What is 5G home broadband?
The future of mobile broadband is 5G, and despite a few setbacks with setting up the UK infrastructure, 5G home broadband will soon be a viable alternative to the traditional fixed broadband were much more familiar with. 5G broadband operates in much the same way as 5G smartphones. 5G stands for the fifth generation technology standard for mobile networks, following on from its predecessors 3G and 4G. And where 3G technology introduced the age of the smartphone, and 4G enabled faster browsing and richer media, 5G will transform how mobile phones and mobile broadband work. 5G operates similarly to 4G, with 5G networks using the same airwaves as 4G to transmit information to and from mobile devices. However, unlike 4G channels which are mostly around 20MHz, 5G channels can be up to 100MHz, with some networks using as much as 800MHz at a time. What that essentially means is that 5G is exponentially faster than 4G. For example, 4G in the UK has average speeds of 20Mbps, while 5G speeds in the UK could be as much as 20 times faster at 400Mbps, and have the potential to reach 20Gbps in time. 5G broadband works by incorporating this new technology into a mobile broadband Wi-Fi hub rather than a smartphone, connecting to devices via a Wi-Fi signal in the same way as standard fixed broadband routers. It therefore effectively becomes a wireless alternative to fixed broadband, meaning that you can access fantastic broadband speeds without the need for a wired connection to the home  such as a fibre-optic cable or copper phone line. With 5G home broadband, your mobile devices dont need to support 5G, just Wi-Fi. Mobile broadband explained  Mobile broadband uses a router with a SIM card, rather than one connected to a fixed home broadband line. The mobile broadband hub connects to a nearby mobile mast in the same way your smartphone does. You can then connect your smartphones, tablets, smart TVs and any other device in your home to the router through Wi-Fi. Some mobile broadband routers are also battery-powered, meaning that youre effectively able to take your broadband connection with you wherever you go. If you live in an area with a 5G signal, youll be able to use 5G for your home internet. All you need to do is get a 5G home broadband router. If youre not in a 5G-covered area yet, youll have to wait until the technology becomes available before you choose a 5G home broadband deal. 5G routers work in much the same way as a typical fixed broadband router, and for the most part, a 5G router will look just the same as a regular broadband router. However, some providers are also offering more sophisticated 5G hubs. Three, for example, will provide you with either Huawei's B535 WebBox wireless router or the Huawei AI Cube, which is a Wi-Fi hotspot and smart speaker combined. While both of the 5G hubs need to be plugged into a power source, they obviously dont need to be connected to a phone socket. So youre free to place your 5G hub wherever you feel youll need most. Setting up a 5G home router  Most home broadband routers are very straightforward to set up these days; you simply plug the router into the main internet socket as well as an electrical outlet. When setting up a 5G home router, youll still need to plug it in, but youll also need to insert a SIM card that will allow it to connect to a mobile network. However in some cases, the SIM card will be pre-installed, meaning youre ready to start browsing as soon as you plug your router in, switch it on and connect. Its important to think about where to place your 5G home router. For a standard router, youd want to keep it clear of electronic devices, large furniture and thick walls to help the Wi-Fi signal carry throughout your home. For a 5G router, youll want to position it where it can get the best 5G signal. 5G isnt as penetrative through obstacles as 4G is, so its best to find the optimum area in your house. This might be different from your standard router so its best to test out a few different locations, like on a window sill or in a room upstairs. Its also worth rotating your 5G router once its in position to see which angle picks up the best 5G signal. If theres an app available from your 5G broadband provider, it might be able to give you some additional insight as to where to place your 5G router in order to get the best signal. The 5G speed youll be able to get depends on a number of factors, including your location and your network provider. The main players in the 5G mobile space are Vodafone, EE and Three, who each quote their own range of expected speeds. Vodafone has said that customers can expect average 5G speeds of around 150-200Mbps and EE has claimed a range of 5G speeds from 130-240Mbps. Meanwhile, Three offers a 5G home broadband package with 100Mbps speeds, but it has rights to more of the 5G spectrum  and more contiguous 5G spectrum  than any other network, so expect this to grow a lot higher in the coming years. A report from Opensignal in May 2020 showed that the UKs average 5G download speed was 138.1Mbps across all the networks tested, which looks to be in line with what the individual networks are predicting. Theres clearly a lot of variance across networks and locations, but weve seen first-hand how fast 5G speeds in the UK can be. Run our broadband speed test to see if you have faster speeds available to you. At this early stage theres still very little uptake on 5G, but those networks that do offer 5G mobile services are also branching out to include a 5G broadband offering. Three 5G Broadband  Of the major 5G providers, its Three thats focusing its efforts mainly on 5G broadband. Three provides 5G broadband via either its HomeFi Plus Wi-Fi router, which can connect up to 64 devices to its wireless network, or the Huawei AI Cube, which is a Wi-Fi hotspot and smart speaker combined. You can sign up to either Threes 5G 12-month and 24-month contracts or choose a rolling monthly plan that incurs a setup fee, both of which are available with unlimited data plans. Vodafone 5G broadband  Vodafone 5G broadband is supplied by its GigaCube portable wireless router which can get you set up and connected to Wi-Fi in minutes. Vodafone 5G broadband contracts are either 18-month or 30-day rolling contracts with a set data allowance. EE 5G home broadband  EE 5G home broadband is available in select locations and is supplied via its 5GEE Home Router. Average 5G speeds on EE are around 150Mbps and setup is quick and easy with no need for a phone line or an engineer. 5G broadband is set to be revolutionary, bringing incredible speeds to new locations that are still struggling with ADSL broadband. 5G technology will also increase the capabilities of many devices that are currently limited by their ability to stay connected to a Wi-Fi signal. However, its worth remembering that as 5G mobile broadband technology advances, so too does fixed broadband technology. The rollout of full fibre broadband networks is ongoing, increasing the accessibility of gigabit speeds within homes and businesses across the country. In fact, in many locations, full fibre broadband is easier and less costly for local governments to install than a vast network of 5G broadcast towers, especially in rural areas. In addition to this, Wi-Fi 6  the next generation of Wi-Fi from current Wi-Fi 5 technology  will be able to deliver Wi-Fi speeds 40% faster for fixed home broadband than currently available. It will also be much more capable of handling multiple devices at once which will have a significant impact on public Wi-Fi in locations such as airports or entertainment venues. Find out about our best 5G broadband deals. If 5G isnt available in your area but you still want faster broadband speeds, check out our best fibre broadband deals.