The anticipated 5G network has finally arrived in the UK! There may be a slight delay depending on your network, location and choice of device.
Mobile network giant EE is the first to tap into the revolutionary 5G network. EE customers have been taking advantage of 5G since 30th May 2019 in the busiest areas in the UK.
Stay tuned and we’ll fill you in with all the information you need to ensure a smooth and hassle-free transition onto the new high-speed network.
What is 5G?
5G is the fifth generation of mobile networks and it has finally arrived in the UK. It’s the predecessor of previous mobile generations 2G, 3G and 4G. At the moment, the majority of the population operates under the 4G and 4G technology, and it has been speculated that the 5G is set to be much faster and reliable.
Unlike the previous generations, the 5G network is said to be the ultimate network by any single form of technology.
Where and when will 5G rollout in the UK?
The service has already been launched in approximately 6 cities by EE, while other major mobile networks have set a date and location prior to the launch. In the chart below compiled by 5g.co.uk, you’ll find the availability of each launch cities by the mobile providers.
| Mobile Operator | Launch Date | Launch Cities |
 | Launched on 30th May, 2019 | Cardiff, Edinburgh, Belfast, Birmingham, London and Manchester with 10 more getting 5G during 2019. More on EE’s 5G launch |
 | Summer 2019 | Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh and London. More on O2’s 5G launch |
 | August 2019 | London, then 24 more during 2019. More on Three’s 5G launch |
 | 3rd July, 2019 | Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, Liverpool, London, Manchester, then 12 more during 2019. |
Without a doubt, the latest network will most likely cover the whole of the UK in the next couple of months. The revolutionary network will fully commence in 2020, and widespread coverage in the UK may take another 3 years from now while early testing is still in place.
The revolutionary network will fully commence in 2020, and widespread coverage in the UK may take another 3 years from now while early testing is still in place.
What are the benefits of the 5G network?
EE claims that users should see an increased speed between 100-150Mbps faster than the current 4G network and the total speed may exceed the 1Gbps threshold.
Other networks will follow up and try to increase the speed to stay ahead of the competitive realm. The advantages of 5G are considerable because the network will enable the following functions:
- Remote-controlled passenger vehicles
- Wireless Virtual Reality (VR) headsets
- Remote surgery
The network will be able to handle huge data traffic from a diverse and developing range of devices and software Thus, it will create a faster data transfer in both uploads and downloads.
Additionally, amongst many corporations and households, voice and video communication will be of higher quality which includes safety. Again, here we have a datable with the average download speed of a full HD (High Definition) film.
| Network type | Max download speeds | Time to download a full HD film |
| 3G | 384Kbps | Over a day |
| 4G | 100Mbps | Over 7 minutes |
| 4G+ | 300Mbps | 2.5 minutes |
| 5G | 1-10Gbps (theoretical) | 4-40 seconds |
The table shows how fast the new network is and what’s really to expect. In other words, the user experience will heighten tenfold.
The 5G network will indeed be a revolutionary phenomenon in the next few years, which in turn will make our lives efficiently easier. Flexsimba offers a Sim-only mobile plan, also known as the Flexsimba Plan which starts from only £10 for unlimited texts, 1000 minutes and 2GB Data.
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