5G lack of coverage

[HMc777]

A year ago I purchased a 5G capable phone from O2 & have only had a 5G connection once.....20 miles from home. I realise that coverage is limited, however  my daughter has good 5G coverage at home on her EE contracted phone. Why can EE supply 5G in our area when O2 can't?

[MI5 · Accepted solution]

@HMc777 

Simple answer is because EE have upgraded your area and O2 haven't.

It will be different somewhere else as it's impossible for any network to turn on 5g instantly.

You can find where it's available here O2 Service Status

[HMc777]

I realise that & that was my point.

Why have EE upgraded and O2 haven't?

Surely, if all providers use the same infrastructure and the infrastructure is already there, then upgrading to 5G should be fairly "simple" 

[MI5]

@HMc777 

They isn't any sharing of infrastructure between O2 and EE.

There is some sharing between O2 and Vodafone but even that isn't guaranteed to provide equal coverage everywhere.

[kab242]

O2 appear to be way behind EE, and now even 3, in upgrading to 5G in new locations.

When the O2 coverage checker shows 5G availability, it is often no indoor coverage or limited indoor coverage.

Lower frequencies are required to give good indoor coverage. Don't they have enough capacity to do this?