📶 5G in Plain English
5G (Fifth Generation) is the latest mobile network standard, replacing 4G. The headline improvements are speed and latency — but the real-world story for businesses is more nuanced than the marketing suggests.
| Metric | 4G LTE (typical) | 5G Sub-6GHz (typical) | 5G mmWave (dense urban) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Download speed | 20–150 Mbps | 100–500 Mbps | 1–4 Gbps |
| Upload speed | 5–50 Mbps | 50–200 Mbps | 100–500 Mbps |
| Latency | 20–60ms | 5–20ms | 1–5ms |
| Building penetration | Good | Good | Poor — outdoor only |
| UK coverage (2025) | 98% population | ~85% population | Major cities only |
| Device cost premium | — | ~£50–200 more | Specialist only |
✅ Where 5G Actually Makes a Difference for Business
- 4G/5G broadband routers for offices: In areas with strong 5G, a 5G router can deliver 200–500Mbps — sufficient for a 20–50 person office without any fibre installation. Installation takes an hour, not 45 days.
- Construction sites and temporary offices: 5G provides fast, reliable connectivity where laying fibre isn't practical. Construction teams streaming HD video for remote site inspection, or using cloud CAD tools, benefit directly.
- Logistics and field operations: Faster upload speeds mean delivery drivers' devices sync photos, signatures and data near-instantly rather than queuing uploads.
- Event and pop-up venues: Concerts, festivals, retail pop-ups — 5G provides connectivity without the lead time or cost of temporary fibre.
- Failover for fixed lines: 5G failover is noticeably faster and more reliable than 4G failover for businesses that switch automatically during a broadband outage.
❌ Where 5G Is Less Useful Than Marketed
- Most office applications: If your team uses email, Office 365, video calls and web browsing, the difference between 4G (50Mbps) and 5G (300Mbps) is imperceptible. The bottleneck is the application, not the speed.
- Rural areas: 5G coverage is concentrated in urban and suburban areas. Rural businesses should focus on 4G, Starlink or fixed fibre rather than waiting for 5G.
- Latency-sensitive applications: While 5G latency is lower than 4G, it's still higher than a wired connection. For real-time manufacturing control or financial trading, wired remains better.
📍 5G Coverage in the UK — The Reality
As of 2025, EE, Vodafone, O2 and Three all operate 5G networks, collectively covering approximately 85% of the UK population. However, 'population coverage' differs significantly from 'geographic coverage' — 5G is concentrated where people live and work, not in rural or semi-rural areas.
In the Midlands and North, cities including Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield and Wolverhampton have strong 5G coverage from multiple operators. Towns with populations below ~20,000 are much less consistently covered.
💷 Should Your Business Pay Extra for 5G?
For most businesses, the answer is: get 5G-capable hardware, but don't pay a large premium for a 5G plan over 4G. 5G coverage will expand — and a 5G router will work on 4G today and switch to 5G as coverage improves. The plan cost difference is typically £5–15/month, which is reasonable. Paying significantly more for a 5G-only product when 4G meets your needs is premature.
Telexico's 4G/5G routers work on both networks — upgrading automatically as 5G coverage expands in your area.
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