Free 50GB Vodafone eSIM trial at Reading and Leeds festival: How to get it
Key Points
- Vodafone is running a free seven-day eSIM trial at Reading and Leeds festivals
- The trial includes 50GB of data, 500 minutes and 500 texts
- Activation is by QR code on site, installed through the My Vodafone app
- Non-Vodafone customers only, and an eSIM-compatible smartphone is required
- Numbers stay the same and the existing SIM card does not need removing
Vodafone is giving non-customers at Pepsi MAX presents Reading and Leeds a free seven-day eSIM trial carrying 50GB of data.
The trial runs on the combined Vodafone and Three network, which the operator markets as the Nation’s Network.
The allowance covers the full seven days from activation:
- 50GB of data
- 500 minutes
- 500 texts
Activation runs through a QR code posted at both festival sites, and the eSIM then installs through the My Vodafone app.
The offer is open to non-Vodafone mobile customers only, and it needs an eSIM-compatible smartphone to work.
Festivalgoers keep their existing number for the duration, and they do not have to remove their current SIM card.
Vodafone extended the trial to six festivals in July, taking in Reading and Leeds, Klarna presents Latitude, Camp Bestival presented by Debenhams, Audi presents Wilderness, Kendal Calling and Boardmasters. The company ran the same offer at Download Festival in June.
Vodafone is Official Connectivity Partner at both Reading and Leeds, and it has raised 5G capacity across the two sites.
The operator has switched on 5G+, its 5G Standalone service, at the festivals as well. A local network slice at its Check-in and Chips activation delivers assured speeds of 80 Mbps downlink and 20 Mbps uplink.
Vodafone said 5G+ ran 2.6 times faster than EE and 1.80 times faster than O2 in CrowdSource testing carried out between January and June 2026, sourced by Accenture. It put the gap down to a spectrum split weighted towards higher frequencies, against rivals leaning on lower-frequency spectrum.
5G Standalone is only available on eligible price plans.
Reading festivalgoers can also use Vodafone’s Viewing Platform, which comes with free ice cream and free phone charging on a first come, first served basis. Leeds has a Connect and Charge area instead, with free WiFi for anyone taking a break between sets.
Power bank hire costs £15 for a single day and £30 for the whole weekend, with a £10 deposit refunded when the unit comes back. Everyone gets one swap a day, and Vodafone and Three customers get two additional free swaps across the weekend on a weekend hire.
The Check-in and Chips stand sits outside White Camping at Reading and closes on Sunday (30 August), running from 11am to 3pm each day. It hands out a free portion of chips, subject to availability, to anyone who records a short video message home.
Vodafone recruited broadcaster Zoe Ball to launch the activation on Thursday, with her daughter attending the festival for the first time this year.
“Connectivity is now a huge part of the festival experience — whether you’re sharing unforgettable moments, checking in with loved ones or finding friends in the crowd,” said Rob Winterschladen, Consumer Director at VodafoneThree.
VodafoneThree formed through the merger of Vodafone UK and Three UK in June 2025, and it is now the largest mobile network operator in the country. The company has committed £11 billion to reach 99% 5G Standalone population coverage by 2030 and 99.96% by 2034.
