Before you start

An unlocked handset, or an eSIM-capable one
A UK address, for a contract
A UK bank account, for a contract Direct Debit

Step-by-step

1
Buy a pay-as-you-go SIM or activate an eSIM on arrival
Available from supermarkets, phone shops and online, with no identity registration required. A UK number in your first hour unlocks bank verification, appointment systems and delivery notifications.
In personWho: YouDay 1
2
Do not attempt a 24-month contract in your first weeks
Contracts run a credit check and require a UK bank account and address. With no UK credit file you will be declined or asked for a large deposit. Rolling one-month SIM-only plans have no credit check and are excellent value.
OnlineWho: You
3
Use a rolling SIM-only plan rather than a handset contract
SIM-only plans with generous data cost a fraction of a bundled handset contract, have no minimum term, and can be switched monthly. Buying a handset outright and taking a SIM-only plan is almost always cheaper than a two-year bundle.
OnlineWho: You
4
Check coverage for the west coast and the Highlands
Urban coverage across Glasgow is good on all four networks. Loch Lomond, Argyll and the west coast — where you will spend weekends — are patchy and the operators differ substantially. Compare coverage maps for the places you will actually go rather than choosing on city performance.
OnlineWho: You
5
Keep your number when you switch
Text PAC to 65075 and you receive a porting authorisation code by return, valid for 30 days. Switching networks while keeping your number takes one working day by law. Never cancel first.
Mobile appWho: You
6
Sort home broadband early
UK installation typically takes one to three weeks and may need an engineer visit. Order as soon as you have an address, and check whether the property has full fibre — availability in Glasgow's tenement stock varies sharply because getting fibre into a shared close depends on the building.
OnlineWho: You

Documents you’ll need

Nothing at all for pay-as-you-go
UK address and bank details, for a contract
Passport, occasionally requested for a contract

Things most newcomers don’t know

The UK has no SIM registration, unlike most of Europe.

Germany, Spain and France all require identity verification to activate a SIM. The UK requires nothing for pay-as-you-go — you can buy one in a supermarket and use it in the car park. For a newcomer this removes one of the most common first-week frustrations elsewhere.

Source: Ofcom

Text PAC to 65075 — switching keeps your number in one working day.

Ofcom rules require networks to issue a porting authorisation code by text on request and to complete the switch within one working day. You never cancel the old service first. Most people do not know the shortcode and stay on a bad tariff for years.

Source: Ofcom — switching mobile provider

Fibre into a tenement depends on the whole building, not your flat.

Full-fibre installation in Glasgow's pre-1919 tenements requires running cable into a shared close, which needs the building's agreement and sometimes the factor's. Two flats on the same street can have completely different options. Check availability against the exact address before signing a broadband contract, and ask neighbours what they actually have.

Source: community-reported

West coast coverage varies enormously between the four networks.

Argyll, Loch Lomond and the islands defeat mobile coverage in ways urban Scotland does not, and the difference between operators is substantial. If your weekends will involve the west — and living in Glasgow they probably will — check the specific coverage maps rather than choosing on city performance.

Source: Ofcom — mobile coverage checker

Common mistakes to avoid

Signing a 24-month handset contract in your first weeks and being declined or overcharged.
Cancelling your old service before requesting a PAC code, and losing the number.
Assuming full fibre is available in a tenement without checking the specific close.
Choosing a network on price without checking west coast coverage.
Not knowing that pay-as-you-go requires no identity check at all.

Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.