What is 5G and where can I get 5G in the UK?

5G arrived in the UK in 2019, with mobile networks and handset makers alike competing to offer the much-hyped technology as part of their line-up.

Adoption is increasing rapidly, but with lightning-fast speeds just the tip of the iceberg, 5G still has some way to go to reach its full potential. Read on for more on the latest standard, including how to get it on your phone, and whether any of the rumours around safety are to be believed.

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What is 5G?

5G is the fifth generation of mobile wireless communication technology and the successor to the popular 4G standard. Mobile communication technology has come a long way from 1G in the late 1970s – and 5G is another giant leap forwards.

From 1G to 5G: a brief history:

• 1979 First tests of wireless mobile communications start in Tokyo, Japan and 1G is born. Mobile signals are still analogue at this stage  
• 1992 Mobile signals are digitised and 2G is introduced, offering mobile consumers the ability to send text messages to each other. Mobiles are also able to utilise rudimentary internet services 
• 2002 3G networks start to go live, offering mobile consumers the ability to use web services much more efficiently and GPS location-based services 
• 2009 4G launches, offering much faster data usage as well as vast improvements in voice and video call quality 
• 2019 5G-enabled equipment begins to be introduced with a view to commercial models being available by the end of the year
• 2025 The market share of 5G-enabled smartphones is forecasted to be 93%.

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Is my phone 5G ready?

The majority of the main Android mobile phone brands have now announced 5G handsets, and Apple followed suit with the release of the iPhone 12 range.

Initially, 5G was only reserved for the most expensive, premium handsets in the range, but is now available on far cheaper devices. 

If you're shopping around for a 5G phone, bear in mind you'll need a 5G-enabled data connection as part of your bundle, which can be more expensive, especially if you end up using more data.

Browse our mobile phone reviews to see how phones with 5G connectivity fared in our test labs.

How fast is 5G?

If we look at how much faster 5G could be than 4G, 5G is theoretically capable of reaching maximum speeds of 10Gbp/s, which would download an HD (750MB) movie in less than a second and a 4K Movie (100GB) in less than 90 seconds.

When comparing these speeds with 4G you get a sense of just how fast 5G is. 4G, which has a maximum speed of 100Mbps would download an HD movie in one minute and take more than two hours to download a 4K movie – making 5G possibly 100x times faster.

• 4G - 60 seconds to download an HD film
• 5G - 0.6 seconds to download an HD film

However, It should be noted these speeds are based on theory and optimum conditions. The latest analysis of 4G speeds by Opensignal shows that the highest average 4G speeds would download an HD Movie in a little more than three minutes, quite a lot slower than the maximum would suggest.

5G speeds should also be slowed down by real-world constraints, similar to how 4G is, and real-world speeds are likely to be much lower than the maximums. Consumers should, however, see vastly better speeds than they are currently used to with 4G.

Is 5G faster than wi-fi?

It certainly has the potential to be – though this can be dependent on factors like the speed of the broadband connection that powers the wi-fi network, distance from the router, and the strength of the 5G signal in your area. As you'll see below, 5G has the potential to replace home broadband, so in the right circumstances it can be an effective alternative. 

Can 5G replace my home broadband?

With 5G seemingly capable of far higher speeds than fixed home broadband and much lower latency (which measures the amount of time it takes for a data request such as clicking a link to be registered on the network), frustrated homes with subpar broadband speeds can perhaps see 5G as the answer to all their bad connectivity issues.

Similarly, 4G can deliver home broadband for people who might struggle to find a suitable conventional broadband connection. This 'mobile broadband' is delivered through a wi-fi dongle that's connected to a device such as a laptop, or through a router unit that can connect multiple devices.

For more information, read our guide to 4G and 5G mobile broadband, and check our mobile broadband deals to see how much it might cost you.

What other applications does 5G have?

5G has many other potential uses other than in telecoms:

• Driverless cars – 5G’s increased speed and lower latency will mean driverless cars can communicate with each other much quicker and avoid potentially fatal collisions.
• Internet of Things – with such high capacity, 5G could allow various appliances and machines to talk and interact, allowing for futuristic ‘smart cities’ where vehicles, traffic infrastructure, home appliance can all talk to each other in real time.
• Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) experiences – 5G could also allow for much more immersive VR and AR experiences, offering the potential for products which are currently quite hard to imagine, such as contact lenses that respond to what you're looking at (for example, telling you the weather when you look at the sky).

Is 5G dangerous?

Despite there being suggestions that 5G carries physical risks, there has yet to be any serious evidence that 5G is indeed dangerous, despite what conspiracy theory blogs might say.

Studies from organisations including the World Health Organisation (WHO), Public Health England and the UK Health Protection Agency have all shown that 5G isn’t harmful to health.

For more information, read our story on Is 5G safe?