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

The 5G network is now available in a range of locations across the UK

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

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

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. 

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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

EE's 5G network is now available in 125 towns and cities across the UK, including London, Edinburgh and Glasgow

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

 

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This post first appeared on Dailymail.co.uk

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