Three Readies 5G Network For August Launch

Three has become the latest British mobile operator to signal the arrival of a 5G network in the United Kingdom, with the launch slated for August this year.

Three announced its 5G network after successful trials, and said that it intends to launch the network in 25 towns and cities across the UK by the end of 2019.

The announcement comes after EE become the first UK operator to launch a 5G network, when its network went live at the end of May in six UK cities.

Three 5G

Vodafone meanwhile plans to launch its own 5G network on 3 July in seven UK cities (Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, Manchester, Liverpool and London).

And now Three will add its own 5G network to the mix with the launch of its 5G service in August, coupled with a 5G home broadband service in London.

Three also said it would launch both mobile and home broadband offerings in 25 towns and cities across the UK before the end of the year.

The operator said that it is carrying out network improvements across the busiest areas of the UK, including London, Cardiff, Glasgow, Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool, as part of its £2bn infrastructure investment commitment. This includes a new 5G-ready cloud core network provided by Nokia.

It should be remembered that Three acquired its 5G spectrum in the Ofcom 5G auction back in April 2018.

Three claims that due to its spectrum win, it will be able to deliver the fastest 5G network in the UK.

“At launch, peak mobile speeds will be at least 2x faster than other mobile network operators and will provide a more reliable connection and experience for customers,” Three claimed.

The operator said that over the next three years, Three’s 5G rollout will continue to ramp up to cover 80 percent of its network traffic. The network investment programme also includes upgrades within Three’s 4G network, expected to deliver up to 400 percent improvements in speed and capacity.

This will be achieved through deploying more 4G spectrum, converting 3G spectrum to 4G and using advanced antenna technology.

Which locations?

“It’s clear that consumers and businesses want more and more data,” said Dave Dyson, CEO at Three. “We have the UK’s best network for data and we have led the market on customer usage on both 3G and 4G technologies.”

“We have worked hard over a long period of time to be able to offer the best end to end 5G experience,” Dyson said. “5G is a game changer for Three, and of course I am excited that we will be the only operator in the UK who can offer true 5G.”

Three will reveal more details about its 5G handset range and pricing in July.

Its full list of cities for Three’s 5G network are London; Birmingham; Bolton; Bradford; Brighton; Bristol; Cardiff; Coventry; Derby; Edinburgh; Glasgow; Hull; Leeds; Leicester; Liverpool; Manchester; Middlesbrough; Milton Keynes; Nottingham; Reading; Rotherham; Sheffield; Slough; Sunderland; and finally Wolverhampton

Quiz: What do you know about 4G?