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Vodafone has launched an entirely new way to connect to the internet at home, promising full-fibre broadband speeds to 3.7 million homes without an engineer appointment or a lengthy contract. To achieve this, Vodafone is relying on its nationwide 5G network to deliver speedy Wi-Fi at your address.
Instead of connecting your Wi-Fi router to a fibre-optic cable, Vodafone taps into the same 5G network that its mobile phone users rely on every day. 5G offers much faster speeds than its predecessors, 4G and 3G, which means there's more bandwidth for the dozens of connected devices in your home.
Vodafone says you should expect speeds around 150Mbps, which is around 3x faster than a typical part-fibre connection
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Relying on the 5G network instead of BT-owned Openreach, which offers wired broadband connections to 99% of UK households and is leveraged by brands like EE, Sky, Plusnet, and TalkTalk, to name just a few, is not new. It's something that Three, which merged with Vodafone to form the UK's biggest mobile network last year, has offered for some time.
Vodafone has also offered this solution alongside its wired full-fibre broadband before, although it has retired its earlier hardware efforts — dubbed the Vodafone GigaCube 5G — as part of the announcement.
If you live in a household without access to full-fibre broadband, or you're a student, renter, or someone on a shorter lease who wants faster speeds without committing to a 24-month contract – Vodafone 5G Broadband could be the ticket. Since there are no cables to connect (aside from the power cord), there's no need to book an engineer appointment. Everything is designed to work straight out of the box.
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With next‑day delivery, you could be online this time tomorrow. Vodafone is offering its new 5G Broadband to buy in-store, so you can be up and running with your new fibre-like speeds on the same day.
Vodafone says you should expect speeds around 150Mbps, which is around 3x faster than a typical part-fibre connection. However, it is slower than the average full-fibre broadband speed in the UK, which Ofcom claims sits at 285Mbps. In other words, those who want the fastest download speeds to stream TV shows, blockbuster films, video games, and FaceTime calls should stick with a wired fibre connection.
The type of 5G Broadband and the maximum download speed available via Vodafone will depend on the strength of the 5G signal in your area. The two options are:
- 5G Hub: If your area has a strong indoor 5G signal, you’ll get an indoor 5G Hub
- Outdoor Hub: If the signal is stronger outside, we’ll offer an Outdoor Hub. This is self-installed on the outside of your home
The self-installed Outdoor Hub taps into the 5G network where the signal is stronger, and then brings that connection inside the house with a speedy Wi-Fi network
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VodafoneThree Consumer Director, Rob Winterschladen, said: "Millions of households are still paying over the odds for unreliable and slow broadband that often only reaches 74Mbps. With Vodafone 5G Broadband, we’re giving those homes a genuinely fast alternative, at great value, with no installation, no waiting and no hassle.
"As the UK’s largest full fibre provider, we already bring fast, reliable broadband to more homes than anyone else – and by adding 5G Broadband, we can now reach millions more.
"This launch is about giving customers real choice: full fibre where it’s available, and powerful 5G Broadband where it’s not – plus, better options for anyone wanting speed with ease and flexibility."
With the launch of its 5G-fuelled broadband, combined with its existing full-fibre footprint of 23.2 million homes — the largest of any UK provider — Vodafone says it now offers powerful broadband to more households than anyone else.
5G Broadband customers can choose between a 30-day rolling or 24-month plan.
Prices start at £19 a month on a 24-month plan (up to 50Mbps), or £30 a month on a 30-day rolling plan (up to 50Mbps) – with no upfront costs. If you're stuck in an existing contract, you can switch to Vodafone today, and the telecom will send you up to £200 in cash as switching credit to cover an early exit fees.
If you're already signed-up with Vodafone, you'll enjoy a £2 per month saving through Vodafone Together, which offers discounts when mobile and broadband are bundled.
Since the merger, Vodafone and Three have brought together network technology from both brands across 10,000 sites nationwide, which means those on the newly-launched Vodafone 5G Broadband customers will benefit from improved coverage with higher speeds in areas where it wasn't previously available.
The company says this forms part of VodafoneThree’s £11 billion investment programme to build the UK’s best network, reaching 99% 5G Standalone population coverage by 2030, and 99.96% by 2034.