If you’re in a 4G blackspot or generally lusting after faster connection speeds on your mobile phone, then we have some bad news for you; research has warned that the rollout of 5G will not resolve the often-unreliable connection problems in more rural areas of the UK.
According to research conducted by comparison website uSwitch, a whole third of UK smartphone users are still having problems getting consistent 4G connections at least once per week. And judging by the below chart, courtesy of OpenSignal, this problem affects every region of the UK, even in London.
Initial rollout of 5G has begun – and looks likely to continue – in predominantly urban areas, meaning that only approximately 28% of the country will have coverage by the end of this year. Only 14% of consumers are planning to make the jump to 5G within the next 12 months, and only 19% think it will have a positive effect on their connectivity.
Ernest Doku, a mobiles expert at uSwitch, released the following statement:
‘With so many of us completely reliant on our smartphones these days for our news, work, shopping and social media updates, there is little more frustrating than being unable to connect to phone services which we pay for (…)
‘Ofcom reports that 66 per cent of the UK has 4G coverage from all major providers, but more than 23million people are still facing difficulties connecting to their networks (…)
‘This can sometimes be blamed on network congestion at busy times, but often the capacity simply isn’t there for the numbers of people wanting to access a service they have paid for (…)
‘The arrival of the next-generation infrastructure should help with some of the problems currently experienced by 4G users, but this will not be an overnight solution, in particular as fewer than one in seven of us is planning to upgrade to 5G in the next year.”
Ernest Doku — uSwitch.com
Even though some will benefit from the upgrade to 5G, not everybody is happy about the changes. In July, we posted about how local campaigners in Bournemouth were protesting against the 5G rollout due to fears for residents’ health.
So, should you consider getting yourself ready for 5G? Well, that’s not quite as simple as you might think. It’s not a case of simply flipping a switch in your settings app; rather, you’ll potentially need a whole new handset. Newer phones like the Samsung Galaxy S10 support 5G, but older handsets won’t be ready to use the network.
If you want to discuss 5G more, or figure out whether your device is supported, get in touch with WiseGuys on 0808 123 2820 and we can help you figure out the best solution for you.
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