VodafoneThree has unveiled an upgraded 5G service to counteract Britain’s sluggish mobile coverage, but will charge customers a premium to use it.
The upgraded service, which features speeds up to four times faster than its standard plans, follows the £15 billion merger of Vodafone and Three last year.
The guaranteed minimum speeds of 15 megabits per second – fast enough to stream high-definition video – are also a first for the industry, with the company promising customers they can leave their contract early without penalty if the service falls short.
The move is aimed at tackling lacklustre mobile internet service across the UK, which ranks bottom among G7 nations for both speed and coverage.
Vodafone contract customers will have to pay an extra £3 per month more than Vodafone full-speed Xtra plans to access the improved service, £8 more on SIM-only 100Mbps plans, £4 more on handset 100Mbps plans, or £12 as a rolling monthly add-on.
open image in galleryChief executive Max Taylor said Vodafone SuperMobile is “tangible evidence of what the Vodafone and Three merger makes possible: better connectivity and real choice for customers”.
“The UK needs to go faster, and with the country’s largest, best spectrum holding, and our £11 billion investment, we will build a faster, higher-quality network than anyone else.
“SuperMobile is super-fast, super-reliable and super-secure. Ideal for consumers watching content on-the-go, AI applications or businesses looking to benefit from digital transformation.”
The improved mobile offering, called SuperMobile, will be provided through technology known as “slicing”, which allows different parts of a mobile network to be used for different purposes.
VodafoneThree said users who pay extra will be given access to a dedicated 5G+ FastTrack, meaning they are more likely to have signal in busy areas such as city centres and at events such as concerts and sports fixtures.
It said that non-SuperMobile customers would continue to access the network as normal and would not be deprioritised as a result of the new offering.
open image in galleryVodafoneThree said the move was possible thanks to its expanded holdings of mobile spectrum following last year’s merger.
At the time of the merger, Vodafone said its 5G upgrades would come at no extra cost, while the company made a number of commitments over tariffs to assuage the regulator’s concerns about higher prices.
Bosses insisted that all customers would benefit from improved quality as the company invests £11 billion in its combined network, adding that the new 5G service was an optional extra for those willing to pay a premium.
VodafoneThree also announced plans for a new TV entertainment hub on Thursday, which launches next month and brings together access to HBO Max and Netflix, as well as the streaming platforms of broadcasters such as the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 via Freely.
Ernest Doku, mobiles spokesperson at Uswitch, said: “Vodafone’s double launch is a bid to be your ‘everything’ provider – one company for your mobile, broadband, telly and streaming, all on a single bill.
“SuperMobile will make most sense for commuters and anyone regularly streaming or hotspotting in busy places – many others will rarely notice a problem worth paying to fix.
“At £3 a month extra within a plan, or £12 as a rolling add-on, the cost varies significantly depending on your existing deal, so weigh it against your everyday experience, not the worst-case scenario.
“Do the maths before signing up; remember add-ons can rise mid-contract alongside everything else, and only pay for certainty or convenience you’ll actually use.”