Vodafone switches on 5G network in seven UK cities

Vodafone has become the second UK mobile operator to turn on its 5G network, offering faster speeds and the opportunity for new services.

The network is going live in seven UK cities, including Cardiff, London, Manchester and Glasgow.

Making a success of the service could be crucial to the firm which has seen financial losses and customer complaints in recent years.

5G networks offer more capacity than 4G with speeds up to 100 times faster.

It could also help support new technologies such as artificial intelligence, the internet of things, robotics, connected cities and self-driving cars.

The three other cities to benefit are Birmingham, Bristol and Liverpool.

Twelve additional towns and cities will follow later this year – Birkenhead, Blackpool, Bournemouth, Guildford, Newbury, Portsmouth, Plymouth, Reading, Southampton, Stoke-on-Trent, Warrington and Wolverhampton.

Vodafone is the first UK provider to offer 5G roaming in Germany, Spain and Italy.

Business director of Vodafone UK, Anne Sheehan, said: “5G is a game-changer for the economy and UK businesses. We are committed to helping our customers take advantage of this technology by making it widely available in the UK and through roaming. We want to help UK businesses become global leaders and 5G will play an important role in achieving that aim.”

Vodafone is offering three pricing options for SIM only:

• Unlimited Max: £30 per month, giving…