O2 reveals 5G launch date, will go live in six locations – here’s when and where
O2 will launch its 5G network in October, months after arch-rivals EE and Vodafone got the next-gen networking tech running.
The first locations to see O2’s 5G network are Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh, London, Slough and Leeds. O2 has promised the rollout will see 5G go live in 20 towns and cities before the end of the year, with the goal of 50 locations by the summer of 2020.
Related: 5G in the UK
You can checkout the full list of 2019 O2 5G locations:
- Belfast
- Blackpool
- Bournemouth
- Bristol
- Cardiff
- Coventry
- Derby
- Edinburgh
- Eton
- Guildford
- Leeds
- Leicester
- Lisburn
- London
- Norwich
- Nottingham
- Reading
- Slough
- Stoke
- Windsor
Related: Best 5G phones
If you’re looking a little further ahead here’s the full list of summer 2020 O2 5G locations:
- Aberdeen
- Bradford
- Brighton
- Birkenhead
- Birmingham
- Cambridge
- Glasgow
- Hove
- Kingston
- Liverpool
- Luton
- Manchester
- Milton Keynes
- Newbury
- Newcastle
- Northampton
- Plymouth
- Portsmouth
- Sheffield
- Southampton
- Sunderland
- Warrington
- Wolverhampton
O2 says it will be focusing on providing 5G in locations that will benefit customers the most. O2 will specifically target locations like The O2 and Twickenham Stadium as well as transport hubs, key business areas and other entertainment venues.
The Samsung Galaxy S10 5G will be the first 5G phone O2 customers can purchase on the network – available from August 8. The Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G will follow later in August.
O2 custom plan customers will be able to move onto 5G at any time. Customers who aren’t yet ready to upgrade their phone can trade it in later to go towards a 5G handset any time after the launch of the 5G network.
Related: What is 5G?
The 5G rollout reveal comes on the back of the announcement of a partnership between Vodafone and O2. The two networks will be working together to bring improved 5G speeds to their customers.
Vodafone launched its own 5G network on July 3. The 5G network launched in seven cities with 12 more planned before the end of 2019.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.