- Two-thirds of Brits say slow and unreliable broadband is their pet peeve
- 3.7 million UK homes still don’t have full fiber (60% of them in cities)
- Vodafone’s 5G/full fiber can now reach 26 million homes
Vodafone says it has researched what bothers UK consumers the most and 67% of citizens say slow and unreliable broadband is now their biggest pet peeve.
The problem is so important, Vodafone found, that more than 20 million people say they would consider moving home to secure a better broadband connection, with many regions yet to receive full fiber rollout.
With hybrid work now commonplace and other factors such as connected devices drive traffic higher, 87% of Brits now consider fast broadband essential to everyday life.
Vodafone believes 5G broadband can close current fiber gaps
Responding to growing concerns about slow and unreliable broadband, the company, which recently merged with Three, has launched its own mobile broadband package to give customers mobile connections throughout their homes as an alternative to cable connections.
According to the firm, more than 26 million UK homes can now access full fiber or 5G broadband on its network, which it says is more than any other UK provider.
Mobile connections play an important role in the rollout of full fiber – these 5G networks already exist for smartphone connectivity, but around 3.7 million UK homes are still limited to old copper cables or part fibre. Interestingly, this is not necessarily a rural problem, with three out of five of the remaining homes actually located in cities.
Mobile networks already play a role, with half (49%) of Brits using a smartphone hotspot when broadband is a problem. Having this type of connection available through a router or mesh Wi-Fi network would allow all devices to connect – not just those within range of a smartphone (when the smartphone is at home).
“This launch means we’re giving customers real choice: full fiber broadband where it’s available and powerful 5G broadband where it’s not – plus better options for anyone who just wants speed with ease and flexibility,” VodafoneThree said.
Vodafone’s website now lists 5G broadband deals supporting up to 150Mbps, priced from £19 to £29 per month for 30-day and 24-month contracts.
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