5G cities: where are the new networks availablein the UK?
O2 switches on its next-generation ultra-fast mobile service
O2 has finally switched on its 5G mobile network, becoming the third major provider in the UK to move over to the next-generation connection.
The mobile provider has switched on its high-speed network in six cities, including London and Edinburgh, and plans to add a further 14 to the roster by the end of the year, Metro reports. By summer 2020, the company hopes to have connected 50 cities to the network.
The provider will open the network up to all of its users, while new customers will be “offered 5G plans in the same price point as current 4G options”, the news site says. However, users will need a 5G-compatible phone to make use of the faster connection speeds.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The news comes five months after EE flicked the switch on its 5G network in May, which was swiftly followed by Vodafone activating its network a month later.
Three has also released its own 5G network, albeit in a slightly different state to those on offer through rival firms.
As reported by TechRadar, the service provider is only offering 5G as part of a home broadband connection. What’s more, the network is only on offer for homes in certain areas in London, though it intends to add more cities to the service over the coming months.
Here are all the details about 5G networks, as well as where - and how - to connect to them:
What is 5G?
In short, 5G is a new generation of wireless connection that promises download speeds that are greater than traditional broadband networks for mobile users on the go.
Not only is the network far faster than today’s 4G services, the new technology is capable of handling more data and can connect more devices simultaneously, says Wired.
EE predicts that customers will see download speeds of between 100mbps to 150mbps in “busy network areas” when they switch over to a 5G plan, says the Daily Express.
To put that into perspective, EE says on its website that 4G customers can expect around 8mbps to 10mbps download speeds.
Meanwhile, Trusted Reviews says the average home broadband network in 2018 offered download speeds of 46.2mbps. Customers can take out broadband contracts with speeds of up to 1,000mbps, but these are considerably more expensive.
Which cities are getting 5G in 2019?
EE customers who move over to a 5G plan can access the next-generation network in Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, London and Manchester, The Independent reports.
The network provider hopes to extend its coverage to 1,500 sites by the end of the year, which includes the “busiest parts” of Bristol, plus Coventry, Glasgow, Hull, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Nottingham and Sheffield, the news site adds.
Vodafone, meanwhile, has launched its 5G network across seven cities: Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, Manchester, Liverpool and London, Pocket-lint reports.
The company will add 12 more cities - Birkenhead, Blackpool, Bournemouth, Guildford, Newbury, Portsmouth, Plymouth, Reading, Southampton, Stoke-on-Trent, Warrington - to its 5G network “imminently”, the tech site says.
O2 has connected six cities - Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Leeds, London and Slough - to its network across the UK.
Is Huawei involved?
In a word, yes. Despite Huawei being “embroiled in controversy” over allegations that its network infrastructure kits “may be used by China to spy on foreign states”, The Daily Telegraph says, the tech giant is currently permitted to operate in Britain.
In May, Vodafone revealed that it would be using equipment provided by Huawei to underpin its 5G network infrastructure.
EE, however, hasn’t revealed whether Huawei’s infrastructure kits, which are widely regarded as the most advanced 5G systems available, feature on its new network.
That being said, both EE and Vodafone have temporarily stopped sales of Huawei smartphones that are compatible with 5G networks, including the upcoming Mate 20 X, The Guardian reports.
What phones are 5G-compatible?
There are currently four smartphones on offer through EE that are 5G-compatible and two with Vodafone.
EE customers can pick from the OnePlus 7 Pro 5G, the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G, Oppo Reno 5G and LG V50 ThinQ. Vodafone users, meanwhile, can only choose between the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G and the Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G.
But there are a host of new models on the way, including the tablet-style Samsung Galaxy Note 10 and the Moto Z3, says T3.
Unfortunately for Apple fans, there currently isn’t a 5G-compatible iPhone on sale and the latest rumours suggest the tech firm may wait until next year to release one.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
'Epic meltdown'
Today's Newspapers A roundup of the headlines from the US front pages
By The Week Staff Published
-
The World of Tim Burton: a 'creepy, witty and visually ravishing' exhibition
The Week Recommends Sprawling show at the Design Museum features over 600 exhibits from across the directors' five-decade career from early sketches to costumes and props
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK Published
-
Crossword: October 31, 2024
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
Why the UK phone signal is so poor
Under The Radar Having trouble connecting? A lack of investment, planning rules and even your home could be to blame
By Elizabeth Carr-Ellis, The Week UK Published
-
Our way or the Huawei: will China retaliate over 5G tech ban?
In Depth Chinese state media warns of ‘painful’ response to UK’s ‘ill-founded’ decision
By Arion McNicoll Last updated
-
Which countries have 5G?
In Depth Rollout of the high-speed wireless technology has caused controversy across the globe
By Asya Likhtman Published
-
Fact check: behind the 5G conspiracy theories
In Depth Scientists dismiss any link between mobile technology and coronavirus pandemic
By The Week Staff Last updated
-
Huawei banned: the risks and benefits of Chinese 5G tech
Speed Read UK’s mobile providers banned from buying Huawei 5G equipment after 31 December
By The Week Staff Last updated
-
US says using Huawei in UK 5G network would be ‘madness’
Speed Read Ministers told allowing Chinese firm access would risk intelligence sharing
By The Week Staff Published
-
Samsung Galaxy S11 news: design, five-lens camera and more
In Depth The iPhone 11 rival is being touted as the Korean firm’s ‘nuclear weapon’ for 2020
By The Week Staff Published
-
Samsung ‘clamshell’ concept: does it signal the return of the flip phone?
In Depth South Korean tech giant still betting on foldable screens despite teething problems
By The Week Staff Published