5GHB

5GHB is the UK's leading 5G home broadband comparison site, helping you to choose the best broadband for you and your family.

Why should you switch to O2 Home Broadband?

The latest O2 home broadband deals.

What does Three's Home Broadband Give You?

View Three's home broadband offers for your rental property, or family home.

A Look at the EE Home Broadband Service

EE's latest home broadband offers for a wire-free broadband experience.

Vodafone Home Broadband

A page about Vodafone 5g broadband deals for your home.

5GHB is here to compare 5G Home Broadband deals and offers from mobile phone providers such as EE, Vodafone, O2, and Three. Broadband at home no longer has to be from a traditional phone line from BT, Sky, Plusnet, nor fibre optic lines from vendors such as Virgin Media.

Vodafone logo EE logo three logo O2 logo

How does mobile broadband work?

The very same signals that mobile phones receive are how broadband (mobile) is delivered to your home. Four mobile operators (Three, Vodafone, EE, and O2) are responsible for the 3G, 4G, and 5G data signals that are wirelessly received in your home. In terms of the speed of network, 4G ranges from 15Mbps to 30Mbps, with lots of variations in location and network provider being the reason for the large difference. If you are unlucky enough to be located in a 3G area, then expect much lower download speeds. Of course, 5G is much, much faster than both 3G and 4G combined, allowing you to connect many more devices at the same time, without suffering noticeable slowdowns.

Which broadband companies provide mobile broadband?

The UK suppliers of mobile broadband services are EE, Three, Vodafone, and O2.

How do the alternatives compare to 5G broadband in terms of speed?

In the UK, the theoretical maximum speed of fibre broadband is 1Gbps, although this hasn't been rolled out as a mainstream offer (as yet). The most famous providers of this are Virgin Media. However, many places in the UK (residential and commercial), are still without access to fibre broadband, and have to make do with a traditional 'copper wire' phone line, or even ADSL to access the internet. 4G can also reach up to 300Mbps although 15-30Mbps is a more realistic estimate depending on which network you use, and the area that you are in.

Where is 5G Home Broadband Available?

Currently, 5G home broadband is starting to be implemented in locations all over the county. This is starting with larger metropolitan areas, and will expand further to smaller cities and larger towns in time, before being rolled out nationwide. 5G broadband is currently available in 57 major towns and cities, with a further 18 coverage areas planned for 2020. EE has the most areas with 5G home internet, covering 41 towns and cities in the UK, including London, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Belfast, Cardiff, Bristol, Coventry, Leicester, Liverpool, Glasgow, Hull, Leeds, Lichfield, Lisburn, Newcastle, Salford, Sheffield, Sunderland, Wakefield and Wolverhampton. Aberdeen, Cambridge, Gloucester, Peterborough, Portsmouth, Southampton and Worcester are all scheduled to receive 5G coverage on EE’s network in 2020. As an MVNO, BT also offers coverage to all of these areas via EE’s network, to give customers all over the UK high-speed 5G home broadband.

Generally, where 5G coverage is available, 5G home broadband will also be available, especially in high-density and major metropolitan areas where coverage is far more consistent than in smaller towns and cities.

Vodafone and VOXI offer coverage for 5G mobile broadband in the following 34 areas: Ambleside, Bebington, Birkenhead, Birmingham, Bootle, Bristol, Cardiff, Cheadle and Gatley, Droylsden, Eccles, Glasgow, Horwich, Huyton-with-Roby, Isle of Scilly, Lancaster, Liverpool, Llandudno, London, Manchester, Mangotsfield, Newbury, Paisley, Penarth, Plymouth, Prestwich, Rochdale, Salford, Solihull, Stockport, Stoke-on-Trent, Stretford, Wallasey, Warrington and Wolverhampton. These areas are relatively concentrated in the north of England, while other networks have focused on broader coverage nationwide, or concentrated coverage in London.

O2 offers 5G home broadband to 21 towns and cities in the UK, including areas like Derby, Norwich and Slough, which aren’t currently served by any other 5G network. O2 are also targeting specific landmarks and areas that frequently receive high traffic, including transport and business hubs in cities, and large sports and entertainment venues including The O2 and Twickenham Stadium, so that users can get 5G speeds even in busy areas. While this is slightly different from 5G home broadband capabilities, the increased 5G network coverage across the nation tells us that 5G is becoming increasingly mainstream as companies invest further in their high-speed networks.

Three 5G home broadband is currently only available in London.

Generally, while 5G isn’t likely to be available in smaller towns and rural areas for several years, for those of us in large cities and metropolitan areas, 5G home broadband is becoming a more viable option every day for 5G bandwidth, without wired broadband.

5G Home Internet On Different UK Networks

There are currently four main providers of 5G, and therefore 5G home broadband, in the UK: EE, Vodafone, Three and O2. MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators) are also starting to offer 5G.

EE was the first network to bring 5G to the UK, and currently has the widest 5G network, with 41 areas covered and a further 9 areas planned to receive coverage at some point in 2020. This network was the first 5G provider to go live, as they rolled out their network on May 30th 2019, starting with six major cities in the UK. EE 5G home broadband remains the largest 5G network, and is planning to expand to a number of large towns and suburbian areas of several UK cities.

Vodafone 5G offers coverage in 34 areas of the UK. VOXI also uses Vodafone’s network to offer 5G to its customers, so is able to offer the same areas of 5G coverage in the UK, as well as offering 5G roaming in areas of Germany, Spain, Italy and Ireland. Vodafone was the first network to offer 5G roaming, and is continuing to roll out 5G across Europe. When we include the additional 68 European 5G areas, Vodafone is the largest provider offering 5G coverage and home broadband in the UK.

O2 has a slightly smaller 5G offering, with 5G available in 21 areas of the UK. They have several unlimited data plans available, which they are upgrading to include 5G as it becomes increasingly prevalent. They are planning to offer 5G to a total of 50 areas by summer 2020.

Three is planning significant expansion from their current core 5G service across London, with 25 locations marked for 5G expansion.

How Good is 5G Broadband UK Coverage?

While network providers are continuously expanding the areas 5G is available in for home broadband, there are still issues with consistent 5G coverage. The majority of areas where 5G home broadband is available will not have blanket coverage, meaning that you can’t guarantee the consistency of a 5G connection on any network. However, this is always improving, and for most people in high-density areas of large towns and cities, 5G home broadband is a viable option right now!

MVNO’s And 5G Home Broadband

MVNO’s, or Mobile Virtual Network Operators, are providers that don’t own or run a physical network, and instead pay another provider for use of their core network. This means that if the core network doesn’t provide 5G in an area, neither can the MVNO. However, with all four of the core networks starting to roll out 5G, it is likely that we will see MVNOs starting this soon. Currently, BT and VOXI are the only MVNOs rolling out 5G services, though both Sky Mobile and Smarty are planning offerings in 2020.

Services like Plusnet 5G, Giffgaff, Asda Mobile, Tesco Mobile, Virgin Mobile, Lycamobile, ID Mobile and FreedomPop don’t currently have any 5G plans announced, however, we can be fairly confident about the areas they will service, based on the network they currently use to provide their service. For example, as Plusnet, ASDA Mobile and Virgin Mobile currently all use EE’s network, they will offer 5G service in the same areas.

News sources.

5G Broadband - Which networks offer 5G Broadband? (5g.co.uk) - 5G Home and Mobile Broadband has arrived in the UK. Enjoy broadband without a landline and enjoy superfast speeds.
5G home broadband: what is it and how much do deals cost? (techradar.com) - What 5G broadband means for UK mobile internet users
5G will let users 'ditch home broadband' (bbc.com) - The chief executive of Three UK says UK homes could benefit from giving up their fixed-line connections.
Three 5G Home Broadband Review: Unlimited Data & 100Mbps Speeds (kenstechtips.com) - Three is offering 5G home broadband for £35/month with 100Mbit/s download speeds and unlimited data. Read our full review.
Is 5G the future of home broadband? (uswitch.com) - With mobile network Three announcing the first 5G home broadband service, is home broadband set to accelerate?
Broadband internet vs 5G (itproportal.com) - We have tried to look at a few pros and cons of both to give you an idea of what to expect when the time comes to decide among the two.
Slow internet? EE is bringing its lightning-fast 5G speeds to home broadband (t3.com) - Plans start from £50 a month
BBC News tries out Three's 5G for the home (bbc.co.uk) - The service has launched today in London, but BBC reporter Chris Fox had problems with the signal.
5G on EE (ee.co.uk) - Welcome to 5G on EE. Discover everything you need to know about 5G on the UK's best network.
Three launches 5G home broadband from £35 a month (inews.co.uk) - The network claims its 5G will be more than twice as fast as its rivals' offerings
Three claims 5G will end fixed-line home broadband | IT PRO (itpro.co.uk) - The company's CEO says 5G will be a "genuine alternative" to separate home broadband
5G Home Broadband Will Be Twice As Fast, Half The Cost, Says Report (gizmodo.co.uk) - ...which was bankrolled by a 5G broadband provider.

Will fibre broadband be obsolete by 2030?

Labour has promised to give every home and business in the UK free full-fibre broadband by 2030 if it wins the general election.

Three’s 5G rollout behind schedule

Customers of Three will have to wait a little longer to use 5G mobile services outside London, as the operator said that its rollout plans were “slightly” behind schedule.

450% Faster - Ookla Reveals UK 5G Mobile Broadband Speeds - ISPreview UK

New data from internet speed testing giant Ookla (Speedtest.net) has shown how well early 5G mobile networks – including EE (BT), Vodafone and O2 – are performing across England, Scotland, Wales and N.Ireland.

When will Verizon have 5G?

Whether you’ve been hearing about 5G for a while or have only just learned what 5G is, you may be wondering when Verizon will have 5G. Rest assured that in parts of select cities, Verizon 5G is already available!

Three DELAYS its 5G network rollout blaming planning permission issues

Three is delaying the rollout of its 5G service for an undisclosed amount of time, the network operator has announced.

Vodafone UK Grows to 667,000 Fixed Broadband Users as 5G Expands - ISPreview UK

Mobile giant and UK ISP Vodafone has today published their latest quarterly results to the end of September (Q2 FY20), which revealed that they managed to add an impressive 61,000 new fixed broadband customers in the quarter (total base of 667,000) and that’s up from +31K in the previous quarter.

5G home broadband: what is it and how much do deals cost?

EE did it in May. Vodafone did it in July. Three’s just joined the party, and O2’s definitely going to do it by the end of September. We’re talking about switching on 5G broadband for their UK mobile users.

Three UK’s 5G home broadband is super fast but inconsistent

Home Wi-Fi speeds can be difficult to understand at the best of times, but as I’ve been testing Three UK’s new 5G home broadband package this week, I’ve been getting especially superstitious. I’ve tried using different Wi-Fi access points, I’ve moved my modem around, and I’ve been switching between my phone, laptop, and desktop to run speed tests. I’ve even become pretty obsessive about checking which server Ookla’s SpeedTest service is accessing, just in case that’s coloring my results.

What is 5G network speed in Mbps? This is the question that everybody wants to know the answer to, and rightly so. To cut through all the jargon, the type of download speed you will receive (as with 4G) will depend based on the network provider you are using and the area you are using it in. However, for example, EE has said that we should expect speeds averaging 100-150Mbps more than on 4G (which, given the speeds we have from 4g networks, would suggest an average speed of around 130-240Mbps). On the other hand, to get us excited Vodaphone says that we will see peak speeds of around 1Gbps! Although, these figures are just the projected start point, and I am certain, as others in the industry are, that as 5G networks evolve and move on from existing and soon to be outdated 4g infrastructure, that speeds at up to 1000 times that of 4g and peaking at 10Gbps will be possible. Super fast, right? Yeah, we're excited, too.
How fast is 5G in comparison to broadband? 5g is currently a very important topic, however we understand the increasing need for conversation, statistics, discussions and figures specifically regarding 5g home broadband, which is why we have built this website. To get stuck in to this question, let's first outline what 5g home broadband is. Typical broadband, and that of which we all know, generally involves fixed lines (ideally fibre, but sometimes copper) running from an exchange near your property into your property. The term ‘5G broadband’ can be a little misleading, but what it really is, in laymans terms, is just a form of network that replaces the physical connection with a wireless 5G network connection. So, how fast is 5g compared to broadband? Well, a typical fibre broadband offers average speeds of between 63Mbps and 67Mbps, and 5g network speeds are estimated to average between 130Mbps and 240 Mbps and possibly peaking at 1Gbps.
Will 5G help drive down the cost of home broadband? Unfortunately, there is no definitive answer out there at the moment, however - we can certainly speculate with the facts that we have at our disposal. Because, of course 5G will be faster than today's home broadband options, but will it be more cost effective? From what we can speculate, yes, it will be more cost effective than current home broadband costs. A report published by consulting company, Ovum, states that not only will 5G home broadband be twice as fast as current broadband networks, but will be available for half the cost and will save us a whopping £240 per annum. Great news, right? Sure, but please keep in mind that this report was commissioned by Three, who (rightly so) are not impartial when it comes to 5G.
How fast is a 5G network? Great question - let's great straight down to business. Not surprisingly, as with most things 5G, the answer is a complicated 'it depends', but from what we know now, we should see 5G speeds in the 400-500 Megabit per second (Mbps) range for sub-6 5G service and over 1.5 Gigabits per second (Gbps) for mmWave, when the services become available. A major factor when determining 5G speeds is the type of 5G signals being used -millimeter wave (mmWave) or sub-6 GHz. To add to this (sorry!), it is important to consider factors such as the number of channels combining, how the 5G signal itself is being transmitted, the form of technology compression being used and more...
Will 5G negate the need for wired home broadband? Let me ask you a question... Would you prefer to purchase a boxed item, that you can just plug in and get started using 5G speeds rather quick and easy, or would you like to sign up with an internet provider and wait for them to visit your property and install the capabilities? Personally, I would choose the first option! I believe that, due to the sheer ease and simplicity of 5G capabilities, 5G will eventually negate the need for wired home broadband.
How many Mbps are there in 2G, 3G, and 4G? For 2G speeds, you are looking at a maximum of 0.3Mbps. 3G, on the other hand, provides a maximum speed of 8Mbps. Lastly, basic 4G, the speed we are all currently used to, gives us maximum speeds of 150Mbps.
How long until 5G broadband is widely available for home internet use? In the UK, 5G broadband for use in your house is already available, although in a miniscule amount of locations. In terms of its wider availability, despite delays at the tail end of 2019, and some in early 2020, many major cities will have home 5G broadband services that are taken up in the thousands as people buy new houses, or rent more apartments in cities and don't feel the need to have their home cluttered with wires. Having wires for the internet (and even power one day) will be looked on with laugher in the future, much like we cannot believe how TVs we used before the advent of the TV remote. We are a long way off a wire-free home, but widespread 5G broadband for flats/apartments and houses, especially in more urban areas, is not as far away as you may think. Otherwise, we wouldn't have created 5GHB!
5G wireless networks: How will it affect the Internet of Things? Because of its extremely low latency and super-fast speed, 5G will transform the internet of things (IoT) and finally make it something usable and useful, rather than the novelty that it has been so far. The potential of IoT is huge, and we have only just touched the surface of what is possible - not just in the home, but out and about in the street where you live - and crucially in the business arena such as factories, warehouses, and office environments. As devices are able to operate with lower power requirements and have 5G capabilities, what we currently know as our environment can change in ways we cannot comprehend. Street signs that animate, advertisements that change based on the number of people in an area - from live data, are just some of the myriad ways that a 5G IoT will help transform many environments.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of 5G internet? Advantages of 5G include increased bandwidth for users which means faster download speeds. This will lead to innovations in technology that have been held back, or not even seen previously because mobile networks were too perceived as too slow. Disadvantages include less coverage because (for the next few years at least) of the need for more cells (masts and towers). Although 5G cells can be smaller, there are more of them required to cover an area than for 4G. A possible disadvantage could be crowded radio frequencies in the future, but many think that this will not be an issue.
Will 5G broadband latencies allow good gaming performance? Latency could be the reason for mass adoption of gamers moving to home broadband delivered through 5G. High latency - how long the the network takes to respond to an action - in games can be the difference between life and death (in game of course!), so with 5G latency being around only 1ms, versus 10-20ms for fibre broadband, and 40-50ms for 4G, this is a big deal. Gamers playing Call of Duty, League of Legends, and various other online multiplayer games will see 5G latency (or ping) as a huge advantage. Some 5G broadband providers are using low latency to their advantage with Three teaming up with Activision, publisher of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, to highlight the benefits of 5G gaming. CMO of Three, Shadi Halliwell says:

"Ultra-fast speeds are a priority for seamless streaming of entertainment especially gaming. Three is delivering a 5G experience that can’t be beaten which makes us the natural choice for one of the world’s leading games’ publishers."
Is LTE better than 5G? Nope! 5G is about twenty times faster than 4G LTE with speeds of 20GB per second versus LTE's 1GB per second. There is no contest.
Will 5G Solve Rural Broadband or is it Just a Bandage? If a rural area has poor or no 4G home broadband (or 4G in general), then 5G will not help as most of the areas that will benefit from 5G in the first few years will be city centres and urban areas. This means that the 23m+ mobile phone users in the UK that are still struggling with connecting to 4G (many of whom are from rural areas) will have the same problem.
Can the new 5G coverage fix current 4G issues I have with my mobile broadband? Unless you are switching from a mobile provider that has 5G coverage where you live, then it is very unlikely that your current provider will improve 5G in an area where they currently provide a poor 5G service to. Switching mobile broadband provider that covers your area is probably your best and most fastest way to benefit from 5G broadband in your home.
What is 5G ultra wideband? It's just the American operator, Verizon's name for their current 5G service.
Will 5G eliminate the need for fibre broadband? Nope. What a 5G connection actually does is replace the final part of your connection to the internet with a 5G signal instead of a wire. As soon as your connection hits the physical network infrastructure, then everything acts as a fibre network normally does.
Will present smartphones support 5G network? Almost all mid-high level smartphones made in 2020 will support 5G networks in 2020 and beyond, with nine companies selling 5G-compatible units by the end of 2019. If you are buying a smartphone in 2020 that doesn't support 5G, then you will be left behind.
Will 5G replace 4G? When? Yes, it will, but this could take upwards of 10+ years based on existing estimates in the UK. 3G is still very alive and well in the UK because of large holes that still exist in the 4G infrastructure. 5G will be commonplace, but will not hold the mobile network monopoly for a while yet.
How does 5G technology work? Similar to how any cellular network operates, a collection of 'cells' (effectively towers and masts) that are connected to the backbone of a network (wired or wireless) and ensure that areas of the population are covered by these radio waves. A key difference over 4G, 5G operators have planned to supplement typical 4G masts (known as macro cells), with many more smaller masts that are closer to our everyday lives. This is because the reach of 5G waves is shorter than 4G waves.
Will fibre broadband be obsolete by 2030? We cannot predict the future, but fibre is almost certainly going to still be the standard in ten years time. However, improvements in computing power (maybe quantum computing?) throughout the network could mean for much better network speeds on existing fibre technologies. Unless something miraculous happens, then fibre broadband, acting as the backbone of 5G home broadband technologies, will still be a thing.
What are the differences between 1G 2G 3G 4G and 5G? 'G' stands for generation, with 5G being, of course, the 5th generation of cellular network standards. You can broadly categorise the different generations as such:
- 1G speeds are 2.4 Kbps - think voice only
- 2G speeds are 50 Kbps - the start of SMS
- 3G speeds are up to 2 Mbps - the start of fast(er) data, video calling and mobile internet
- 4G speeds are up to 1 Gbps - the start of mobile web for gaming, HD video, video conferencing
- 5G speeds are up to 20 Gbps - the start of home broadband solutions among many other exciting possibilities
Who invented 5g network? 5G is many different technologies operating under the name, '5G'. A collection of government departments across various nations, large corporations in the technology sector, university researchers and non-profit organisations are responsible for what has become 5G, following years of iterative testing of innovations and ideas around improving speeds across cellular networks.
Is 5G really a necessary technology? Because an ever-demanding population of people and businesses want greater speed and more enriching mobile (and IoT) experiences, then 5G technology becomes necessary to fill this demand. The speed and reduced latency are what people really want, rather than the 5G technology itself.
What are the negatives of 5G technology? The sheer cost of building the network over the next few years, with the cost of consultants, engineers, and manual workers to design and fabricate the network of masts will mean that costs are high for the foreseeable future. Because 4G macro cells cover an area of around 2km versus 5G's up-to-800 metres, it means that many more masts will be required than were needed to create the UK's 4G network. For home broadband, a traditional fibre or 'phone line' broadband is still more cost-effective and reliable, but as a reader of this site, you will know that these are not always suitable options for some tenants or homeowners.