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Is Tesco Mobile down? How to check Tesco Mobile network status

The quickest way to confirm a Tesco Mobile outage is Tesco's network status checker at tescomobile.com/status-checker: pick the problem, enter a postcode, no login needed. Tesco Mobile runs on O2's network, so it shows O2's local faults. If it lists one, use Wi-Fi Calling and wait. If not, restart your phone before calling 4455.

Check the official network status

Tesco Mobile's network status checker needs no login. You choose the service you're having trouble with (voice, data, text, no signal or other), then enter a postcode or address or use your location, and a map shows any faults or maintenance in your area. Tesco says you'll see live updates for calls, texts and data, and you can raise an issue yourself from the same page. The checker runs on O2's network status system, and Tesco's help pages say that as it uses O2's network, you should check your postcode on O2's live status checker. The separate coverage checker at tescomobile.com/coverage-checker shows expected coverage, not faults.

Official updates on X: @tescomobile

Is it Tesco Mobile or your phone?

  1. Check Tesco Mobile's network status checker at tescomobile.com/status-checker. If it shows a fault or maintenance near you, it is a network problem and there is nothing to fix on your phone.
  2. Check the O2 status page too. Tesco Mobile runs on O2's network, so a fault at an O2 mast hits Tesco customers as well, and Tesco itself points customers to O2's live status checker.
  3. Ask someone nearby on O2, giffgaff or Sky Mobile, which use the same masts. If their phone works and yours does not, the problem is more likely your phone, SIM or account.
  4. Restart your phone and try a manual network selection, using the device guides at support.tescomobile.com. Tesco suggests this when the status checker shows no known issues.
  5. Clean your SIM with a dry cloth and reinsert it, then try it in another Tesco Mobile or unlocked phone. For an eSIM, restart the phone. Tesco replaces a faulty SIM for free and you keep your number.
  6. If you're on pay monthly and have Wi-Fi, use Wi-Fi Calling while you wait. Downdetector (downdetector.co.uk/status/tesco-mobile/) shows whether other people are reporting Tesco Mobile problems, but those are user reports, not Tesco data.

Outage, or weak signal where you are?

If Tesco Mobile'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:

Tesco Mobile runs on O2

Tesco Mobile has no masts of its own. It uses O2's network, so a O2 outage usually affects Tesco Mobile and these other brands too.

O2 giffgaff Sky Mobile

Tesco Mobile not working? Fixes to try

No signal or SOS only

Your phone cannot connect to the network. Check Tesco's status checker first. If it shows no known issues, restart the phone and try a manual network selection using Tesco's device guides. Then clean and reinsert the SIM, and try it in another phone to rule out a faulty SIM.

Mobile data not working

Make sure mobile data is switched on and your phone is 4G ready. If the settings didn't install themselves, Tesco's help gives these to enter manually: APN prepay.tesco-mobile.com, username tescowap, password password.

No data on an older phone since the 3G switch-off

Tesco says its 3G network has been switched off across the UK, though a 3G signal may linger in some places for a short time in early 2026. Without a 4G or 5G phone with 4G Calling (VoLTE) turned on, you can't use mobile data. Check your phone with Tesco's VoLTE checker at support.tescomobile.com, update its software, and ask for a new SIM if the settings still don't match.

Weak signal indoors

Turn on Wi-Fi Calling to call and text over Wi-Fi at no extra cost. Tesco offers it on pay monthly only, so pay as you go customers would need to move to pay monthly, and it doesn't work outside the UK. For messages, RCS or iMessage can also send over Wi-Fi when signal is low.

SIM not working or phone won't register

Text SWAP to 23424 from your current SIM to move your number to a new one. Tesco says the swap completes within 24 hours, after which you restart the phone. If the old SIM is lost or not working, call 0345 301 4455 instead.

Nothing works after all the steps

If Tesco's checker shows no fault, the SIM fails in another phone too and a manual network selection doesn't help, call Customer Care on 4455 from your Tesco Mobile or 0345 301 4455, or use live chat. Tesco's terms say to phone Customer Care first if you have a problem with the service.

Tesco Mobile mobile data (APN) settings

APN
prepay.tesco-mobile.com
Username
tescowap
Password
password

Source: https://www.tescomobile.com/help/device-help/accessing-the-internet/getting-online

Past Tesco Mobile outages

  • 11 June 2026

    The BBC reported that a damaged O2 mast at Wyke, West Yorkshire had left people in the Northowram area without reliable signal for 11 weeks before O2 fixed it. Tesco customers were affected alongside O2, Vodafone, Sky, Lebara and Asda Mobile users, and residents were asked to claim compensation from their own providers.

    BBC News

  • 13 January 2025

    Esh Winning, County Durham lost most mobile signal after an O2 mast upgrade ran into unforeseen technical issues, and the disruption lasted about a month. The BBC named Tesco Mobile among the brands hit, because O2's network carries it. O2's status checker showed the work could last until 8 February.

    BBC News

Can you get compensation for a Tesco Mobile outage?

Ofcom's automatic compensation scheme covers landline and broadband only, so a Tesco Mobile outage does not trigger an automatic payment. Tesco Mobile's pay monthly and pay as you go terms have no outage credit clause: they say Tesco cannot guarantee the service will always be available or fault-free, and that if you have a problem you should first phone Customer Care. Ofcom says that after a long loss of service you may be able to get money back or leave without penalty, so report the fault on 4455 and ask.

Fed up with Tesco Mobile 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 Tesco Mobile PAC code guide

Tesco Mobile outage FAQs

Is there a problem with Tesco Mobile today?
We can't tell you live. The official answer is Tesco Mobile's network status checker at tescomobile.com/status-checker, which shows faults and maintenance for your postcode. Because Tesco Mobile runs on O2's network, O2's status checker shows the same local mast faults. @tescomobile on X and Downdetector can show whether others are having problems.
Why does my phone say SOS or No service on Tesco Mobile?
Your phone cannot connect to the network. The cause may be a fault at your local O2 mast, planned work, weak signal indoors, or a problem with your phone, SIM or account. Check the status checker, then restart, try a manual network selection and test the SIM in another phone.
If O2 is down, is Tesco Mobile down too?
Usually, yes. Tesco Mobile is a joint venture between Tesco and Virgin Media O2 and all its plans run on O2's network, so an O2 mast or network fault normally affects Tesco Mobile, giffgaff and Sky Mobile too. The mast faults in Esh Winning in 2025 and near Halifax in 2026 hit Tesco customers in exactly this way.
Does Tesco Mobile have Wi-Fi Calling for outages?
On pay monthly, yes. Wi-Fi Calling lets you call and text over Wi-Fi at no extra cost when mobile signal is weak or down, but only in the UK. Tesco says pay as you go customers would need to move to a pay monthly plan to get it.
Will Tesco Mobile compensate me for an outage?
Not automatically. Ofcom's automatic compensation scheme only covers landline and broadband, and Tesco Mobile's terms have no set outage credit. Report a long outage to Customer Care on 4455 and ask. Ofcom says that if you have been without service for a while, you may be able to get money back or leave your contract without penalty.
How long do Tesco Mobile outages usually last?
It depends on the fault. National network faults are usually fixed within hours, but a broken local mast can take weeks: the Esh Winning disruption in 2025 lasted about a month, and the Wyke mast near Halifax took 11 weeks to fix in 2026. The status checker shows updates for your area.
Can I call 999 if Tesco Mobile 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. 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 Tesco Mobile's own pages and the news reports linked above. This page does not show live network status.