For those wanting the most innovative options when it comes to phones, it's all about 5G - and we're seeing top 5G phone deals already coming to service the need for that next-gen phone use.
What is 5G?, you may silently think? Well, where 4G speeds for your phone meant some pretty quick downloads, 5G is more on the lines of blink and you'll miss it kind of speeds. To be slightly more scientific, 5G is estimated to be roughly 20x faster than 4G, allowing films and albums to be downloaded in seconds.
But like most other new technology, 5G phone deals don't exactly come cheap. Getting hold of these superfast devices requires a bit of investment.
That said, considering you'll be getting the world's greatest phones with speeds faster than most internet connections we must admit that we were expecting slightly higher prices at the start of this connectivity revolution.
The number of 5G phones has rapidly shot up with most major brands including it as default now. Apple's iPhone 12 range, Samsung's Galaxy S21 handsets and the latest from Google and OnePlus all come prepped with 5G.
For those ready to jump start their phone speeds and leave buffering behind, we've listed the most affordable 5G phone deals down below so you can find the one that works for you. But if you can't find an option you like, keep an eye out on this page as we update it with all of the newest 5G options.
- Click here if you simply want to see the best mobile phone deals on 4G
- Skip the starting costs with our phone contracts with no upfront costs guide
- Check out the best Samsung Galaxy S21 deals
Which networks currently offer 5G?
| Header Cell - Column 0 | EE | Vodafone | O2 | Three | Virgin | Sky | iD Mobile | Voxi | GiffGaff | BT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5G enabled? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Locations | 125 cities and towns | 114 cities and towns | 150+ cities and towns | 154+ cities and towns | 114 cities and towns | 150+ cities and towns | N/A | 114 cities and towns | 150+ cities and towns | 125 cities and towns |
| What network does it use? | EE | Vodafone | O2 | Three | Vodafone | O2 | Three | Vodafone | O2 | EE |
What kind of speeds can I expect with 5G?
When it comes to 5G, it's hard to give an exact speed to expect. But, at its theoretical max speed, 5G will be topping out at roughly 20x faster than 4G.
While testing 5G devices we were seeing speeds well into the ranges of 500Mb, a speed quite a bit faster than Virgin's fastest broadband package - a company notorious for its blisteringly fast broadband.
It's not just speeds you should be excited about either. With significantly reduced latency, load times will be far faster and we will see much better response rates on our devices.
While this is all great, 5G isn't that readily available and can only be found in scattered locations across different cities, actually getting these speeds can be a challenge. Even in London, the best UK city for 5G connectivity, we found ourselves dipping in and out of 5G range all day.
Although don't get us wrong, there is something incredibly satisfying about downloading an entire film in a matter of seconds - we're just waiting for the time we can do that from anywhere.
What other benefits does 5G offer?
While speeds are the most exciting part of 5G, there are a tonne of other possibilities it will unlock. Like we mentioned above, one of those features is latency. With significantly reduced latency, load times will be far faster and we will see much better response rates on our devices.
On top of that, issues such as signal congestion in busy places will be reduced. This means finally being able to get signal and get online at festivals, sports events and busy cities.
Even things like phone calls, video calls and live streaming will become far more fluid. With a combination of faster latency and better speeds, these services will run better with your new 5G phone deals.
Can I get a 5G SIM only deal?
Yes you can. But, as you can probably already guess, 5G SIM only deals don't come cheap. With prices starting at £32 a month for EE, the pricing is far above what normal SIM only deals currently cost.
However, this isn't really a surprise considering how expensive 5G is currently shaping up to be. Luckily, with all of these EE 5G sims, you're getting a tonne of data and EE's 'Swappable Benefits' scheme, which means you are getting quite a collection of features for your cash.
Vodafone has quickly followed EE with a list of its own 5G SIM only deals. They come in at a price lower than EE and all of Vodafone's plans offer unlimited data. However, they are broken into three speeds brackets, going up depending on how much you are willing to spend.
Is there a 5G iPhone?
With Apple's latest collection of phones now available and no 5G iPhone in sight it appears Apple is holding back on going into 5G. Although it was heavily suggested that we could get a 5G iPhone 11, it looks like 2020 will be the year we see a 5G iPhone.
