THREE customers will have access to the network’s free super-fast 5G speeds by the end of the month.
The firm’s 5G offering will be available on mobiles in 65 locations, including London, Cardiff, Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham, Coventry and Nottingham.
Those with a 5G-capable handset will be able to access Three’s 5G speeds at no extra cost to their existing data plan.
The introduction of 5G, the next generation of mobile phone networks, promises lightning-fast network speeds that will allow users to download an HD movie in seconds.
“5G is set to change the world for all of us and we can’t wait for our customers to start experiencing it,” Three boss Dave Dyson said.
The firm is the last of the big four UK networks to introduce 5G to smartphones.
The roll-out is taking place in the following cities:
Three was originally due to launch its 5G offering by the end of 2019, but pushed the release back to late February.
The company said a number of issues, from acquiring the right planning permissions from landlords to arranging 5G equipment on masts, had forced it to push its original target “slightly behind”.
The company first made its 5G available to homes in August, as a broadband service across parts of London.
Rivals EE launched their 5G offering to smartphones in May, followed by Vodafone in July and O2 in October.
Here’s what you need to know...
Three’s 5G service will be available as a free upgrade to all Three customers on contract, SIM-only or PAYG plans.
However, you will need a phone loaded with 5G technology.
Only a handful of mobiles are 5G-ready for now, including the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ 5G, the OnePlus 7 Pro 5G and the Huawei Mate 20 X 5G.
The list is expected to grow significantly this year. Just this week, Samsung unveiled three new 5G-ready phones as part of its new Galaxy S20 range.
No iPhone models currently support 5G internet.
To mark the expansion to smartphones, Three has partnered with the Central Saint Martins art school to create an “immersive 5G experience” for London Fashion Week.
The finale will culminate in an empty catwalk, with a 5G-fuelled digital version of model Adwoa Aboah, who will walk out in the last outfit of the show.
“Today we are celebrating what is possible through 5G with a showcase of our ultra-fast 5G capabilities marking the next step in our 5G journey,” chief executive Dyson said.
Here are the 5G phones you can buy today...
In other news, Apple is expected to add 5G support to its rumoured iPhone 12 this year.
Find out why conspiracy theories about 5G giving you cancer are wrong.
And EE now has 5G in over 50 places across the UK – here’s the full list.
Will you be upgrading to 5G this year? Let us know in the comments!
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