Quick Overview
Lebara and Lyca Mobile both target the UK's large diaspora communities — people who need affordable international calls alongside standard UK mobile data. Both offer prepay and monthly SIM plans with bundled international minutes.
| Category | Lebara | Lyca Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Host network | Vodafone | O2 (primarily) |
| APN | uk.lebara.mobi | data.lycamobile.co.uk |
| APN username | lebara | lmuk |
| APN password | lebara | plus |
| MMS Port | 8799 (Vodafone) | 8080 (O2) |
| eSIM support | Yes | Limited |
| International calling | Yes (bundled plans) | Yes (bundled plans) |
Host Network
Lebara piggybacks on Vodafone's infrastructure, giving customers access to Vodafone's 4G and 5G coverage in 100+ UK locations. This is particularly good for city-based users. In rural areas, Vodafone's coverage is solid but trails EE.
Lyca Mobile primarily uses O2's network, which has strong 4G rural coverage through its Shared Rural Network participation. O2's 5G is less widespread than Vodafone's but improving. For rural users, Lyca's O2 backbone is a slight advantage.
International Calling
Both operators include international calling bundles. Lebara is particularly well-known for calls to South Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Lyca's destination list is also extensive and competitive. The best choice depends entirely on where your family and contacts are based — check each operator's current bundle destinations before buying.
Data & UK Calls
Both operators offer competitive monthly plans in the £5–£20 range for 5–30 GB of data plus UK minutes and texts. Neither is designed as a heavy data provider — if you need unlimited data, consider SMARTY (Three) or VOXI (Vodafone) instead.
APN Settings Compared
| Setting | Lebara | Lyca Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| APN | uk.lebara.mobi | data.lycamobile.co.uk |
| Username | lebara | lmuk |
| Password | lebara | plus |
| Host network MCC/MNC | 234 / 15 (Vodafone) | 234 / 10 (O2) |
| MMSC | http://mms.lebara.co.uk:8002 | http://mms.lycamobile.co.uk:8002 |
| MMS Proxy | 212.183.137.012 | 149.254.201.135 |
| MMS Port | 8799 | 8080 |
Full guides: Lebara APN settings · Lyca Mobile APN settings
⭐ Verdict
If your primary concern is international calling, compare both operators' current bundle destinations for the countries you call most — this single factor should drive your decision. For UK coverage, Lebara (Vodafone) is slightly better in cities; Lyca (O2) is slightly better in rural areas. Lebara's eSIM support is a practical advantage on modern phones.