Everything that you need to know about 5G in the UK

Whilst it may seem like 4G availability is still far from universal, the major UK carriers are already starting to roll out their 5G networks. This new technology promises faster download speeds that could, in some cases, outstrip the broadband speed available in your home. New Samsung Galaxy models and iPhones that support 5G standards are either on the market already or coming soon and the upgrade will impact you whether you’re looking for new mobile contracts or a new phone.

The pricing model

Some UK carriers, such as Vodafone and EE, are expected to use the launch of 5G as an excuse to create a new and premium tier of services. Vodafone has already announced that there will be a throttled version of its 5G services available at a lower price, only customers who choose to upgrade their service and pay more for their mobile phone contract will be able to take full advantage of their 5G service. The Three network, on the other hand, has decided that all customers will be upgraded to the new 5G service as soon as they have a mobile handset that is capable of supporting it. This means that customers who are using a SIM-only deal for instance that offers good value will not have to move to a new contract in order to receive 5G service from Three.

Where will 5G service be available?

As with the 4G rollout, 5G service will initially be concentrated in major cities in the UK. This means that customers who spend time in the city centre of Manchester, London, Edinburgh and other large cities will be among the first who can use 5G services. Rollout to other parts of the country is likely to take a little longer, although it is likely that towns along major transport corridors will be able to access the service more quickly. With even 3G service still tricky to get hold of in some parts of the country, the rollout process for 5G is likely to be a long one.

Photo: iPhone by vreimunde licensed under Creative commons 4