O2 has announced that it will be launching 5G to the network in October. It plans to launch 5G in Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh, London, Slough and Leeds to start with. By summer 2020, O2 expects to expand to 50 towns and cities. O2 will be the last mobile provider to launch 5G.
Key locations for 5G with O2 will include train stations, business hubs and entertainment and sports venues including The O2 and Twickenham Stadium.
O2 is owned by Spain’s Telefonica, which has used Huawei’s infrastructure in some of its other networks. However, they have decided to use rival products from two vendors it had already used to deliver 4G to do their 5G.
Mark Evans, CEO, Telefónica UK, said: “5G is going to be a game changer for our country. Whether it’s for people or businesses, the power of this next-generation network is going to unlock a world of possibilities for our economy and society.
“As we switch on our network across the country, our intelligence-led roll-out prioritises the key areas in towns and cities first – the places where our customers need, and will use, 5G the most. We’re also giving our customers maximum flexibility with our industry-leading custom plans, letting people adopt 5G at a time that’s right for them.”
Ernest Doku, mobiles expert at uSwitch.com, added: “Faster speeds and better connectivity are always real draws for smartphone users and there is little doubt that 5G is a significant step forward for the telecoms industry.
“But O2 still hasn’t told consumers know how its 5G services will be priced. Customers will value competitive pricing highly, so will not be able to make an informed decision on which 5G provider to choose until all the information is available to them.
“This launch is especially good news for Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh, London, Slough and Leeds, and it is encouraging to see how O2 is planning to use the new technology to resolve existing capacity issues in busy areas – particularly transport hubs.
“However, there remains a risk that the 5G roll-out could worsen the UK’s digital divide. The launch areas generally already enjoy superior connectivity to much of the rest of the country, and concerns abound that 5G will not address issues like ‘not spots’, or at least not in the immediate future.”
