it is a network fault and there is nothing to fix on your phone.
  2. Check your balance by dialling *#1345# or 5588. Lebara plans only renew if you have enough balance, and once your data allowance is used or your plan has expired you can't get online without credit.
  3. Ask someone nearby on Lebara, or on Vodafone, VOXI, Asda Mobile or Talkmobile, which also run on Vodafone. If their phone works and yours does not, the problem is more likely your phone, SIM or account.
  4. Restart your phone and turn flight mode on and off. Then do a manual network search and pick Lebara or Vodafone, as Lebara's help page suggests; your phone should show Lebara or Vodafone as the network.
  5. If you have Wi-Fi, turn on Wi-Fi Calling so you can still call and text.
  6. Look for other people's reports. Lebara's social accounts aren't a support channel, so check @VodafoneUK on X and Downdetector (downdetector.co.uk), which shows user reports, not Lebara or Vodafone data.

Outage, or weak signal where you are?

If Lebara's checker shows no known problem, check how strong its signal should be at your postcode. This uses Ofcom's coverage data, not live status.

Try:

Lebara runs on Vodafone

Lebara has no masts of its own. It uses Vodafone's network, so a Vodafone outage usually affects Lebara and these other brands too.

Vodafone VOXI Asda Mobile Talkmobile

Lebara not working? Fixes to try

No signal or can't make calls

Check your credit first by dialling *#1345#. Then open your phone's network settings, run a manual network search and select Lebara or Vodafone. Restart your phone and check it is unlocked if it came from another network.

Mobile data not working

Check you have data left and a positive balance, then check the APN. Lebara's settings are name Lebara Internet, APN uk.lebara.mobi, username wap, password wap and APN type default,supl,mms. On Android you can text INTERNET to 38885 to get the settings sent to you.

No 5G

Lebara SIM-only plans get 5G as standard, but Lebara says 5G is not switched on by default for pay as you go customers. Text 5G to 38885 to turn it on, and check your phone supports 5G.

Calls or data fail on an older phone

Lebara has fully switched off 3G. A 3G-only phone drops to 2G for calls, and data will not work. Lebara keeps its 2G network, which covers more than 99% of the UK population. For calls over 4G your phone needs 4G Calling, which you can check with Vodafone's IMEI checker.

New SIM not working

A smartphone SIM activates when you put it in; on a feature phone, dial 5588. Your phone must be unlocked. If you are moving your number, Lebara gives you a temporary number until the migration date you chose, so your old number won't work on Lebara before then.

SIM stopped working after a break

If you haven't used your Lebara SIM for 90 days, you need to add credit or buy a plan to get service back, and after a further 365 days the SIM expires. If a top-up hasn't reached your balance after four hours, contact Lebara.

Weak signal indoors

Turn on Wi-Fi Calling. Lebara supports Wi-Fi Calling and 4G Calling at no extra cost, using your UK minutes. They aren't instant for new customers: Lebara says it notifies you when the feature is enabled on your SIM after you join.

Lebara mobile data (APN) settings

Name
Lebara Internet
APN
uk.lebara.mobi
Username
wap
Password
wap

Source: https://www.lebara.co.uk/en/help/calls-and-internet/trouble-accessing-the-internet.html

Past Lebara outages

  • 11 June 2026

    The BBC reported that a damaged O2 mast at Wyke, West Yorkshire had left people in the Northowram area without mobile service for 11 weeks. Lebara customers were affected alongside O2, Vodafone, Tesco, Sky and Asda Mobile users, and the local MP called for compensation.

    BBC News

  • 13 October 2025

    Vodafone's broadband, 4G and 5G failed across the UK from about 3pm, with more than 130,000 Downdetector reports by 4pm. The BBC reported that Lebara customers were affected too. Vodafone blamed a non-malicious software issue with a vendor partner, and said 2G calls and texts kept working.

    BBC News

Can you get compensation for a Lebara outage?

Lebara's terms don't guarantee the service will be available at any given time, and treat a failure of the network, or repair work by its network supplier, as a force majeure event it isn't liable for. To get a partial credit, or to end your agreement over it, you have to report a severe disruption to Lebara, which assesses it against your usual usage. Ofcom's automatic compensation scheme covers landline and broadband only, so it doesn't apply to Lebara mobile.

Fed up with Lebara outages?

Switching to a brand on the same network will not help during an outage, because it uses the same masts. A SIM on a different network will. You keep your number by texting PAC to 65075.

Compare SIM-only deals Lebara PAC code guide

Lebara outage FAQs

Is there a problem with Lebara today?
We can't tell you live. Lebara has no status page of its own, so the official answer is Vodafone's network status checker, which shows known problems and planned work for your postcode on the network Lebara uses. If it shows nothing, check your balance and plan before assuming an outage.
What network does Lebara use?
Vodafone. Lebara says its network runs on Vodafone, with 98% coverage, and your phone should show Lebara or Vodafone as the network. Lebara has switched off 3G but keeps its 2G network, so a phone without 4G can still make calls, though not use data.
If Vodafone is down, is Lebara down too?
Usually, yes. Lebara, VOXI, Asda Mobile and Talkmobile all use Vodafone's network, so a Vodafone network fault normally affects them. The BBC reported that Lebara customers lost service in the 13 October 2025 Vodafone outage.
Why has my Lebara data or calling stopped?
Often it's the account, not the network. Lebara plans only renew if you have enough balance, you can't get online once your allowance is used or your plan has expired unless you have credit, and a SIM unused for 90 days needs a top-up or plan. Dial *#1345# to check your balance.
Will Lebara compensate me for an outage?
Not automatically. Lebara's terms treat a network failure as a force majeure event, but you can report a severe disruption and Lebara will assess it against your usual usage for a partial credit or to let you end your agreement. Ofcom's automatic compensation scheme doesn't cover mobile.
How do I contact Lebara about an outage?
Call 5588 from your Lebara SIM, or +44 20 7031 0791 from another network or from abroad. Both lines and Lebara's online chat are open 7am to 11pm, seven days a week.
How long do Lebara outages usually last?
National Vodafone outages that hit Lebara are usually fixed within hours: the 13 October 2025 outage started mid-afternoon and Vodafone said that evening the network was recovering. Local mast faults take much longer, like the Northowram fault in 2026, which lasted 11 weeks.
Can I call 999 if Lebara is down?
Usually, yes. Ofcom says that when a mobile network is down, a phone should be able to roam onto another network to make an emergency call, and Lebara's terms say emergency calls still work if your service is suspended. It won't work if no network has coverage where you are. If a 999 call won't connect, use a landline or someone else's phone.

Sources

Checked on 24 September 2026 against Lebara's own pages and the news reports linked above. This page does not show live network status.