THE UK’s second-biggest mobile phone operator O2 has said it will bring 5G to Southampton by next summer.

The company had already announced a deal to share masts with Vodafone, which intends to bring 5G to the city this year.

O2 said it would begin rolling out its 5G network in October, prioritising areas where customers would benefit most.

The technology is set to make connections more reliable and usher in technology to connect all kinds of devices to the internet, from cars to refrigerators.

Bournemouth is among 20 towns and cities to join the network this year, while Southampton will be among another 30 to have 5G by the summer of 2020.

O2 said it was prioritising key business areas and entertainment and sports venues. Customers on O2’s custom plans will be able to upgrade to a 5G handset when they choose.

Samsung’s 5G-ready Galaxy S10 phone will be available from August 8, with the Xiaomi Mix 3 coming later that month. More devices will be added in time for the launch.

Mark Evans, chief executive of O2’s parent company Telefónica UK, said: “5G is going to be a game changer for our country. Whether it’s for people or businesses, the power of this next-generation network is going to unlock a world of possibilities for our economy and society.

“As we switch on our network across the country, our intelligence-led roll-out prioritises the key areas in towns and cities first – the places where our customers need, and will use, 5G the most. We’re also giving our customers maximum flexibility with our industry-leading custom plans, letting people adopt 5G at a time that’s right for them.”

O2 has pledged to continue upgrading its 4G network at the same time as rolling out 5G.

Research by YouGov suggested that only 11 per cent of consumers thought network operators should prioritise the rollout of 5G, while 31 per cent would prefer better 4G and fair tariffs to be a priority.

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