Vodafone Expands UK’s 5G Network

Vodafone continues to expand its 5G network in the United Kingdom with the news that its 5G service is now live in 15 UK towns and cities.

Vodafone had only launched its 5G network earlier this month on 3 July, when it surprised many with competitively priced consumer and business packages, that included unlimited data.

Vodafone had initially launched its 5G networks in seven UK cities (Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, Manchester, Liverpool and London), but now it has been expanded to Birkenhead, Bolton, Gatwick, Lancaster, Newbury, Plymouth, Stoke-on-Trent and Wolverhampton.

5G network

Vodafone claims that its 5G network is available in more places than any other UK provider, and it is not just in the UK that it is offering the service.

Its 5G network will soon be live in 55 European towns and cities in total, with the addition of 20 towns and cities across Germany to the 35 places already on the 5G European roaming network.

Its 5G network will be located in a number of major European countries, including Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK.

“Vodafone’s global presence means we can provide our consumer and business customers with 5G in more destinations than any other UK provider,” said Vodafone UK CEO Nick Jeffery. “Combined with our new unlimited data plans, we are offering customers the best roaming experience ever. They won’t have to hunt for Wi-Fi or rely on often expensive and slow hotel connections; they can use their 5G smartphones to enjoy faster roaming.”

But Vodafone is not alone, as the UK already has a rival 5G network from EE, which launched its 5G network at the end of May.

Three UK is planning to switch on its 5G network in the UK in August.

World launches

There is little doubt that the UK is among the first batch of countries to launch 5G networks.

SK Telecom (South Korea) launched in April what it claimed was the world’s first commercial 5G network, spanning 85 cities.

But that claim was immediately disputed American carrier AT&T, which said it rolled out a “commercial and standards-based” 5G network (across 12 cities) in December last year.

Verizon in the US meanwhile switched on its 5G network in two cities on 11 April.

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