Vodafone goes live with 5G in Belfast and free roaming across Ireland

  • Vodafone is continuing its 5G network rollout across the UK with the addition of 5G support in Belfast and free 5G roaming the UK and Ireland.

    Mobile network providers have been in a race to expand their 5G coverage since the end of 2019, with full global rollout of many providers' 5G networks expected to complete this year. The goal of 5G is to provide high-bandwidth and low-latency connectivity to support the next generation of emerging technologies, from cloud gaming and 4K video streaming to IoT sensor tech and precision drone control.

    Vodafone has now announced that its 5G service has been rolled out to Belfast, Edinburgh, and Leeds. For those with mobile devices that support 5G technology, the move means you'll now enjoy faster connectivity and up to ten times faster download speeds on the go. 5G is fast enough to be used in place of home broadband, though it does come with data allowances.

    As of the time of the rollout, Vodafone has stated that it remains the only UK company to offer 5G roaming. The provider now has coverage in Cork, Dublin, Limerick, Galway, and Waterford, and UK customers travelling to the Republic of Ireland can use their 5G there. Its 5G roaming already covers usage across Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK.

    Vodafone UK Chief Executive Officer Nick Jeffery commented on the rollout: "We have started the new year as we mean to go on. We now offer 5G in double the number of places than our nearest rival and we have significantly boosted the capacity of our network. It is ready for the arrival in 2020 of some great new 5G handsets and the next big software release bringing ultra-low latency. Together, these will push 5G to the next level."

    Source: Written based on press release

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    Brendan is a Sync NI writer with a special interest in the gaming sector, programming, emerging technology, and physics. To connect with Brendan, feel free to send him an email or follow him on Twitter.

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