All you need to know about the 5G broadband roll-out in Edinburgh

5G will be available on a range of six devices initially

Mobile network EE’s next generation 5G broadband is the first of its kind in the UK as it rolls out to six cities. So what does it mean and how will it work?

Scottish Government Minister for Connectivity Paul Wheelhouse expects it to transform the way we live and work. He added: “5G will hugely enhance Edinburgh’s infrastructure and allow the city to embrace the next technological frontier.”

When and where?

The UK’s first 5G network will be available from today (May 30) in London, Birmingham, Belfast, Manchester, Cardiff and, of course, Edinburgh.

How will it work?

The new 5G Smart plans will give customers access to the UK’s first 5G network, BT Sport HD HDR, and an exclusive Gamer’s Data Pass with zero-rated data.

What’s all the fuss about?

5G is billed as providing a more reliable data connection. EE expects customers in Edinburgh to experience an increase in speeds of around 100-150Mbps even in the busiest areas. Some customers will break the one gigabit-per-second milestone on their 5G smartphones. The fastest speed possible when EE launched 4G in 2012 was just 50Mbps.

How do I get it?

Users will need to be on a 5G plan and have a 5G-enabled handset these include:

OnePlus 7 Pro 5G

The OnePlus 7 Pro 5G is the UK’s first commercially available 5G smartphone and is exclusive to EE initially.

- Samsung Galaxy S10 5G

Samsung’s first 5G smartphone is released on June 7 and will be sold by EE and Vodafone (though Vodafone’s 5G network switch-on will not take place until July 3).

- Oppo Reno 5G

Chinese smartphone maker Oppo will introduce its 5G smartphone to the UK market from June 7, which will be another EE exclusive.

- LG V50 ThinQ 5G

LG’s 5G effort is another EE exclusive but the release date is not until early June. At the moment, customers can pre-order the handset, with an expected dispatch “within 14 days”.

- Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 5G

Xiaomi’s 5G smartphone is already available but will be exclusive to Vodafone initially - even though Vodafone’s 5G network does not go live until July.

EE bosses “paused” the sale of Huawei 5G phones amid concerns over Chinese government influence.

What happens next?

In addition to the six launch cities, in 2019 EE will also be introducing 5G across the busiest parts of Bristol, Coventry, Glasgow, Hull, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Nottingham and Sheffield.

And in 2020: Aberdeen, Cambridge, Derby, Gloucester, Peterborough, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Southampton, Worcester and Wolverhampton.