What are the Best 5G Deals in 2022?

Is it worth getting 5G?

As 5G is a fairly new technology that is not yet broadly available in the UK. It’s not available in every town, or on every handset, and requires a little extra investment when compared to the average 4G plan. As such, you may be wondering if it’s worth being a (relatively) early adopter. In order to help you decide, let’s take a look at what exactly 5G is…

What is 5G?

5G is a cellular network that is composed of geographic areas known as cells. These networks are powered by mobile base stations which broadcast the 5G signal. These networks are owned, managed and maintained by four Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) EE, O2, Three, and Vodafone.
It is the 5th generation of mobile internet, hence the name 5G. As well as being significantly faster than previous generations of mobile broadband, it has far greater capacity, so more devices can access the network at the same time. This has huge potential for a broader range of internet-enabled devices to be online at the same time.

How does 5G work?

5G works in much the same way as 3G and 4G, transmitting data via radio waves. The primary difference is that they use much higher radio frequencies that are less cluttered. As such, a lot more information can be transmitted at a much faster rate.

What kind of speeds can I expect with 5G?

5G speeds are currently about as high as most Fibre To The Premises connections with speeds in excess of 250 Mbps. There’s scope for speeds to get much higher. Already 5G speeds can exceed 1 or even 2 Gbps. Theoretically, 5G can reach speeds of up to 10 Gbps.

4G vs 5G Speed

In terms of speed, 4G tops out at around 100 Mbps. A thoroughly respectable speed on a par with a mid-to-high quality fibre broadband connection. If we get to the point where real-world speeds match 5G’s theoretical capability of 10 Gbps, this will mean that 5G is 100 times faster than 4G.

4G vs 5G Capacity and Latency

5G doesn't just out-perform its predecessor in terms of speed. It also far exceeds it in capacity. In fact, it’s estimated that 5G can support 1,000 times more devices per metre than 4G.
Likewise, 5G seriously outperforms 4G in terms of latency. This is the delay experienced as the data travels across the network to get to its destination (your handset). 4G networks have a latency of 50 milliseconds. 5G networks, on the other hand, have a real-world latency of 21-26 milliseconds. And that number is only going to plummet as 5G has a theoretical latency of just 1 millisecond.

What are the best 5G phone deals?

At Broadband Plans we can help you find the right deal and the right handset to start your 5G journey.
Now that we know more about what 5G can do (and what it will be able to do in the future), let’s take a look at the deals that will allow you to connect to this burgeoning network. Here we’ll explorer the best 5G phone deals from the UK’s 4 main networks.

What UK networks are offering 5G?

Believe it or not, the UK only has four true networks. These are Three, EE, O2, and Vodafone. These are the UK’s Mobile Network Operators. However, there are lots of smaller Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) that pay to access the networks provided by the “Big Four”. However, because the 5G networks are smaller and more expensive to access, relatively few MVNOs offer 5G.

Best 5G Deals on O2

O2’s 5G network is available in over 150 towns and cities across the UK. In the table below, you can see the best 5G deals from O2 on a wide range of handsets:

Best 5G Deals on Three

Three has the UK’s fastest-growing 5G network, available in 154+ cities and towns across the UK. You can see a range of affordable 5G-ready tariffs with generous data allowances below:

Best 5G Deals on EE

Owned by BT, EE is the UK’s biggest mobile network and the largest 5G presence, available in over 160 cities and towns across the country. You can see some of their best value 5G handsets and tariffs in the table below:

Best 5G Deals on Vodafone

Vodafone’s 5G network is a little more modest than the rest of the “Big 4”, but it’s certainly on the up. It’s available in 114 towns and cities across the nation. Below, you’ll find some of their best deals on the most popular handsets:

Can I get a 5G SIM only deal?

Yes. There are 5G SIM-only deals available from all the UK’s major networks. You can see some of the best available in the table below.

What are the best 5G phones?

Are you sure that your handset will be able to connect to the 5G network? It’s definitely a good idea to check. Connection to 5G requires special hardware and software that’s only supported by a relative few handsets at the time of writing.
Here we’ll look at the best 5G handsets.

Will I need a 5G enabled handset and tariff?

Yes. You will need both of these to access the network. As we can see a 5G-ready SIM is relatively affordable. But you need to know that your handset will support it.

What are some 5G-ready phones?

Below you’ll find a comprehensive list of every 5G-ready handset on the market. What makes these handsets different? Firstly, 5G-ready handsets require a 5G-specific modem. They also need a larger battery and more powerful processors to support the more data-heavy tasks associated with connecting to 5G.
5G-ready handsets on the market today are as follows:

• Google Pixel 5
• Google Pixel 4a 5G
• iPhone 12
• iPhone 12 Mini
• iPhone 12 Pro
• iPhone 12 Pro Max
• OnePlus 8
• OnePlus 8 Pro
• Oppo Reno 5G
• Samsung Galaxy S10 5G
• Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus
• Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra
• Samsung Galaxy S21
• Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus
• Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra
• Sony Xperia 1 II

What are the cheapest 5G phones?

In the table below, you’ll find 5 of the cheapest 5G ready phones on the market and their best market price at the time of writing. These are SIM-free prices, meaning that you can buy the handset outright and get a SIM-only contract with whichever network you like.

When will 5G be available in the UK?

5G is already available in much of the UK, although we are some way off full national coverage. At the time of writing, the 5G rollout has picked up speed, and it is expected that most of the country will have 5G coverage by 2022.

Where is 5G available in the UK?

At present, 5G is available in over 100 major cities and towns across the UK. Some networks have wider coverage than others, with EE having the most expansive 5G network followed by Three, then O2, then Vodafone.
Cities with 5G availability from at least one network include:
Aberdeen, Birmingham, Belfast, Manchester, Cardiff, Bath, Bristol, Chelmsford, Coventry, Edinburgh, Leicester, Liverpool, London, Oxford, Plymouth, Glasgow, Hull, Leeds, Lichfield, Lisburn, Newcastle, Nottingham, Salford, Sheffield, Stirling Sunderland, Wakefield and Wolverhampton.
Towns include:
Aldershot, Altrincham, Ashford, Ashton-under-Lyne, Barrhead, Bellshill, Birkenhead, Blackpool, Borehamwood, Bury, Bransholme, Brentwood, Castleford, Castlereagh, Chatham, Cheshunt, Chesterfield, Chester-le-Street, Chorley, Clevedon, Clifton (Notts), Clydebank, Crawley, Cumbernauld, Dartford, Dinnington, Doncaster, Dudley, Epsom, Grays, Gillingham, Guildford, Ilkeston, Hamilton, Hoddesdon, Harlow, Huddersfield, Inchinnan, Jarrow, Kimberley, Kingston-upon-Thames, Loughborough, Loughton, Maidstone, Milnrow, Minster, Mirfield, Motherwell, Newton-le-Willows, Northampton, North Shields, Nuneaton, Oldham, Paisley, Pontefract, Porthcawl, Potters Bar, Rochdale, Rochester, Romford, Rotherham, Rugeley (West Midlands), Shipley, Solihull, Southend-on-Sea, South Shields, Stafford, Staines-upon-Thames, Stevenage, Sutton Coldfield, Swadlincote , Sydenham, Walsall, Waltham Abbey, Waltham Cross, Walton-on-Thames, Warwick, Washington, Watford, West Bromwich, Westhoughton, Weston-Super-Mare, Weybridge and Wickford.

Which countries are moving to 5G?

You may be wondering if you can used 5G internationally? The good news is that you can, with all major networks offering 5G roaming. New countries that are in the process of adopting 5G include Canada, Hong Kong, Brazil, Thailand, Japan, India, Vietnam, Taiwan, Nigeria, Morocco and Colombia.
5G is currently available in the following countries, which are ordered here by continent:

Europe

• Austria
• Estonia
• Finland
• Germany
• Hungary
• Ireland
• Italy
• Latvia
• Lithuania
• Monaco
• Poland
• Romania
• San Marino
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• UK

The Americas

• Suriname
• Trinidad & Tobago
• United States
• Uruguay

Africa and the Middle East

• Bahrain
• Kuwait
• Lesotho
• Oman
• Qatar
• Saudi Arabia
• South Africa
• United Arab Emirates

Oceania and Asia

• Australia
• China
• Maldives
• New Zealand
• South Korea

Let the Broadband Plans team help you find the perfect 5G deal

It’s clear to see that 5G is the future, with the capacity to transform mobile broadband as we know it. But if you’re still not sure which 5G deal and handset are best for you, get in touch with the Broadband Plans team. We can help you find the perfect broadband deal for your needs, both at home and on the go.
Want to know more?
Give us a call today on 0330 818 6395 !

FAQ

What’s the difference between 4G and 5G?

Both 4G and 5G work in the same way, transmitting data via radio waves. However, 5G operates at a much higher (and less crowded) frequency. It is capable of achieving 100 times the speed of 4G and has much greater capacity, allowing for 1,000 times more connections per square meter.

How fast is 5G?

Real-world 5G speeds are pretty consistently around 200 Mbps, twice as fast as 4G on its very best day. However, 5G is capable of real-world speeds of over 1 Gbps and theoretical speeds of up to 10 Gbps.

Can I use 5G when roaming abroad?

Yes, dozens of countries all over the world also use 5G. UK networks have roaming deals that will allow you to access 5G networks overseas.

Is 5G dangerous?

No. Absolutely not. A lot of bizarre and unfortunate conspiracies have arisen around 5G including theories linking it to the transmission of COVID-19. 5G operates at a wavelength that is non-ionising radiation. As such, the signal does not produce enough energy to damage the cells of the body.