topic Re: O2's 5G network is now LIVE! in Welcome & News

O2's 5G network is now LIVE!

Chris_K — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 07:21:17 GMT

O2 Switches on 5G with Unlimited Data, Flexible Plans and No Premium

O2 launches 5G on its revolutionary Custom Plans, with unlimited data, and no 5G premium
Network rollout begins across the UK today in Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh, London, Slough and Leeds, reaching a total of 20 towns and cities in 2019
Exclusive partnership with MelodyVR and Oculus from Facebook gives music fans intimate access to gigs and musicians through cutting edge Virtual Reality
Business partnerships with ITN, Samsung and Northumbrian Water Group demonstrate real-world 5G use cases and their potential to boost the British economy

17 October 2019: O2 today launches its 5G network with a range of new tariffs, including an unlimited data option, at the same price as its 4G equivalents. From today, customers can access 5G through O2’s revolutionary custom plans, giving them the flexibility to take advantage of 5G on their terms. O2 has also released an exclusive partnership tariff with Oculus from Facebook and MelodyVR, the destination for music in virtual reality, giving customers exclusive VR music experiences.

O2’s 5G network is launching in six locations across the UK: Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh, London, Slough and Leeds, improving capacity and reliability in key places. The network will initially switch on where it’s needed most, including busy footfall areas around London Waterloo and Kings Cross; Haymarket in Edinburgh; Trinity Shopping Centre in Leeds; and Belfast South city centre; or in busy match-day hotspots around Twickenham or the Emirates Stadium. The network will be live in a total of 20 towns and cities by the end of the year, and 50 by summer 2020.

Mark Evans, CEO, Telefónica UK, said: “Today is a significant moment for our customers and our business as we switch on the O2 5G network. We’re launching with a range of tariffs that make it easy and fair for customers to access 5G, with flexible plans that cost no more than 4G. We’re also switching on 5G in important parts of towns and cities first, places where it will benefit customers and businesses most.

"I believe 5G is going to revolutionise the way people and businesses use mobile connectivity, unlocking huge possibilities for our economy and society. No one in the country has all the answers today, but I’m excited about getting it into the hands of our customers and working with leading partners to help shape the future of 5G for the next generation.”

For more information on our 5G launch, including our tariffs, more information on MelodyVR, our '5Guarantee', business partnerships and more, check out our full press release here.

Re: O2's 5G network is now LIVE!

Chris_K — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 07:26:46 GMT

Here's an infographic for you all, based on the information available in the above press release. Separated into bite-sized chunks, some of you may prefer getting the info from this... And we're not sharing this infographic anywhere else, besides internally with our people 😉

Re: O2's 5G network is now LIVE!

PhoneChanger — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 07:28:38 GMT

Good to hear, looking forward to seeing how the rollout progresses over the next few months (sadly not in my area at this time)

Re: O2's 5G network is now LIVE!

Chris_K — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 07:49:39 GMT

@PhoneChanger wrote:
Good to hear, looking forward to seeing how the rollout progresses over the next few months (sadly not in my area at this time)

Keep an eye on https://www.o2.co.uk/coveragechecker - it's just been updated to show the '5G layer', and is where you'll be able to check 5G coverage levels now and in the future for certain areas.

Over the next few months (and throughout 2020) we'll post regular updates on the rollout here and via our Social Media feeds. I for one can't wait until it's available in Glasgow - me and my Samsung Note 10+ 5G are ready!

Re: O2's 5G network is now LIVE!

Cleoriff — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 08:33:25 GMT

@Chris_K

Good to hear, though I can't understand the rationale of choosing Leeds instead of Birmingham which is the 2nd largest city in the UK?

Re: O2's 5G network is now LIVE!

TallTrees — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 08:45:40 GMT

Great to hear !

Re: O2's 5G network is now LIVE!

madasaf1sh — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 09:03:25 GMT

o2 has a massive campus in Leeds so it makes sense to launch in leeds and i work in Leeds so i can get 5G

Re: O2's 5G network is now LIVE!

gmarkj — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 09:46:50 GMT

@Chris_K wrote:

The network will be live in a total of 20 towns and cities by the end of the year, and 50 by summer 2020.

Are we allowed to know who is on the list or is that under wraps for now - not worried about order or dates, just curious as to locations...

Re: O2's 5G network is now LIVE!

Cleoriff — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 10:07:08 GMT

@madasaf1sh wrote:
o2 has a massive campus in Leeds so it makes sense to launch in leeds and i work in Leeds so i can get 5G

Birmingham also has a massive campus, so that's no excuse @madasaf1sh

Re: O2's 5G network is now LIVE!

Chris_K — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 13:23:08 GMT

@Cleoriff wrote:

@Chris_K Good to hear, though I can't understand the rationale of choosing Leeds instead of Birmingham which is the 2nd largest city in the UK?

The launch locations were carefully selected by our network team and the inclusion of Leeds and Slough are more recent additions to our launch, as it was originally planned for only the four corners of the UK when we first announced our 5G plans. I'm afraid I don't have any futher info behind how these locations were selected though, sorry.

@gmarkj wrote:

Are we allowed to know who is on the list or is that under wraps for now - not worried about order or dates, just curious as to locations...

EDIT: @viridis is ahead of me here. See below a full table of locations we're planning for 2019 and further locations for 2020.

Re: O2's 5G network is now LIVE!

viridis — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 11:53:29 GMT

How do we upgrade our 5g devices on 4g tarrifs?

Re: O2's 5G network is now LIVE!

viridis — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 11:54:32 GMT

By the end of 2019 we're planning to bring our 5G network to areas of the following 20 towns and cities:

Belfast Coventry Leeds Nottingham
Blackpool Derby Leicester Reading
Bournemouth Edinburgh Lisburn Slough
Bristol Eton London Stoke
Cardiff Guildford Norwich Windsor

By summer 2020, O2 is planning on network rollout in an additional 30 towns and cities – reaching 50 in total. We’re currently busy planning our 5G rollout in the following:

Aberdeen Kingston Plymouth
Bradford Liverpool Portsmouth
Brighton Luton Sheffield
Birkenhead Manchester Southampton
Birmingham Milton Keynes Sunderland
Cambridge Newbury Warrington
Glasgow Newcastle Wolverhampton
Hove Northampton

Re: O2's 5G network is now LIVE!

gmarkj — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 12:00:05 GMT

New SIM I think was the comms - I'll see if I can find it @viridis...

Re: O2's 5G network is now LIVE!

gmarkj — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 12:02:02 GMT

Yep - help page says:
"To get onto our 5G network you’ll need to swap to a 5G sim and move to a new 5G tariff. Just get in touch, and we’ll sort it for you."
Cheers for the list of locations as well @viridis - is that off Twitter?

Re: O2's 5G network is now LIVE!

viridis — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 12:04:05 GMT

Off the O2 5g page.

Tell you what tho, I'm a bit miffed I bought the note so early now...

Re: O2's 5G network is now LIVE!

gmarkj — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 12:07:20 GMT

Same page I got the line above from then I think (under the FAQs section).
Are you not near one of the ones that have gone live already?

Re: O2's 5G network is now LIVE!

viridis — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 12:09:25 GMT

Nah, before end of 2019.

Re: O2's 5G network is now LIVE!

viridis — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 12:14:23 GMT

@Chris_K
Do those who bought 5G devices and have been waiting for 5G get the option of the Oculus Go?
I suspect not but worth checking

Re: O2's 5G network is now LIVE!

Luke30 — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 12:28:48 GMT

Is 5G been switched on in Dorset?

Re: O2's 5G network is now LIVE!

Bambino — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 12:29:27 GMT

I think the headline should probably read

"O2 Switches on 5G with Unlimited Data, Flexible Plans and No Premium....For Now"