Lidl to launch budget mobile network across Spain

Popular low-cost supermarket chain Lidl is about to roll out a budget mobile service across 30 countries, with Spain being one of the first to be offered the new service. The German supermarket titan is reportedly expected to expand its mobile service to Lidl Plus users, allowing them to sign up and get cheaper access to data, calls and texts.

Expanding to 30 more countries including the UK and Spain

Lidl already offers smartphone SIM plans in countries including Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Now, the supermarket chain is preparing to offer the service to dozens of additional countries, including Spain, France, the UK, and the US.

Rather than building its own network or 5G masts to serve its customers, the Lidl mobile network will be a Mobile Virtual Network Operator, or MVNO, and lease from main infrastructure providers including EE, O2, Three, or Vodafone. Other examples of MVNOs include Tesco and Lebara.

As reported by the Financial Times, the owner of Lidl, Schwarz Group, has already signed an agreement with major worldwide mobile communications provider, 1GLOBAL, which already operates in Spain using Orange’s network.

A welcome change for 100 million loyal Lidl customers: Low-cost groceries and data

Lidl’s new mobile venture would give iPhone and Android users a low-cost choice for a SIM for their devices, a change that will be welcome with rising costs of grocery baskets and expensive phone bills. Since the mobile service is being launched exclusively for Lidl Plus users, the grocery giant could start advertising data in bundles along with its money-saving grocery deals in a widespread loyalty rewards service.

As the Lidl Plus app already boasts 100 million users worldwide, the idea could also pit Lidl up against some of the big names in mobile phone services, and provide customers with a viable low-cost alternative.

There is still no launch date for the service.