Orange is the most reliable mobile phone operator in the UK, according to telecoms watchdog Oftel.

Its latest test of the UK's four mobile network operators found that Orange managed to connect and complete 97.8 per cent of all calls made on its network.

Overall, almost 97 per cent of all calls were connected and completed successfully.

The test was carried out between October 2001 and March 2002 and involved operators making at least 20,000 calls during this period.

The results, which are available here also show regional differences in mobile operators' performance.

Anyhow, Oftel reckons the research will help the UK's 46 million mobile phone users make better choices about which mobile network they sign up to.

"What might be the best network for somebody living in Scotland, might not be the best network for someone living in the South East of England. Consumers can use these surveys to compare the performance of the different phone companies in their area," said David Edmonds, the big cheese at Oftel, in a statement. ®