5G is the next generation of smartphone technology. Now well into its rollout, there are a huge range of exciting 5G smartphones already available. But to use a 5G phone, you’ll need to pick up a 5G SIM card.
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£8.00 a monthMonthly cost will rise every April by inflation (RPI) plus 3.9%.
12 month contract
40 GBof 5G data
Uses Vodafone's Network
£2.39 a monthfor 3 months, then £7.95
No contract
30 GBof 5G data
Uses Vodafone's Network
£1.48 a monthfor 3 months, then £4.95
No contract
5 GBof 5G data
£9.99 a monthMonthly cost will rise every April by inflation (RPI) plus 3.9%.
12 month contract
60 GBof 5G data
Uses Vodafone's Network
£2.38 a monthfor 3 months, then £5.95
No contract
10 GBof 5G data
£6.99 a monthMonthly cost will rise every April by inflation (RPI) plus 3.9%.
12 month contract
10 GBof 5G data
Uses Three Mobile's Network
£8.00 a month
1 month contract
60 GBof 5G data
Uses Vodafone's Network
£3.98 a monthfor 3 months, then £9.95
No contract
50 GBof 5G data
Uses Vodafone's Network
£7.95 a month
1 month contract
60 GBof 5G data
Uses Three Mobile's Network
£6.00 a month
1 month contract
20 GBof 5G data
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5G is the latest generation of cellular technology. In simpler terms, the wireless network powers your phone's internet when you're out and about and not connected to Wi-Fi.
5G was preceded by 3G (which introduced the dawn of the smartphone) and 4G (which took mobile speeds to new limits). 4G ushered in the smooth online mobile experience most of us are now used to, but 5G takes it to a new level with ultrafast download speeds and buffer-free streaming in full HD and (sometimes) 4K.
To use 5G, you need a 5G SIM, a 5G-compatible phone, and a 5G-connected area.
Most major UK mobile phone networks have now switched their 5G services on throughout the UK.
One way to ensure you never run out of data on 5G is to get a deal that offers unlimited data, and thankfully, there are unlimited 5G data deals from Vodafone, Three, and more.
However, these deals tend to be more expensive than limited options. So it's good to use a mobile data calculator to figure out how much data you usually use and, therefore what budget you can keep to.
There's a wide range of cheap 5G SIM only deals to choose from.
Remember that if you use 5G to stream and download, you might end up using a lot of data quite quickly. And charges for going over your data cap can sometimes be expensive.
So it's worth looking out for a deal with enough mobile data to suit your needs.
The 5G era is well underway, with most major 5G networks running throughout the UK's urban and suburban areas. Let's see how they all stack up.
Vodafone's 5G launched on 3 July 2019, with its service available at first in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, Manchester, Liverpool and London.
It’s now available in around 138 UK locations, including Birkenhead, Blackpool, Bournemouth, Guildford, Newbury, Portsmouth, Plymouth, Reading, Southampton, Stoke-on-Trent, Warrington and Wolverhampton. It's also available in 240 different EU roaming locations.
Vodafone has made a big statement with its 5G offering by shaking up the traditional 'data allowance' system and instead offering unlimited data in a tiered speed system, similar to what you might get your broadband.
Vodafone has also launched 5G and unlimited data for all its pay-as-you-go customers. This enables people to benefit from the blistering speeds of 5G without the confines of a monthly contract.
Check out our Vodafone SIM only deals
After a bit of a delay, Three's 5G was launched in February 2020. The rollout initially covered 66 UK locations, including London, Leeds, Glasgow, Bristol, Manchester, Liverpool, Aberdeen, and many more. At the time of writing, it’s now extended to 303 locations, so that’s excellent coverage.
Three has dubbed its 5G as the ‘real 5G’ because it has up to twice the 5G spectrum of other networks. In theory, that means downloading movies, music, and gaming online will be far faster on Three than on its competitors.
Three’s 5G also comes at no extra cost. All of Three’s SIMs are 5G ready as standard, so all you’ll need is a 5G smartphone, and you’re good to go.
The company has also launched a 5G home broadband service in London. EE and Vodafone are offering home routers utilising 5G, as the need for traditional landline connections looks set to dissipate in the next few years.
Check out our Three SIM only deals
O2 began its 5G rollout in October 2019. It was initially launched in Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Leeds, London, and Slough, and it now spans over 200 UK locations.
Check out our O2 SIM only deals
Giffgaff currently has 5G switched on around 200 UK cities and towns. Giffgaff's bundles and packages allow you to pick and choose how much data you use, making its 5G offering one of the most flexible on the market.
Check out our Giffgaff SIM only deals
Sky Mobile's 5G is switched on in 2000 locations throughout the UK, such as London, Belfast, Leeds, Edinburgh and more. Sky Mobile’s 5G is free to customers, providing they sign up for the Sky VIP programme - free to join.
Adding 5G to a Sky Mobile plan will cost an additional £5 a month without a Sky VIP membership.
Check out our Sky Mobile SIM deals
Tesco Mobile has launched the start of its 5G offering, which is live in 2000 cities around the UK.
Tesco Mobile customers in cities and towns including Bournemouth, Cambridge, Milton Keynes, Wolverhampton, Coventry, Glasgow, Leeds, and London can now access superfast 5G connection speeds.
Existing 4G or 3G SIM cards can’t connect you to 5G.
So, unless you already have a 5G SIM card, you’ll need to get a new SIM if you want to connect to 5G on your smartphone.
Yes, 5G is available in the UK in a number of towns and cities. Not all areas are fully connected, but the following cities should offer 5G in at least some areas.
| Aberdeen | Barnsley | Basildon | Bath |
| Bedford | Belfast City | Birmingham | Blackburn |
| Blackpool | Bournemouth | Bradford | Brighton |
| Brimington | Bristol | Cardiff | Carlisle |
| Colchester | Coventry | Derby | Doncaster |
| Dundee | Edinburgh | Glasgow | Ipswich |
| Leeds | Leicester | Lincoln | Liverpool |
| London | Luton | Manchester | Middlesbrough |
| Milton Keynes | Newcastle | Northampton | Nottingham |
| Oxford | Peterborough | Plymouth | Portsmouth |
| Preston | Reading | Sheffield | Slough |
| Southampton | Southend-on-Sea | Sunderland | Swindon |
| Wigan | York |
To get connected to 5G, the fastest type of mobile internet connection, you need to be in an area that has 5G coverage. You'll also need a 5G-compatible smartphone, and yes, a 5G SIM card.
A 5G SIM card does what it says on the tin - it’s a SIM card that you put in your smartphone, that will enable you to connect to 5G.
Getting a cheap 5G SIM is easy, just compare our best deals and you'll soon find the perfect plan. From super-low cost deals to unlimited data bundles, there are a range of 5G SIMs to suit all user needs.
Need a 5G mobile phone too? Check out our best deals on 5G pay monthly plans.
You can get a 5G SIM only deal on all the major networks here at Uswitch. SIM only 5G deals can get you connected to super fast downloads, lag-free gaming and smooth web browsing.
With a 5G SIM only deal, you'll get a data allowance, calls, texts and minutes. All you'll need is a 5G enabled smartphone.
Existing 4G or 3G SIM cards can’t connect you to 5G.
So unless you already have a 5G SIM card, you’ll need to get a new SIM if you want to get connected to 5G on your smartphone.
Yes, a 5G SIM card will work in a 4G phone, but it won't connect you to 5G.
You’ll still be able to use your phone as normal on 4G, but to get access to 5G, you’ll need to pop the 5G SIM into a 5G smartphone, like the iPhone 13 or the Samsung Galaxy S22.
Not necessarily. Some networks, such as Three, are offering 5G with their SIM only deals as standard with no extra cost. So all you need to connect is to pair the SIM card with a 5G phone.
A 5G SIM only plan is just like a regular SIM only plan - you get a SIM card to use in your mobile phone that includes calls, texts and data. The only differing factor of a 5G SIM is that it can connect you to 5G, provided you have a 5G-enabled phone and live in a 5G area.
All the major networks - including Vodafone, Three and O2 - offer 5G SIM only plans, and you can find all sorts of offers ranging from low data deals to unlimited data deals.
If you're making the step up from 4G to 5G, then yes. You'll need a 5G-compatible smartphone and a 5G data plan. Your chosen network will then send you a new, 5G-enabled, SIM card.
Yes. If you want to upgrade to 5G, just find a data plan from any one of the major networks, such as Three or Vodafone, and order your new 5G SIM card.
Just remember, you'll need a 5G smartphone too, and you'll need to live in an area that has already switched on to 5G.
If you've just bought the new iPhone 15, you might be wondering why your existing SIM card is still just on 4G. That's because you need to sign up to a 5G data plan too. Take a look at our SIM only deals to find the perfect plan to match up with your new iPhone.
Just bought an iPhone 15? Good news - it's ready for 5G. All you need now is to make sure you live in an area that has 5G switched on and then sign up for a 5G data plan.
