Vodafone switches on 5G network in seven cities including Birmingham

Vodafone becomes the second company to offer 5G services after EE launched the first 5G network in May.

Birmingham is among seven cities to be first to experience the new service from Vodafone along with London, Glasgow, Cardiff, Manchester, Bristol and Liverpool.

Later this year Wolverhampton will be one of 12 additional cities Vodafone will switch on to 5G.

Vodafone said that it is will also be the first company the to offer unlimited data on both 5G and 4G with the launch of Vodafone Unlimited on 10 July.

“5G will transform the way we live and work,” said Vodafone UK Chief Executive Officer Nick Jeffery. “Our customers are streaming over 50% more content today than they did last year, and with 5G the demand for data is only set to increase. That is why we want to remove the limits on data, so that customers can unlock the full potential of 5G, and we can really propel the UK into the digital age.”

Today’s switch-on was marked with the world’s first demonstration of the power of 5G to transmit touch using haptic technology.

Last month University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB), BT and WM5G demonstrated the UK’s first remote-controlled ultrasound scan over a public 5G network.

There will be further roll outs of 5G later this year as rival companies Three launch theirs in August and O2 in the autumn.

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