Three to launch London 5G network in August

Three will launch a 5G home broadband service for London in August, with mobile 5G and an additional 24 locations before the end of 2019.

The company has said it plans to deliver "at least" double the speeds of its telco rivals, achieving speeds its says will deliver a "true 5G experience", which requires the use of 100MHz of 5G spectrum as set out by the global 5G standards technology body, the ITU.

Three claimed the use of 100MHz spectrum, compared to the 50MHz and 40MHz used by rivals such as Vodafone and EE respectively, alongside the investment it has made in high-capacity smart antennas will enable it to deliver "the fastest 5G network in the UK".

However, Three didn't give any examples of the type of connection or download speeds its 5G network will facilitate.

The telecoms company also noted that its network would provide "a more reliable connection and experience for customers".

"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," noted Dave Dyson, chief executive at Three. "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 have the chance to back up its claims when its 5G network launches in the capital in around two months time. By the end of 2019 the network is expected to cover the following cities and towns as well:

While it may come as a surprise to see a telco focusing on home broadband rather than mobile when talking about 5G, for Three it's something of a natural progression. Only last year the company was talking about the potential for 5G to replace fixed-line home broadband, so the "plug-and-play" boxes making their way to the capital this summer can be seen as a clear step in that direction.