O2 has rolled out its 5G network in 53 new towns and cities across the UK, pulling ahead of its rival EE to become the nation’s biggest provider of ultra-fast mobile internet.
The new locations include Birmingham, Durham and Portsmouth, bringing O2’s total number of locations with 5G to 150.
5G is the newest generation of mobile communication technology, offering data speeds several times faster than 4G.
The network also allows for larger amounts of data to be transferred at once, which could one day help power technologies such as fully autonomous cars.
The 5G network is now available in a range of locations across the UK
O2 has rolled out its 5G network in 53 new towns and cities across the UK, taking it ahead of its rival EE to become the nation’s biggest provider of the ultra-fast internet
WHAT IS 5G?
5G is the newest generation of mobile communication technology, offering data speeds several times than 4G.
The network also allow for larger amounts of data to be transferred at once, which could one day help power technologies such as fully autonomous cars.
For most consumers, 5G will allow you to carry out tasks on your smartphone more quickly and efficiently.
For example, EE claims that it takes just under 37 seconds to download a 600MB film using its 5G network!
However, 5G could also open the door to a world of futuristic technologies.
For example, the increased speed and lower latency could allow driverless cars to communicate with one another, while the network could also lead to more immersive VR and AR experiences.
O2’s new 5G locations include Bournemouth, Cheltenham, Doncaster and Southampton, while the network has significantly increased its 5G coverage footprint in bigger cities such as London, Birmingham, Glasgow, Bristol, Liverpool and Manchester.
Derek McManus, Chief Operating Officer at O2 said: ‘We are delighted with the progress of our 5G rollout and to be able to offer customers in over 150 locations the benefits of our high-speed network.
‘Once again we are facing tough lockdown restrictions and we are focused on ensuring we meet the demand for increased network capacity and reliability to keep everyone connected during this time.
‘We’re also proud of leading the charge from an environmental point of view, with 67% of our estate powered by renewable energy as we work with landlords to encourage usage of more renewable sources.’
Meanwhile, EE has switched on its 5G network in a further 13 towns across the UK, including Leamington Spa, Middlesbrough, St Albans and Ipswich.
Marc Allera, CEO of BT’s Consumer business, said: ‘Our award-winning 5G service is now available in 125 towns and cities across the UK, and our rollout continues so we can bring the best mobile experience to even more people and places.’
For most consumers, 5G will allow you to carry out tasks on your smartphone more quickly and efficiently.
For example, EE claims that it takes just under 37 seconds to download a 600MB film using its 5G network.
However, 5G could also open the door to a world of futuristic technologies.
For example, the increased speed and lower latency could allow driverless cars to communicate with one another, while the network could also lead to more immersive VR and AR experiences.
EE’s 5G network is now available in 125 towns and cities across the UK, including London, Edinburgh and Glasgow
If you want to use EE and O2’s 5G networks, you’ll need to have a 5G-connected smartphone.
EE currently offers nine 5G smartphones on contract, including the iPhone 12, Samsung Galaxy S20 5G and Motorola G 5G Plus, while O2 has six options.
IS 5G AVAILABLE IN YOUR AREA?
Both O2 and EE have expanded their 5G networks this week:
O2 5G locations:
Aberdeen
Ambleside
Ashford
Aughton
Aylesbury
Banstead
Basildon
Basingstoke
Beaconsfield
Bedford
Belfast
Bilston
Birkenhead
Birmingham
Blackburn
Blackpool
Blaydon
Bolton
Bournemouth
Bradford
Bradley Stoke
Bridge of Don
Brighton
Bristol
Brombourgh
Bury St Edmunds
Byfleet
Cambridge
Cardiff
Chadwell St Mary
Chatham
Chelmsford
Cheltenham
Chesterfield
Chipstead
Clacton-on-Sea
Colchester
Coventry
Darlington
Dartford
Derby
Dewsbury
Dinas Powis
Doncaster
Dudley
Dundee
Dunstable
Durham
Dyce
Eastbourne
Edinburgh
Egham
Epsom
Esher
Eton and Windsor
Falmer
Gateshead
Gatton Bottom
Gillingham
Glasgow
Gloucester
Gravesend
Grays
Great Yarmouth
Halifax
Harlington
Harlow
Hastings
Hebburn
Hemel Hempstead
Hextable
High Wycombe
Hove
How Wood
Huddersfield
Hull
Inverness
Ipswich
Iver Heath
Jarrow
Lancaster
Leeds
Leicester
Lincoln
Lisburn
Liverpool
Llandudno
London
Longford
Loughborough
Lowestoft
Luton
Maidstone
Manchester
Mansfield
Middlesbrough
Milton Keynes
Monifieth
Morley
Musselburgh
New Denham
Newbury
Newcastle Upon Tyne
Newtownabbey
North Shields
Northampton
Norwich
Nottingham
Nuneaton
Orpington
Oxford
Peterborough
Plymouth
Portsmouth
Potters Bar
Rainham
Reading
Redhill
Rochdale
Rotherham
Royal Tunbridge Wells
Rugby
Salford
Sheffield
Shepperton Green
Slough
Solihull
South Shields
Southampton
Southend-On-Sea
Staines
Stevenage
Stockport
Stockton
Stoke-on-Trent
Stranraer
Strathclyde
Sunbury
Sunderland
Swansea
Swindon
Thundersley
Tynemouth
Wakefield
Warrington
Washington
Watford
Wavetree
West Bromwich
Weybridge
Whickham
Whitley Bay
Wolverhampton
Worthing
York
EE 5G locations:
Aberdeen
Birmingham
Belfast
Bath
Bristol
Cardiff
Chelmsford
Coventry
Edinburgh
Glasgow
Hull
Leicester
Liverpool
London
Leeds
Lichfield
Lisburn
Manchester
Newcastle
Nottingham
Oxford
Plymouth
Salford
Sheffield
Stirling
Sunderland
Wakefield
Wolverhampton
Aldershot
Altrincham
Ashford
Ashton-under-Lyne
Barrhead
Belshill
Birkenhead
Blackpool
Borehamwood
Bransholme
Brentwood
Burton-upon-Trent
Bury
Cannock
Castleford
Castlereagh
Chatham
Cheshunt
Chesterfield
Chester-le-Street
Chorley
Clevedon
Clifton (Notts)
Clydebank
Crawley
Cumbernauld
Dartford
Dinnington
Doncaster
Dudley
Epsom
Gillingham
Grays
Grimsby
Guildford
Halifax
Hamilton
Harlow
Hoddesdon
Huddersfield
Ilkeston
Inchinnan
Ipswich
Jarrow
Kimberley
Kingston-upon-Thames
Leamington Spa
Loughborough
Loughton
Maidstone
Middlesbrough
Milnrow
Minster
Mirfield
Motherwell
Neath
Newton-le-Willows
Northampton
North Shields
Nuneaton
Oldham
Paisley
Pontefract
Porthcawl
Portishead
Potters Bar
Rochdale
Rochester
Romford
Rotherham
Rugeley (West Midlands)
Shipley
Solihull
Southend-on-Sea
South Shields
Stafford
St Albans
Staines-upon-Thames
Stevenage
Stockport
Sutton Coldfield
Swadlincote
Swinton
Sydenham
Tamworth
Walsall
West Bromwich
Waltham Abbey
Waltham Cross
Walton-on-Thames
Warwick
Washington
Watford
Westhoughton
Weston-Super-Mare
Weybridge
Wickford
