IQ Mobile UK

What IQ Mobile UK does

IQ Mobile UK is a privately-held mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) headquartered in Bath, England, operating on EE's wholesale network infrastructure. Founded in 2015 as part of the IQ Group, the company delivers consumer mobile connectivity on a no-contract, monthly rolling basis across the UK and into European and international travel use cases. Its core product is UK SIM-only and eSIM plans priced from £7 to £30 per month, with separate products serving distinct consumer segments: IQ Go, a £20/year physical travel SIM for European use that works in smartphones, routers and MiFi devices; iqtravel.net, a worldwide eSIM service covering more than 100 countries; children's plans with network-level adult content filtering; and a range of Emporia handsets pre-configured for senior users. The business runs a direct-to-consumer e-commerce model through its own website (helloiq.co.uk) and mobile apps, supplemented by a dealer and affiliate programme targeting community channels such as travel agents, holiday parks and care homes. Revenue is generated from recurring monthly SIM subscriptions, annual travel SIM renewals, and hardware sales. Operations are supported by a small UK-based team of 1-10 employees, with payments processed via Stripe, logistics handled by Royal Mail, and customer support delivered by phone, email and WhatsApp from Bath. The company is Ofcom-regulated, Cyber Essentials certified, and rated 4.6/5 on Trustpilot and 4.8/5 on Reviews.io.

Name

IQ Mobile UK

Legal name

IQ Mobile Limited

Website

https://helloiq.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

IQ Mobile UK is a Bath-based MVNO on EE's network offering no-contract UK SIM and eSIM plans, European and worldwide travel eSIMs, children's plans with network-level content filtering, and pre-configured senior handsets to UK consumers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Monthly SIM Plans: Rolling monthly subscription plans for UK SIM cards and eSIMs. Customers pay £10 one-time for SIM, then choose monthly plan from £7-£30/month. Billing starts from activation date, not order date.
2. IQ Go Travel SIM (Annual): Physical SIM for European travel with £20 upfront cost covering first year, then £20/year renewal. Monthly data bundles purchased separately through account.
3. Handset Sales: Sale of senior-friendly mobile phones (Emporia range) priced £55-£275. Phones for Seniors include pre-configured SIM and first month free.
4. Referral Program: Customer referral scheme earning £5 wallet credit per successful referral when friend pays second month bill. Dealer program pays flat commission per activated SIM.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

IQ Mobile UK is a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) that sells no-contract UK SIM-only mobile plans and eSIMs running on EE's 5G network with 99% UK population coverage, plus specialised products including the IQ Go annual European travel SIM (compatible with routers and MiFi devices), the iqtravel.net worldwide eSIM service covering 100+ countries, Emporia senior-friendly handsets pre-configured with SIMs, and children's SIM plans with network-level adult content filtering. Plans start from £7/month for UK SIMs and £20/year for IQ Go, with handsets priced £55–£275, all managed via a self-service portal and mobile app with UK-based support.

Product overview

IQ Mobile UK is a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) offering a portfolio of SIM card and mobile connectivity products built around the EE network. The core offering consists of UK SIM Only plans and eSIM plans (both from £7/month with no contract), alongside specialized products including IQ Go (a £20/year European travel SIM compatible with routers and MiFi devices) and iqtravel.net (a worldwide eSIM service covering 100+ countries). The company targets three distinct segments: everyday consumers seeking flexible UK plans, travelers needing European or international connectivity, and vulnerable users (seniors and children) requiring simplified products with built-in safety features. Senior-focused products include pre-configured Emporia handsets (from £55) with large buttons and SOS functionality, while children's plans feature network-level adult content filtering. All products are managed through the customer portal (my.helloiq.uk) and a mobile app, with support provided by a UK-based team in Bath.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• IQ Go: Physical SIM card on the best UK 5G network for European travel. Works in smartphones, routers, and MiFi devices. £20 upfront includes first year, then £20/year renewal.
• iqtravel.net

Products and services

• UK SIM Only Plans Monthly rolling no-contract UK mobile plans on EE's 5G network with 99% population coverage. Tiers range from £7/month (unlimited calls and texts, no data) through £10/month (3GB), £12.50/month (10GB), £15/month (30GB, most popular), £25/month (100GB), to £30/month (unlimited data). Available as physical SIM or eSIM with keep-your-number porting and free SIM delivery.
• eSIM Plans Digital SIM activated via QR code for instant connection with no physical delivery required. Same monthly plan tiers as physical SIM (£7 to £30/month), compatible with iPhone XS and newer iPhones plus Android flagships from 2019 onwards.
• IQ Go (European Travel SIM) Physical SIM card on EE's network designed for European travel with £20 upfront cost covering the first year and £20/year renewal. Compatible with smartphones, routers, and MiFi devices — uncommon among travel SIMs — with monthly data bundles purchased separately through the IQ Mobile account.
• iqtravel.net (Worldwide Travel eSIM)

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

AI capability4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• EE NetworkcoreTechnology or IntegrationIQ Mobile operates as an MVNO purchasing wholesale access to EE's network. This provides 99% UK population coverage with 4G and 5G connectivity without building own infrastructure. EE is described as 'the UK's best 5G network' and 'UK's #1 network'.
• EmporiacoreTechnology or IntegrationPreferred handset partner for senior-friendly smartphones. Emporia phones are purpose-built for older users with large displays, simplified interfaces, and emergency SOS features. Products include V50 Euphoria, V227 Simplicity Glam, V27 Simplicity, V200 ONE, V76 Pure, Joy, E5 Mini, Smart 6 Lite, and ME6.
• StripecoreTechnology or IntegrationSecure payment processing. Stripe-secured checkout on website. Card details never stored on IQ Mobile systems. IQ Mobile is VAT registered.
• Royal MailcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDelivery partner for physical SIM cards and handsets. Standard delivery 3-5 working days free. Orders placed before 2pm dispatched same working day via Royal Mail Tracked 24.
• IQ GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIQ Mobile is part of IQ Group alongside IQ Travel (specialist travel SIM cards) and IQ Mobile Business (mobile solutions for businesses including fleet SIMs and data management).

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Tesco Mobile: UK MVNO on O2's network offering no-contract SIM-only and family plans, leveraging Tesco's retail distribution. Comparable MVNO structure, no-contract SIM pricing and family/multiline positioning.
• Sky Mobile: UK MVNO on O2's network bundled with Sky broadband and TV. Comparable wholesale-on-network MVNO model and UK SIM-only customer base, with strong brand and cross-sell flywheel.
• giffgaff: UK MVNO running on O2's network with no-contract SIM-only plans, community-led support and member referral economics. Directly comparable MVNO business model to IQ Mobile with the same EE/O2 wholesale reseller positioning.
• Lyca Mobile: International MVNO with UK operations focused on cross-border mobile and travel SIMs. Comparable MVNO + international travel connectivity model intersecting with IQ Mobile's IQ Go and iqtravel.net.
• Smarty: UK MVNO on Three's network offering simple, low-priced SIM-only plans with no contracts. Closest direct price-positioning peer to IQ Mobile in the UK no-contract segment.
• Lebara Mobile: UK MVNO focused on international calls and migrant communities. Comparable MVNO model with strong travel/ethnic-travel segment overlap to IQ Mobile's IQ Go and iqtravel.net.
• VOXI: UK MVNO on Vodafone's network targeting younger users with unlimited social data plans. Comparable MVNO structure and youth/family customer overlap with IQ Mobile's family positioning.

Emerging players

• Airalo: Global travel eSIM marketplace covering 200+ countries. Comparable worldwide eSIM proposition to iqtravel.net and a leading competitor in the cross-border travel connectivity category.
• Holafly: eSIM-first travel connectivity provider covering 200+ destinations with unlimited data plans. Directly comparable to iqtravel.net on worldwide eSIM distribution and digital onboarding.

Broad incumbents

• EE: Host network operator for IQ Mobile and the UK's largest MNO. Not a direct competitor in the MVNO niche but the wholesale partner whose coverage and brand IQ Mobile resells, and a benchmark for pricing and customer experience.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/helloiqmobile
• Facebookfacebook.com/helloiqmobile

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about IQ Mobile UK