5G is here. The next generation of smartphone technology is well into its rollout, with a huge range of exciting 5G smartphones already available. But to use a 5G phone, you’ll need to pick up a 5G SIM only plan.
Need a 5G mobile phone too? Check out our best deals on 5G pay monthly plans.
One way of making sure you never run out of data on 5G is by getting a deal that offers unlimited data, and thankfully there are unlimited 5G data deals from the likes of Vodafone, Three and more.
There is a range of cheap 5G SIM only deals to choose from.
One thing to remember is, if you do use 5G to stream and download, you might end up using a lot of data quite quickly. So it is worth looking out for a deal that has enough data to suit your needs. Check out our cheapest 5G SIM only deals below:
"Always use Uswitch for energy and mobile contracts. Great service. Zero disappointment."
"Always look to uswitch for energy and mobile tariffs. Great comparison site..."
"Super simple to use, switch and save money. I got a super deal for a mobile contract..."
"Uswitch is the best website. I switched my entire family's mobile plan..."
"I tried this last year for my gas and electricity provision, now I'm using it for internet and mobile deals too."
The 5G era is well under way, most major 5G networks up and running throughout the UK, so let's see how they all stack up.
EE's 5G network launched in the UK on 30 May 2019 in six just cities - Belfast, London, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Manchester and Birmingham. It’s now available in 188 UK locations including major cities like Bristol, Coventry, Glasgow, Hull, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Nottingham and Sheffield.
Vodafone's 5G launched on 3 July 2019, with its service available at first in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, Manchester, Liverpool and London. It’s now available in around 138UK locations including places like Birkenhead, Blackpool, Bournemouth, Guildford, Newbury, Portsmouth, Plymouth, Reading, Southampton, Stoke-on-Trent, Warrington and Wolverhampton. It's also available in 240 different EU roaming locations.
Vodafone has made a big statement with its 5G offering by shaking up the traditional 'data allowance' system and instead offering unlimited data in a tiered speed system, similar to what you might get your broadband
Vodafone has also now launched 5G and unlimited data for all its PAYG customers too. This enables people to benefit from the blistering speeds of 5G without the confines of a monthly contract.
After a bit of a delay, Three's 5G was launched in February 2020, with the rollout initially covering 66 UK locations including London, Leeds, Glasgow, Bristol, Manchester, Liverpool, Aberdeen and many more. It’s now extended to 303 locations at the time of writing so that’s great coverage.
Three has dubbed its 5G as the ‘real 5G’ because it has up to twice the 5G spectrum of other networks. In theory, that means downloading movies and music and gaming online will be far faster on Three than on its competitors.
Three’s 5G also comes at no extra cost, all of Three’s SIMs are 5G ready as standard so all you’ll need is a 5G smartphone and you’re be good to go.
The company has also launched a 5G home broadband service in London. EE and Vodafone are offering home routers utilising 5G, as the need for traditional landline connections looks set to dissipate in the next few years.
O2 began its 5G rollout in October 2019. It initially launched in Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Leeds, London and Slough. It now spans over 200 UK locations.
Giffgaff currently has 5G switched on around 200 UK cities and towns. Giffgaff's bundles and packages allow you to pick and choose how much data you use, making its 5G offering one of the most flexible on the market.
Sky Mobile's 5G is now officially switched on in 2000 locations throughout the UK, such as London, Belfast, Leeds, Edinburgh and more. Sky Mobile’s 5G is available to its customers for free providing they sign up to the Sky VIP programme - which is free to join.
Without a Sky VIP membership, adding 5G to a Sky Mobile plan will cost an additional £5 a month.
Tesco Mobile has launched the start of its 5G offering - and it’s live in 2000 cities around the UK.
Tesco Mobile customers in cities and towns including Bournemouth, Cambridge, Milton Keynes, Wolverhampton, Coventry, Glasgow, Leeds and London can now access super fast 5G connection speeds.