- O2 continues UK 5G rollout, switching on first 5G masts in major cities including Manchester, Birmingham, and Glasgow
- 5G hotspots now live in 20 cities across the UK and O2’s HQ in Slough
- 5G available on O2’s revolutionary ‘custom plans’ tariffs, with unlimited data, and no 5G premium
- Strengthening of the 4G network remains a priority, with over £2m invested a day
31st December 2019: O2 has connected multiple major cities to its 5G network by turning on the first of its 5G hotspots in 13 new locations, fulfilling its commitment to switch-on a total of 20 places by the end of 2019.
O2 launched its 5G service in October, in: London, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Belfast, Leeds and Slough. It subsequently switched on 5G hotspots in Leicester and Lisburn in November and now customers in Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, Liverpool, Newcastle, Bradford, Sheffield, Coventry, Nottingham, Norwich, Bristol, Derby and Stoke are also connected to the network. This takes the total number of cities across the UK with access to O2’s 5G network to 20*, plus O2’s HQ in Slough, ahead of the new year.
O2’s 5G network has no premium, and offers its ‘Limitless’ tariff, offering consumers unlimited data browsing, as well as its existing custom plans, which will ensure customers have the flexibility to take advantage of 5G on their terms.
O2’s 5G rollout will continue to reach customers, with a plan to reach a total of 50 locations by summer 2020. The new offering will supplement rather than replace today’s award-winning 4G network. O2 invests over £2m a day in its network, laying strong foundations for the 5G service.
For O2 customers in Windsor, Eton, Reading, Blackpool, Bournemouth and Guildford, the January blues will be offset by the promise of 5G, with O2 aiming to commence rollout by the end of March. Those wanting to know where they can access 5G can visit O2’s coverage checker to get the latest information.
Derek McManus, COO, Telefónica UK, said: “We were incredibly proud to switch on our 5G network in October, and it is brilliant to hit our target of 20 towns and cities connected to our next-generation network as we head into 2020. Our range of tariffs make it easy and fair for customers to access 5G, with flexible plans that cost no more than 4G. I believe 5G is going to revolutionise the way people and businesses use mobile connectivity, unlocking huge possibilities for our economy and society. We’re excited about getting it into the hands of our customers across the UK, and continuing to work with our partners to help shape the future of 5G for the next generation.”
Welcome to the 5th Generation
Customers can be part of O2’s 5th Generation network by selecting a 5G tariff that suits them, including an unlimited data option. What’s more, customers on a custom plan are always 5G ready and can choose to upgrade to a 5G phone when the time’s right for them.
Flexible plans and unlimited 5G data
Our 5G custom plans put customers in control so they can build a plan that suits their needs. They can choose their upfront cost, the 5G data allowance they need and choose how to spread the remaining cost between 3 and 36 months, as well as having the option to flex their 5G data allowance up or down every month to suit their needs. This gives customers the flexibility to be part of the 5th Generation on their terms.
5th Generation Extras
5G will enhance the live streaming experience with improved speed, greater capacity and reduced latency. New and upgrading customers can choose from three or six month memberships to use our 5th generation network to enjoy a broad range of digital perks and content services with ‘O2 extras’. Building on the ground-breaking custom plans, customers can take their pick from Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Music Unlimited, Audible, Cafeyn, Calm, MelodyVR or O2 International Bolt-on. For more information visit O2 extras
5G Phones
O2 has a broad range of 5G phones for customers to choose from; Samsung Galaxy S10 5G; Samsung Galaxy Note10+ 5G; Samsung Galaxy A90 (5G); OPPO Reno 5G; Huawei Mate 20 X 5G; and the Xiaomi Mi MIX 3 5G. See our 5G phones
O2 is also working with businesses in the construction, retail, transport and utility sectors to understand how businesses will benefit from 5G. These include the testing of autonomous vehicles in Greenwich, working with the European Space Agency, providing connectivity to ‘smart’ ambulances and creating ‘remote AR experts’ with Northumbrian Water.
5G network roll-out and ongoing 4G investment
O2’s 5G network infrastructure is being rolled out in partnership with primary vendors Ericsson and Nokia, following a competitive tender earlier this year.
The new 5G network supplements O2’s existing 4G connectivity, which remains the backbone of the network. O2 currently offers 4G in over 19,000 cities, towns and villages across the UK and in the second half of 2019 it has upgraded 4G capacity in almost 100,000 UK postal codes. In total, O2 is now investing over £2m a day in its network.
Earlier this year, O2 announced that it had partnered with other operators to develop the Shared Rural Network (SRN) proposal to increase total UK geographic coverage from 67% to 92%, which was recently backed by the government.
*For more information on 5G and a full list of locations please visit the O2 website
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