5G mobile network in the UK: what is it, how fast will it be, when will it launch and more

The Chancellor has promised £16 million to develop the UK's 5G mobile network after 2020. Here's everything we know so far, including when it will launch and how fast it will be.

Chancellor Philip Hammond has announced £16 million investment to kickstart the UK's 5G mobile network for smartphones and other mobile devices.

The next-generation network will be able to handle more data, connect more devices and will result in faster internet access on phones and tablets. 

People will certainly be hoping that the rollout of 5G is more successful than its predecessor, 4G. 

At the moment mobile phone users can only experience 4G 53% of the time and the UK ranks just 54th in the world for 4G.

In this article, we'll look at everything we know so far about 5G technology and what we can expect from it.

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What is 5G?

In a nutshell: 5G is a faster, more reliable internet network for mobile phones and tablets.

It’s not yet clear just how fast 5G will be but, according to the telelecoms regulator Ofcom, devices will reach “extremely fast speeds between 10Gbps and 50Gbps – that means you could download a file ten times faster than on the 4G network. 

In reality, speeds will vary greatly depending on what commercial network you are on, what sort of device you are using and what coverage will be available where you live.

This is the case with 4G already, with some networks performing significantly worse than others.

When will I get 5G?

Ofcom expects the first commercially-available 5G products to launch in 2020, but some “pre-commercial deployments” are expected in 2018. 

Lots of companies like BT, Nokia and Ericsson are already trialling products, though none of them have announced released dates yet.

In the US, some mobile phone companies including AT&T and Verizon will start trialling the service on controlled sites as early as this year. 

In order to support 5G speeds, the current system will require a complete overhaul, which will obviously take a lot of time – and money.

Do I need 5G?

There is no easy answer to this question. 4G devices will continue to work and will probably be just fine, but as we keep using more data on our mobile devices networks will likely start to struggle. 

5G will not only make for faster browsing, it will also support many more users and devices.

As more and more of our things become connected to the web through the Internet of Things, we will need a better network to be able to use our smart kettles, smart TVs and smart fridges. 

In the future, 5G will also connect new technology such as driverless cars, and ensure they work without delays in signalling (which could be catastrophic). 

While many people are praising the Chancellor for investing in upgrading the mobile data network early, critics suggest perhaps we should make sure our current 4G system works well first. 

Given that the typical Brit can’t even get 4G half the time and there are many reported ‘data deserts’ around the country, many will be rankled by funds being diverted to the not-yet-developed 5G network.

However, as the needs arise, perhaps Mr Hammond’s early investment will be viewed as a wise move in the long term. 

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