Subscription guide
Who really owns your carrier?
Fido is Rogers. Virgin Plus is Bell. Koodo is Telus. Switching between them doesn't change your network — it changes your bill. This page shows the full ownership map for US, Canadian, UK, Australian, and EU carriers so you know when you're actually switching and when you're just rearranging deck chairs.
Showing ownership and pricing for your detected region. Change anytime:
🇺🇸 United States
🇨🇦 Canada
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
🇦🇺 Australia
🇪🇺 European Union
Ownership trees
Each group below shows a parent company and every consumer brand it controls. A teal bar = flagship brand. Grey bar = flanker/sub-brand. Faint bar = independent MVNO that leases the network.
The largest wireless carrier in the US by postpaid subscribers. Divested WarnerMedia in 2022 and has refocused on its core telecom and fibre business.
Flagship brand
AT&T
Full premium plans, device financing, AT&T Fiber bundles. The main brand with the widest plan range and most retail locations.
Flagship
Sub-brand
Cricket Wireless
Prepaid-focused, no annual contracts. Runs on AT&T's network. Lower price points, fewer premium features, no device trade-in programs.
Acquired by AT&T 2014 · Same coverage map as AT&T
Sub-brand
ℹ️ Cricket vs AT&T: Cricket uses AT&T's full network but with data deprioritisation during congestion. If you're in a rural area or depend on consistent speeds, the AT&T flagship plan is worth the premium. In cities, Cricket is often indistinguishable.
Second-largest US carrier. Acquired Sprint in 2020, making it the leading mid-band 5G network by coverage. Majority owned by Germany's Deutsche Telekom.
Flagship brand
T-Mobile
Postpaid plans, device financing, international roaming included on most plans. Strongest mid-band 5G coverage in the US.
Flagship
Sub-brands
Metro by T-Mobile
Prepaid plans on T-Mobile's network. Formerly MetroPCS, acquired in 2013. Competitive pricing with no contracts.
Same T-Mobile network · Data deprioritised during congestion
Sub-brand
Mint Mobile
Online-only, prepaid bulk pricing — you buy 3, 6, or 12 months upfront for a lower monthly rate. One of the most competitive price points in the US market.
Acquired by T-Mobile 2024 · Ryan Reynolds remains spokesman · T-Mobile network
Acquired 2024
Ultra Mobile
Focuses on international calling — targets immigrant communities with low-cost plans including large international minute bundles.
Acquired alongside Mint Mobile 2024 · T-Mobile network
Sub-brand
⚠ Mint Mobile pricing: Mint's advertised price requires paying 12 months upfront. The month-to-month rate is notably higher. Factor the full upfront cost into your comparison, and check the renewal terms — it auto-renews at the same bulk cycle.
Third-largest carrier by subscriber count but largest by revenue. Known for the most extensive rural LTE coverage. Strongest mmWave 5G in dense urban cores.
Flagship brand
Verizon
Premium postpaid plans. Best rural coverage in the US, strongest mmWave 5G in city centres. Generally the most expensive of the Big Three.
Flagship
Sub-brand
Visible
Online-only prepaid brand on Verizon's network. Flat-rate unlimited plans, no contracts, sold entirely through the app. One of the few genuinely unlimited prepaid options in the US.
Fully owned by Verizon · Same network, data deprioritised during congestion
Sub-brand
ℹ️ Which Big Three? For rural coverage, Verizon or AT&T. For 5G mid-band breadth, T-Mobile. For price alone, T-Mobile or its sub-brands. Switching between Verizon and AT&T in a rural area can meaningfully change signal — but switching between any flagship and its own sub-brand almost never does.
⚠ Canada's Big Three control ~89% of wireless subscribers through their own brands and sub-brands. A fourth carrier — Quebecor (Vidéotron + Freedom Mobile) — owns its own independent network and is the only genuine alternative. Every flanker brand (Fido, Koodo, Virgin Plus, etc.) runs on the exact same towers as its parent. Switching from Rogers to Fido does not change your coverage — it changes your bill.
Canada's largest wireless carrier. In 2023 Rogers acquired Shaw Communications' wireline (cable and internet) assets. Shaw's wireless brand, Freedom Mobile, was sold separately to Videotron (Quebecor) as a condition of regulatory approval. Rogers operates three consumer wireless brands — all on the same Rogers network.
Flagship
Rogers
Full postpaid, device financing, Rogers Sports streaming bundles. The premium tier — most features, best roaming, highest price.
Flagship
Flanker brands (same Rogers network)
Fido
Mid-market brand targeting individuals. Slightly lower prices than Rogers, fewer loyalty perks, same network coverage.
Runs on Rogers network · No rural advantage over Rogers
Flanker
Chatr
Prepaid-only, low data caps, no contracts. Entry-level positioning. Limited to Rogers' urban coverage footprint — less rural reach than Rogers proper.
Prepaid only · Runs on Rogers network
Flanker
Bell and Telus share network infrastructure in many areas of Canada — meaning Bell's network and Telus's network are often physically the same towers. This is relevant when comparing coverage.
Flagship
Bell
Postpaid plans, device financing, Crave streaming bundle on select plans. The premium Bell tier. Widest coverage including rural Ontario and Quebec.
Flagship
Flanker brands (same Bell network)
Virgin Plus
Mid-market brand, formerly Virgin Mobile Canada. Targets younger demographics and individuals. Similar pricing to Koodo (Telus). Same Bell coverage map.
Formerly Virgin Mobile Canada · Rebranded 2021 · Bell network
Flanker
Lucky Mobile
Prepaid-only budget brand. Very low price points, small data caps, no contracts. Similar positioning to Chatr (Rogers) and Public Mobile (Telus).
Prepaid only · Bell network
Flanker
⚠ Bell and Telus share towers: In many parts of Canada, Bell Mobility and Telus Mobility operate on shared physical infrastructure. If Bell's coverage works at your address, Telus likely will too — and vice versa. The network competition between them is more commercial than physical.
Telus and Bell share network infrastructure through an agreement covering much of Canada. Telus consistently ranks highly for customer service among the Big Three.
Flagship
Telus
Postpaid plans, device financing, optional streaming bundles. Generally regarded as having better customer service than Bell or Rogers. Shared network with Bell.
Flagship
Flanker brands (same Telus/Bell network)
Koodo
No-contract mid-market brand. One of the original no-system-access-fee carriers in Canada. Offers one free perk per plan (rollover data, voicemail, etc.). Strong value proposition at the mid tier.
Launched 2008 · Telus/Bell shared network · No long-term contracts
Flanker
Public Mobile
Online-only prepaid brand, community-modelled support (customers help customers). Rewards points system for long tenure. Very competitive pricing at the entry level.
Acquired by Telus 2013 · Telus/Bell shared network · No physical stores
Flanker
ℹ️ Koodo consistently scores well: In independent customer satisfaction surveys, Koodo typically outperforms its parent Telus. If you want Telus network quality at a lower price with no contract, Koodo is generally the right choice over Public Mobile unless you specifically need the lowest possible price.
Quebecor is Canada's fourth national wireless carrier — and the only one that isn't one of the Big Three. Vidéotron has operated its own network in Quebec for years. In April 2023, it acquired Freedom Mobile from Shaw as a condition of the Rogers-Shaw merger approval, giving it a national wireless footprint for the first time. Both Vidéotron and Freedom Mobile run on their own independent network infrastructure — genuine alternatives to the Big Three.
Brands
Vidéotron Mobile
Full postpaid and prepaid on Quebecor's own network in Quebec and Ottawa-Gatineau. Consistently competitive pricing. Strong quad-play bundles (mobile + internet + TV + home phone) in its Quebec footprint.
Regional flagship
Freedom Mobile
Acquired by Vidéotron (Quebecor) in April 2023 — not by Rogers. Operates its own independent network in Metro Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, and parts of Ontario. Committed to pricing at least 20% below incumbents for 10 years as a condition of the regulatory approval. Expanding into Manitoba and beyond.
Acquired from Shaw by Vidéotron April 2023 · Own independent network · Not Rogers-owned
Acquired from Shaw 2023
Fizz
Online-only brand from Quebecor. Flexible, customisable plans, referral rewards. Operates in Quebec and Ontario on Vidéotron's network.
Online only · Quebecor/Vidéotron network
Sub-brand
ℹ️ Freedom is a genuine fourth option: Because Freedom and Vidéotron own their own infrastructure, switching to them is an actual network change — unlike switching between Rogers, Fido, and Chatr, which is just a billing change. Freedom's regulatory commitments require pricing at least 20% below incumbents' equivalent plans until 2033.
⚠ The UK market just changed significantly. Vodafone and Three merged in May 2025 to form VodafoneThree — reducing the UK from four major networks to three. This merger was approved with commitments to 5G investment and price protections. The full network integration is ongoing.
BT acquired EE in 2016, making it the UK's largest mobile network operator. BT and EE now operate as separate consumer brands under the same parent. Both are relevant — BT for broadband, EE for mobile.
Flagship mobile brand
EE
UK's largest mobile network by subscribers (~21M). Formerly a 50:50 joint venture between Deutsche Telekom (T-Mobile UK) and Orange UK, merged into EE in 2012, acquired by BT in 2016. Strong 5G leadership — 66% population coverage.
Flagship
MVNOs on EE network
BT Mobile
BT's own mobile brand running on EE's network. Often bundled with BT broadband. No coverage benefit over EE — just different billing and bundling.
MVNO on EE
Plusnet Mobile
Low-cost brand, also owned by BT. Operates on EE's network. Simple plans, no contracts, competitive pricing.
BT-owned · EE network
MVNO on EE
ASDA Mobile
Supermarket SIM on EE's network. Very competitive pricing, ideal for low-usage customers.
MVNO on EE
A joint venture merging O2's mobile network with Virgin Media's broadband and cable infrastructure. The combination enables "converged" bundles — mobile + home broadband from one company. O2 operates independently as a mobile network; Virgin Media as fixed broadband.
Flagship mobile brand
O2
Second-largest UK mobile network by subscribers (~22M). The O2 Priority rewards programme and "refresh" contract structure (separate device and airtime payments) are notable differentiators.
Flagship
MVNOs on O2 network
giffgaff
Community-run MVNO on O2. No physical stores, community support forums, flexible "goodybag" prepaid bundles. One of the most popular budget SIMs in the UK.
MVNO on O2
Tesco Mobile
Supermarket SIM on O2's network. Data rollover, Clubcard points on spending. One of the UK's largest MVNOs.
MVNO on O2
Sky Mobile
Sky-branded SIM on O2. Data rollover to Wi-Fi ("piggybank"), good for Sky TV bundles. Sky is owned by Comcast (US).
MVNO on O2
The merger of Vodafone UK and Three UK completed in May 2025, creating the UK's largest mobile network by customer numbers (~27M combined). The Vodafone and Three brands continue separately while network integration progresses. The merger was approved by the CMA with commitments to 5G investment and price caps.
Brands (both still operating separately)
Vodafone
Previously third-largest UK network (~18M subscribers). Premium postpaid plans, strong enterprise presence. Now part of VodafoneThree joint venture. Network integration with Three ongoing.
VodafoneThree
Three
Formerly known for generous data allowances and competitive pricing. Previously owned by CK Hutchison (Hong Kong). Now merging infrastructure with Vodafone. Brands remain separate during integration.
Merger with Vodafone completed May 2025 · Infrastructure being combined
Merged May 2025
Sub-brands / MVNOs
VOXI
Vodafone's youth-focused sub-brand. Unlimited social media data on some plans. Online-only.
Vodafone sub-brand
Smarty
Three's MVNO brand. Online-only, no contracts, unused data refunded as credit. Competitive pricing.
MVNO on Three
iD Mobile
Currys-owned MVNO on Three's network. Data rollover, flexible plans, purchased at Currys stores.
MVNO on Three
🚨 Vodafone/Three class action: In November 2025, the Competition Appeal Tribunal approved a class action against UK mobile operators including Vodafone, EE, and others for charging customers for phones beyond their contractual term. If you've had a rolling contract for several years, check whether you're still paying for a device you've already paid off. Separate your device cost from your airtime cost when evaluating plans.
ℹ️ Australia's Big Three own almost everything. Telstra, Optus, and TPG Telecom (which operates Vodafone) control all nationwide mobile infrastructure. Every other mobile brand you see is either a sub-brand or an MVNO leasing access from one of these three.
Australia's dominant carrier. Owns the most extensive rural and regional network — in truly remote areas, Telstra is often the only option. The only carrier with 99.7% population coverage on 4G.
Flagship
Telstra
Premium plans, widest rural and regional coverage. If you travel outside major cities regularly, Telstra's coverage advantage is real. Higher price point than competitors.
Flagship
Sub-brands (Telstra full network)
Boost Mobile
The only Telstra sub-brand with access to Telstra's full retail network (not just the wholesale version). Acquired by Telstra in December 2024. Budget pricing, full Telstra rural coverage — rare combination.
Acquired Dec 2024 · Full Telstra network access · Unusual among Telstra MVNOs
Acquired 2024
Belong
Telstra's online-only SIM brand. Runs on Telstra Wholesale network (98.8% population coverage — slightly less than Telstra's retail 99.7%). Simple plans, no lock-in.
Telstra Wholesale network · Not full Telstra network
Sub-brand
Notable MVNOs on Telstra Wholesale
ALDI Mobile
One of Australia's most popular budget SIMs. Prepaid, no contracts, very competitive pricing on Telstra Wholesale.
MVNO on Telstra
Woolworths / Everyday Mobile
Supermarket SIM on Telstra Wholesale. Bonus Everyday Rewards points on recharges.
MVNO on Telstra
⚠ Telstra Wholesale vs. full Telstra network: Most Telstra MVNOs (Belong, ALDI Mobile, Woolworths) use Telstra Wholesale, which has 98.8% population coverage — slightly less than the full Telstra retail network at 99.7%. That gap matters specifically in remote and outback areas. Boost Mobile is the exception — it now uses the full retail network.
Australia's second-largest carrier. Owned by Singapore Telecommunications (SingTel). Consistently fast 5G speeds in cities per Opensignal data. Signed a major network-sharing deal with TPG Telecom in 2024 — meaning Vodafone customers now have access to Optus towers in regional areas.
Flagship
Optus
Strong 5G speeds, competitive postpaid plans. Often better pricing than Telstra. SubHub subscription management platform bundled with some plans. 98.5% population coverage on 4G.
Flagship
Sub-brand
amaysim
Acquired by Optus in 2021. Online-only, SIM-only plans. About 1.5M subscribers. Flexible no-lock-in plans on Optus's network at lower price points.
Acquired by Optus 2021 · Optus network
Sub-brand
Notable MVNOs on Optus
Coles Mobile
Supermarket SIM on Optus. Flybuys points on recharges. Prepaid, no contracts.
MVNO on Optus
Aussie Broadband
Known for NBN but also offers mobile on Optus network. Strong customer service reputation.
MVNO on Optus
TPG Telecom is the parent company of the Vodafone brand in Australia. Originally a merger of TPG (internet) and Vodafone Hutchison Australia in 2020. Significantly expanded regional coverage in early 2025 via a network-sharing agreement with Optus — Vodafone customers now have access to ~2,500 Optus regional towers.
Flagship mobile brand
Vodafone
Australia's third mobile network. Competitive pricing, strong metro coverage. Regional coverage expanded to 98.4% population coverage following 2025 Optus network-sharing deal. No longer solely a city carrier.
Vodafone brand owned by TPG Telecom in Australia — separate from Vodafone Group globally
Flagship
Sub-brands on TPG/Vodafone network
iiNet Mobile
ISP-origin brand now offering mobile. On Vodafone's network. Best for existing iiNet broadband customers bundling services.
Sub-brand
Felix Mobile
Online-only flat-rate unlimited plan. Simple pricing — one plan, one price. No lock-in. Environmentally positioned brand. On Vodafone network.
Sub-brand
Lebara Mobile
International calling focus. Large international minute bundles for communities calling overseas. On Vodafone's network.
MVNO on Vodafone
Kogan Mobile
Online retailer SIM on Vodafone's network. Often competitive pricing, especially on annual prepaid bundles.
MVNO on Vodafone
ℹ️ Regional coverage now competitive: As of January 2025, Vodafone's network-sharing deal with Optus has meaningfully improved rural and regional coverage. Vodafone is no longer just a metro carrier. If coverage was your reason for avoiding Vodafone, it's worth re-checking the current coverage map for your area.
The EU covers many national markets — this covers the major pan-European operators and their presence across multiple countries. Ownership structures vary significantly by country.
Germany's former state telephone monopoly. Now the largest European telecom by revenue, with operations across 10 EU countries under the T-Mobile and Magenta brand names, plus majority ownership of T-Mobile US.
Brands by country
Telekom (DE)
Germany's largest carrier. Broadband, mobile, and TV. Often more expensive than competitors but with the widest 5G coverage in Germany.
Germany
T-Mobile (various)
Operates as T-Mobile in Poland, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Hungary, Croatia, Slovakia, and Austria. Largest or second-largest carrier in each of these markets.
EU markets
Cosmote (GR)
Greece's largest mobile operator. Owned by Deutsche Telekom subsidiary OTE (Hellenic Telecommunications). Dominant in mobile, broadband, and TV in Greece.
Greece
Vodafone has been consolidating its EU footprint — merging with Three in the UK (May 2025), selling its Hungarian business (2023), Spanish business (2024), and Italian business (2025). Its remaining major EU markets are Germany, where it is the second-largest carrier.
Key remaining EU markets
Vodafone (DE)
Germany's second-largest carrier. Also provides cable TV and broadband (Unitymedia acquisition). Key competitor to Deutsche Telekom in German households.
Germany
Vodafone (IT, ES, PT, IE)
Operates in Italy, Portugal, and Ireland as standalone Vodafone. Sold its Spanish operations to Zegona Communications in 2024. Italian operations sold to Swisscom in 2025.
IT business sold to Swisscom 2025 · ES business sold 2024
Remaining markets
Spanish multinational, one of the world's largest telecoms by revenue. In Europe, Telefónica operates under the Movistar and O2 brands. The O2 UK business is held in a 50:50 joint venture with Liberty Global (VMO2).
EU brands
Movistar (ES)
Spain's dominant carrier and largest broadband provider. Full quad-play (mobile, broadband, TV, fixed line). The premium Spanish telecom brand.
Spain
O2 (DE)
Germany's third-largest carrier. Separate entity from O2 UK (both owned by Telefónica). Competes against Deutsche Telekom and Vodafone in Germany.
Germany
France's former state telephone company. Now a major European carrier, dominant in France and significant in Poland, Romania, Spain, and Belgium.
Key markets
Orange (FR)
France's largest telecom operator. Broadband, mobile, and TV. Premium positioning in the French market — SFR and Bouygues Telecom are the main competitors at lower price points.
France
Orange (PL, RO, BE, ES, PT)
Operates under the Orange brand across multiple EU countries, typically as a top-3 carrier. Poland and Romania are particularly large operations.
EU markets
How telecom pricing tiers work
Across every market, telecom pricing follows the same three-tier structure. Understanding which tier you're in tells you whether there's a cheaper option on the exact same network.
| Tier |
Who |
What you pay for |
Coverage difference? |
| Flagship brand |
Rogers, Telus, EE, Telstra, etc. |
Full plan range, device financing, customer service priority, bundled extras (streaming, roaming) |
Full retail network access |
| Flanker / sub-brand |
Fido, Koodo, VOXI, Belong, etc. |
Lower price, fewer extras, same parent company. Often same network — but check. |
Same coverage in most cases. Some use wholesale network (slightly reduced rural reach) |
| Independent MVNO |
giffgaff, ALDI Mobile, Public Mobile, Mint, etc. |
Lowest price point. No physical stores, minimal customer service, no device financing. |
Wholesale network access — typically 1–2% less population coverage than flagship, most noticeable in remote areas |
The key insight: a flanker brand on the same network almost never gives you better or worse coverage than the flagship — only a lower price and fewer extras. If you're paying flagship prices and don't use device financing or bundled extras, you're likely overpaying.
What "switching" actually means
When you move from Rogers to Fido, you're not switching networks — you're switching billing accounts. Your signal strength tomorrow will be identical to today.
True network switching only happens when you move to a carrier with genuinely different infrastructure: in Canada, moving to Freedom Mobile (in its coverage area) or Videotron. In Australia, moving between Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone/TPG. In the UK, moving between BT/EE, VMO2, and VodafoneThree (now three networks instead of four).
Before switching for coverage reasons, always check the coverage maps for your specific address — carrier maps are optimistic and vary significantly at the street level.
⚠ Check your auto-renewal terms before switching. Postpaid contracts often have early termination fees. SIM-only plans are typically month-to-month, but device financing plans frequently lock you in. Confirm your contract status before assuming you can switch freely.
Telecom charges on bank statements often appear under company names that don't match the brand you recognise. Common patterns:
- ROGERS COMM / ROGERS COMMUNICATIONS — Rogers, Fido, or Chatr charges may all appear under the parent Rogers entity
- BCE INC / BELL CANADA — Bell, Virgin Plus, or Lucky Mobile
- TELUS MOBILITY — Telus, Koodo, or Public Mobile
- VODAFONE LIMITED / VODAFONE HUTCHISON — appears differently in UK vs Australia
- AT&T* — AT&T, Cricket. The asterisk before a descriptor is common for AT&T billing.
- T-MOBILE — T-Mobile, Metro by T-Mobile, Mint Mobile, Ultra Mobile
If you see a telecom charge you don't recognise, check the company name against the parent groups above — it's often a subsidiary brand billing through the parent entity.
Seeing a charge you don't recognise?
Paste your bank statement and I'll match every charge — including telecom sub-brands billing under parent company names — to tell you exactly what you're paying for.
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Market share figures are approximate and drawn from regulatory filings and public reports as of early 2026. Ownership structures reflect the position as of May 2026 — telecom consolidation moves quickly. FindRecurring earns no commission from any carrier listed on this page.