5G report: 1 in 3 Brits own 5G handset, but 1 in 6 think tech is ‘overhyped’

• While a third of Brits (32%) now own a 5G handset, one in six mobile users (16%) users feel the technology is overhyped

• Less than half of 5G users (41%) say they have experienced improvements in speed or reliability

• And yet a quarter (23%) of consumers are planning to buy or upgrade to a 5G handset within the next two years

• One in six 5G users in rural areas (17%) say they have never been able to connect to the network, though those in cities struggle less (6%)

• Yorkshire has some of the UK’s worst connectivity, with less than half of people getting a reliable 4G signal (48%), while Glasgow is the UK’s 5G hotspot with 49% of users receiving it regularly

Three years on from its UK launch, one in six mobile phone users (16%) feel 5G technology is “overhyped”, according to new research from Uswitch.com, the comparison and switching service.

More than 16 million people own a 5G-enabled handset in the UK, and experiences remain mixed. While some feel their service has got better, less than half of 5G users (41%) say they have experienced improvements in speed or reliability.

The Government has pledged that most of the UK population will be able to receive 5G by 2027. Almost a quarter (23%) of consumers are planning to buy or upgrade to a 5G handset within the next two years, with 5G SIM-only deals also gaining in popularity. 

The fifth-generation connectivity also risks making the digital divide between urban and rural areas worse. One in six (17%) 5G mobile users in the countryside say they have never been able to connect to the network, nearly three times the proportion of those in cities (6%).

For parts of the UK, poor connectivity extends beyond 5G. In Yorkshire, less than half of residents (48%) say they receive a reliable 4G service, and one in seven (14%) report that they often have to use the 2G network, which dates back to the early 1990s. 

It’s a tale of two cities for Glasgow, which has both the highest proportion of people still regularly using 2G services and the most relying on 5G. Bristol has the most residents who frequently rely on 3G, and also ties with Belfast for the highest regular use of 4G.

Table: Proportion of people regularly using various connections 

Source: Uswitch.com. 5G figures are based on how often those with 5G handsets regularly get a 5G signal

Creating a 5G network is an expensive business, with Vodafone and Three currently considering a merger to fast-track their 5G rollout, but one in six mobile users (17%) feel providers should focus on improving 4G coverage instead.

From next year, the 3G network will begin to be phased out across the UK so the bandwidth it uses can be freed up for 4G and 5G services. Vodafone has announced it will turn off its 3G network in 2023, followed by EE and Three in 2024, while O2 has yet to announce its switch-off plans.

Ernest Doku, telecoms expert at Uswitch.com, comments:

“After the promise of 5G delivering ultrafast speeds to our mobiles, it’s no wonder that many consumers still don’t understand what the fuss is about when compared to their everyday experiences.  

“But it’s important to remember 5G was first trialled in the UK just three years ago, so this technology is really still in its infancy. We’re still only scratching the surface of what it can do. 

“When the technology reaches its potential – and more importantly is readily available to all – it won’t just change the speed of our mobile data, but how we live our lives. 

Opinium surveyed a sample of 2,000 UK adults from the 20th to 23rd September 2022. Results were weighted to reflect a nationally representative criteria.

 

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