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Telecoms · refreshed weekly

How AI wants mobile networks

Mobile Networks is decided on attraction: Starlink indexes 119 there against Dixons Carphone at 77, a 42-point spread. Airalo holds the strongest overall profile, indexing 113 against the category average: ahead on all three. But the brand assistants name most often is Three, not the category's market leader: being desired and being named are not the same measurement. Across these 38 brands, attraction tracks being named most closely (rank correlation 0.53).

38 brands · 60 AI answers · 513 dimension scores · measured, never estimated

Attraction Standing out in the answer: named first, described as superior, magnetic and influential.
Affinity Belonging in the answer: tied to identity, values and legitimacy, not just specifications.
Attachment Staying in the answer: recommended again, dependable, easy, part of the routine.
AttractionAffinityAttachment Each whorl lights one ring per index threshold cleared (90 / 96 / 102 / 108 / 115)

100 = the average brand in the same category.100 = the average brand across every category in the index.

Telecoms

Mobile Networksupset

#Brand AttractionAffinityAttachment SummaryNamed in
1 Airalo: Attraction 113, Affinity 111, Attachment 113Airalo: Attraction 109, Affinity 106, Attachment 106Airalo 113109 111106 113106 Ahead on all threeAhead on all three 2%
2 Starlink: Attraction 119, Affinity 109, Attachment 103Starlink: Attraction 115, Affinity 103, Attachment 96Starlink 119115 109103 10396 Noticed, not returned toNoticed, not returned to 3%
3 Three: Attraction 113, Affinity 107, Attachment 109Three: Attraction 109, Affinity 102, Attachment 102Three 113109 107102 109102 Ahead on all threeNoticed, not returned to 88%
4 EE: Attraction 110, Affinity 111, Attachment 109EE: Attraction 106, Affinity 106, Attachment 102EE 110106 111106 109102 Ahead on all threeNoticed, not returned to 58%
5 Giffgaff: Attraction 109, Affinity 109, Attachment 113Giffgaff: Attraction 105, Affinity 103, Attachment 106Giffgaff 109105 109103 113106 Ahead on all threeChosen, not loved 15%
6 Holafly: Attraction 108, Affinity 111, Attachment 113Holafly: Attraction 103, Affinity 106, Attachment 106Holafly 108103 111106 113106 Ahead on all threeCredible, not first choice 2%
7 Nomad: Attraction 109, Affinity 111, Attachment 113Nomad: Attraction 105, Affinity 106, Attachment 106Nomad 109105 111106 113106 Ahead on all threeAhead on all three 2%
8 Virgin Media O2: Attraction 109, Affinity 109, Attachment 113Virgin Media O2: Attraction 105, Affinity 103, Attachment 106Virgin Media O2 109105 109103 113106 Ahead on all threeChosen, not loved 47%
9 Saily: Attraction 109, Affinity 111, Attachment 113Saily: Attraction 105, Affinity 106, Attachment 106Saily 109105 111106 113106 Ahead on all threeAhead on all three 2%
10 Vodafone: Attraction 108, Affinity 107, Attachment 109Vodafone: Attraction 103, Affinity 102, Attachment 102Vodafone 108103 107102 109102 Ahead on all threeAverage on all three 55%
11 Smarty: Attraction 110, Affinity 109, Attachment 107Smarty: Attraction 106, Affinity 103, Attachment 100Smarty 110106 109103 107100 Ahead on all threeNoticed, not returned to 32%
12 O2: Attraction 106, Affinity 106, Attachment 109O2: Attraction 102, Affinity 101, Attachment 102O2 106102 106101 109102 Ahead on all threeAverage on all three 47%
13 VOXI: Attraction 109, Affinity 107, Attachment 106VOXI: Attraction 105, Affinity 102, Attachment 99VOXI 109105 107102 10699 Ahead on all threeNoticed, not returned to 20%
14 Hyperoptic: Attraction 110, Affinity 109, Attachment 98Hyperoptic: Attraction 106, Affinity 103, Attachment 92Hyperoptic 110106 109103 9892 Noticed, not returned toNoticed, not returned to 0%
15 Sky Mobile: Attraction 108, Affinity 103, Attachment 106Sky Mobile: Attraction 103, Affinity 98, Attachment 99Sky Mobile 108103 10398 10699 Chosen, not lovedAverage on all three 17%
16 Tesco Mobile: Attraction 102, Affinity 103, Attachment 115Tesco Mobile: Attraction 98, Affinity 98, Attachment 107Tesco Mobile 10298 10398 115107 Relied on, not excitingRelied on, not exciting 10%
17 Honest Mobile: Attraction 97, Affinity 109, Attachment 100Honest Mobile: Attraction 93, Affinity 103, Attachment 93Honest Mobile 9793 109103 10093 Credible, not first choiceLiked, not chosen 2%
18 spusu: Attraction 102, Affinity 100, Attachment 103spusu: Attraction 98, Affinity 95, Attachment 96spusu 10298 10095 10396 Average on all threeNoticed, not returned to 7%
19 Ubigi: Attraction 102, Affinity 97, Attachment 107Ubigi: Attraction 98, Affinity 92, Attachment 100Ubigi 10298 9792 107100 Relied on, not excitingRelied on, not exciting 0%
20 Jetpac: Attraction 99, Affinity 97, Attachment 107Jetpac: Attraction 95, Affinity 92, Attachment 100Jetpac 9995 9792 107100 Relied on, not excitingRelied on, not exciting 0%
21 Sim Local: Attraction 97, Affinity 97, Attachment 107Sim Local: Attraction 93, Affinity 92, Attachment 100Sim Local 9793 9792 107100 Relied on, not excitingRelied on, not exciting 0%
22 Lebara: Attraction 100, Affinity 94, Attachment 104Lebara: Attraction 96, Affinity 90, Attachment 98Lebara 10096 9490 10498 Relied on, not excitingRelied on, not exciting 17%
23 iD Mobile: Attraction 97, Affinity 97, Attachment 98iD Mobile: Attraction 93, Affinity 92, Attachment 92iD Mobile 9793 9792 9892 Average on all threeBehind on all three 20%
24 Mozillion: Attraction 99, Affinity 94, Attachment 93Mozillion: Attraction 95, Affinity 90, Attachment 87Mozillion 9995 9490 9387 Noticed, not returned toBehind on all three 3%
25 BT Mobile: Attraction 96, Affinity 94, Attachment 93BT Mobile: Attraction 92, Affinity 90, Attachment 87BT Mobile 9692 9490 9387 Behind on all threeBehind on all three 2%
26 Ecotalk: Attraction 93, Affinity 106, Attachment 84Ecotalk: Attraction 89, Affinity 101, Attachment 78Ecotalk 9389 106101 8478 Liked, not chosenLiked, not chosen 3%
27 Talkmobile: Attraction 97, Affinity 94, Attachment 88Talkmobile: Attraction 93, Affinity 90, Attachment 82Talkmobile 9793 9490 8882 Noticed, not returned toBehind on all three 12%
28 Plusnet Mobile: Attraction 90, Affinity 97, Attachment 98Plusnet Mobile: Attraction 86, Affinity 92, Attachment 92Plusnet Mobile 9086 9792 9892 Relied on, not excitingBehind on all three 0%
29 1pMobile: Attraction 97, Affinity 94, Attachment 881pMobile: Attraction 93, Affinity 90, Attachment 821pMobile 9793 9490 8882 Noticed, not returned toBehind on all three 13%
30 Virgin Mobile: Attraction 91, Affinity 94, Attachment 93Virgin Mobile: Attraction 88, Affinity 90, Attachment 87Virgin Mobile 9188 9490 9387 Behind on all threeBehind on all three 2%
31 Asda Mobile: Attraction 93, Affinity 91, Attachment 98Asda Mobile: Attraction 89, Affinity 87, Attachment 92Asda Mobile 9389 9187 9892 Relied on, not excitingBehind on all three 2%
32 The Phone Co-op: Attraction 88, Affinity 98, Attachment 88The Phone Co-op: Attraction 85, Affinity 94, Attachment 82The Phone Co-op 8885 9894 8882 Liked, not chosenBehind on all three 0%
33 Lyca Mobile: Attraction 88, Affinity 87, Attachment 93Lyca Mobile: Attraction 85, Affinity 83, Attachment 87Lyca Mobile 8885 8783 9387 Behind on all threeBehind on all three 7%
34 Utility Warehouse: Attraction 88, Affinity 87, Attachment 88Utility Warehouse: Attraction 85, Affinity 83, Attachment 82Utility Warehouse 8885 8783 8882 Behind on all threeBehind on all three 2%
35 Post Office: Attraction 85, Affinity 94, Attachment 84Post Office: Attraction 82, Affinity 90, Attachment 78Post Office 8582 9490 8478 Behind on all threeBehind on all three 0%
36 TalkTalk Mobile: Attraction 85, Affinity 87, Attachment 84TalkTalk Mobile: Attraction 82, Affinity 83, Attachment 78TalkTalk Mobile 8582 8783 8478 Behind on all threeBehind on all three 0%
37 CMLink: Attraction 85, Affinity 87, Attachment 78CMLink: Attraction 82, Affinity 83, Attachment 73CMLink 8582 8783 7873 Behind on all threeBehind on all three 0%
38 Dixons Carphone: Attraction 77, Affinity 72, Attachment 78Dixons Carphone: Attraction 74, Affinity 69, Attachment 73Dixons Carphone 7774 7269 7873 Behind on all threeBehind on all three 0%

Indexed against the average of the 38 indexed mobile networks brands, so 100 is the category average and a brand is read against the rivals it actually competes with.Indexed against the average of every indexed brand in the whole index — 1,605 brands across 61 categories — so 100 is the average brand anywhere here and a number reads the same on every board. 38 mobile networks brands, measured across 60 AI answers in the latest weekly run.

Driver by driver

Where the category actually separates. A wide spread means assistants describe these brands very differently on that driver; a narrow one means it is table stakes.

Attraction

42-point spread · tracks being named 0.53
Starlink119
Dixons Carphone77

The widest field of the three: this is where the category separates.

Affinity

39-point spread · tracks being named 0.34
Airalo111
Dixons Carphone72

Real separation, but not the category’s defining contest.

Attachment

37-point spread · tracks being named 0.41
Tesco Mobile115
Dixons Carphone78

The tightest of the three: most brands land close together here.

Where each brand stands

Each brand's three indices, summed up in a line: which drivers it is ahead on, which it is behind on, and the one to build next. A brand that is noticed but not returned to has a different problem from one that is relied on but not exciting.

Airalo: Attraction 113, Affinity 111, Attachment 113
Ahead on all three
Above average on attraction, affinity and attachment.
Airalo · Three · EE · Giffgaff · Holafly · Nomad · Virgin Media O2 · Saily · Vodafone · Smarty · O2 · VOXI
No driver is behind; protect the lead.
Starlink: Attraction 119, Affinity 109, Attachment 103
Noticed, not returned to
Attraction is its strongest driver; attachment trails behind it.
Starlink · Hyperoptic · Mozillion · Talkmobile · 1pMobile
Build next: attachment
Tesco Mobile: Attraction 102, Affinity 103, Attachment 115
Relied on, not exciting
Attachment is its strongest driver; attraction trails behind it.
Tesco Mobile · Ubigi · Jetpac · Sim Local · Lebara · Plusnet Mobile · Asda Mobile
Build next: attraction
Honest Mobile: Attraction 97, Affinity 109, Attachment 100
Credible, not first choice
Affinity (identity, values, legitimacy) is its strongest driver.
Honest Mobile
Build next: attraction
Ecotalk: Attraction 93, Affinity 106, Attachment 84
Liked, not chosen
Affinity is its strongest driver; attachment is below average.
Ecotalk · The Phone Co-op
Build next: attachment
spusu: Attraction 102, Affinity 100, Attachment 103
Average on all three
Close to average on every driver.
spusu · iD Mobile
Build next: attraction
Sky Mobile: Attraction 108, Affinity 103, Attachment 106
Chosen, not loved
Attraction and attachment are ahead; affinity trails behind them.
Sky Mobile
Build next: affinity
BT Mobile: Attraction 96, Affinity 94, Attachment 93
Behind on all three
Below average on attraction, affinity and attachment.
BT Mobile · Virgin Mobile · Lyca Mobile · Utility Warehouse · Post Office · TalkTalk Mobile · CMLink · Dixons Carphone
Build next: attraction
Airalo: Attraction 109, Affinity 106, Attachment 106
Ahead on all three
Above average on attraction, affinity and attachment.
Airalo · Nomad · Saily
No driver is behind; protect the lead.
Starlink: Attraction 115, Affinity 103, Attachment 96
Noticed, not returned to
Attraction is its strongest driver; attachment trails behind it.
Starlink · Three · EE · Smarty · VOXI · Hyperoptic · spusu
Build next: attachment
Tesco Mobile: Attraction 98, Affinity 98, Attachment 107
Relied on, not exciting
Attachment is its strongest driver; attraction trails behind it.
Tesco Mobile · Ubigi · Jetpac · Sim Local · Lebara
Build next: attraction
Holafly: Attraction 103, Affinity 106, Attachment 106
Credible, not first choice
Affinity (identity, values, legitimacy) is its strongest driver.
Holafly
Build next: attraction
Honest Mobile: Attraction 93, Affinity 103, Attachment 93
Liked, not chosen
Affinity is its strongest driver; attachment is below average.
Honest Mobile · Ecotalk
Build next: attachment
Vodafone: Attraction 103, Affinity 102, Attachment 102
Average on all three
Close to average on every driver.
Vodafone · O2 · Sky Mobile
Build next: attraction
Giffgaff: Attraction 105, Affinity 103, Attachment 106
Chosen, not loved
Attraction and attachment are ahead; affinity trails behind them.
Giffgaff · Virgin Media O2
Build next: affinity
iD Mobile: Attraction 93, Affinity 92, Attachment 92
Behind on all three
Below average on attraction, affinity and attachment.
iD Mobile · Mozillion · BT Mobile · Talkmobile · Plusnet Mobile · 1pMobile · Virgin Mobile · Asda Mobile · The Phone Co-op · Lyca Mobile · Utility Warehouse · Post Office · TalkTalk Mobile · CMLink · Dixons Carphone
Build next: attraction

What assistants actually talk about

The sixteen dimensions underneath the drivers, scored 0–10 on how the answers describe each brand. Spread is the distance between the strongest and weakest brand: the widest are where a brand can still separate itself, the narrowest are the price of entry.

Where brands separate

DimensionDriverCategory avgStrongestSpread
Innovation & Technology Attraction 6.5 Starlink 9.0 5.0
Quality & Performance Attraction 7.0 Starlink 9.0 4.0
Boldness & Creativity Attraction 6.7 Starlink 9.0 4.0
Differentiation vs Sameness Attraction 7.0 Starlink 9.0 4.0
Leadership & Momentum Attraction 6.7 Starlink 9.0 4.0

Where everyone reads alike

DimensionDriverCategory avgStrongestSpread
Delivery & Fulfilment Attachment 7.0 Starlink 7.0 0.0
Heritage & Authority Attraction 7.2 Vodafone 8.7 2.7
Lifestyle Fit & Identity Affinity 6.7 VOXI 8.7 2.7
Ease of Use & Onboarding Attachment 7.0 Giffgaff 8.0 3.0
Customer Service & Support Attachment 6.5 Giffgaff 8.0 3.0

Does desire track being recommended?

Rank correlation between a brand's driver index and the share of answers naming it, across the 38 indexed brands in this category. A relationship inside one run's answers — descriptive, never causal, and easily moved by a single brand at this sample size.

Attraction0.53
Affinity0.34
Attachment0.41

Method & limitations

Every week, each category runs a fixed set of unbranded consumer prompts against ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini. A separate model reads the answers and scores every brand named in them across 16 perception dimensions, 0–10. Those dimensions are grouped into the three Drivers of Desire from the Havas Science of Desire framework, and each brand's driver score is indexed against the average brand in its own category — 100 is the category average, 115 is fifteen per cent above it. The Vs all categories switch re-indexes the same scores against the average of every indexed brand across every category, so boards can be read against each other; the ranking inside a category is the same either way. Each category's own average, indexed against the whole index, is its place in the category table. The summary beside each brand describes where it stands on the three drivers against whichever benchmark is showing: above 104 counts as ahead, below 96 as behind.

This measures how AI assistants describe brands in their answers. It is not a survey of people, and it is not an endorsement: the scores are a reading of machine-generated text at the time of the run, and relationships between drivers and how often a brand is named are correlational. A brand needs at least six scored dimensions in a run to be indexed, and a category needs at least four such brands to get a board. See the full methodology.