Ecotalk

Ecotalk: mobile phone service with profits dedicated to restoring nature

Ecotalk presents itself as the world's first mobile operator to use its profits to restore nature. Its business model, which the company calls "not for dividend", means it does not distribute dividends among shareholders and uses the revenue from mobile bills to give land back to nature, create habitats and restore British wildlife. The company operates on the UK mobile network, with 5G coverage as standard and no annual price increases.

Mobile plans and contractual conditions

Ecotalk's catalogue includes data plans with monthly contracts renewable every 30 days, with no early cancellation penalty. Among the options featured on the site are:

• 10 GB of data, unlimited messages and minutes in the UK for £12.00 per month.
• 30 GB of data, unlimited messages and minutes in the UK for £14.00 per month.
• Unlimited data, unlimited messages and minutes in the UK for £22.00 per month, with the first month at half price (£11.00).

The company was indicating a promotion of 100 GB for the price of 10 GB for three months for those who swapped their SIM, with a price of £12.00 per month instead of £18.00. The plans are marketed under the "Ethical Consumer Best Buy" label.

Commitment to ecosystem restoration

Ecotalk channels its profits into two main sites: Bowyers Wood, in East Sussex, and Downicary, in Devon. At Bowyers Wood, the company works on reintroduction, rewilding and replanting, with the collaboration of naturalist Chris Packham. At Downicary, a valley by the river with improved grasslands, the land is being transformed into wetlands and historic wet woodland. The company shares regular updates on wildlife in these areas, including live cameras and camera traps that have recorded species such as goshawks, buzzards and beavers.

Customer service and network

Customer service is provided from Gloucestershire, by telephone and email, with no chatbots or automated voices. The company states that customers can request a specific team member as their point of contact. The network used is what the company describes as the best in the UK, with the widest coverage and some of the fastest data speeds. Ecotalk encourages users to extend the life of their phones and to choose refurbished models to reduce the environmental impact of the device lifecycle.

SIM delivery and activation

After choosing a plan and ordering the SIM, it is sent by Royal Mail within three working days. Activation is the user's responsibility. The company does not offer home broadband service, as can be inferred from customer comments on the site.