Birmingham/London, UK – According to recent research conducted by SignalTracker, a mobile app developed by leading wireless sector company PolicyTracker, Vodafone customers in London are three times more likely to have access to the latest type of 5G compared to those in Birmingham. The app, which has performed thousands of tests in both cities, revealed that Vodafone’s premier service, 5G Ultra, was only available in 27% of tests in London and a mere 9% in Birmingham.
SignalTracker’s findings also showed that the selling point of Vodafone’s flagship service, “standalone 5G”, was primarily limited to central locations in London such as Westminster, Lambeth, Soho, and Waterloo. In contrast, outer regions like Barking, Bromley, and Kingston suffered from weaker signal quality. However, this was still superior to Birmingham, where standalone 5G was only available in the city centre and the Bullring shopping centre. A six-minute walk to the nearby area of Digbeth immediately resulted in a drop in signal quality to 4G, even for those on a 5G Ultra plan.
The prevalence of 4G was also a significant factor in both cities, with 90% of tests on 5G Ultra in Birmingham actually being on 4G. Even when the 5G icon was displayed, 82% of the time it was connected to 4G. This is due to a quirk of smartphones, as highlighted by the SignalTracker app, where the device shows a 5G symbol but is, in reality, connected to 4G. This occurs because the base station has 5G capabilities, even though the connected device is not using them.
Vodafone’s 5G Ultra service is advertised as being ten times faster than 4G. However, in Birmingham, 5G standalone was only accessible 9% of the time. Similarly, in London, 72% of 5G Ultra tests were connected to 4G, and when the 5G icon was displayed, it was actually connected to 4G 57% of the time.
PolicyTracker’s Managing Director, Martin Sims, expressed concern for consumers, stating, “This can lead to confusion for customers, particularly in Birmingham, where many will wonder why a premier service isn’t delivering the promised 5G standalone more frequently.” He added, “It is a disappointing reminder of how far the UK’s 5G rollout has to go.”
SignalTracker, available on Google Play, provides users with detailed information on their connection, including signal strength, bands used, and download speed. The app also allows users to compare the services of different operators and save results for different locations. For the full research report, visit https://signal-tracker.net/londoners-three-times-more-likely-than-brummies-to-get-latest-5g/.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Cameron Hill
Journalist
SignalTracker
Cameron@policytracker.com
Work mobile: +44 (0)7553 310368
Office: +44(0)20 7100 2875
Notes for editors:
[1] About Signal TrackerThe figures quoted come from over 15,500 tests carried out by PolicyTracker in London and Birmingham over the past three months using SignalTracker. This Android app allows consumers to compare the service from different operators using metrics such as signal strength, speed, and bands used. Users can also save this information for different locations. The app also provides detailed spectrum usage data for commercial and regulatory organizations. [2] Vodafone 5G Ultra
Vodafone 5G Ultra is the mobile operator’s standalone 5G service, promising greater coverage, ten times faster speeds than 4G, and connectivity in busy places such as festivals and stadiums. The company’s benchmark states that on 5G Ultra, a full HD film can be downloaded in approximately three minutes. As of June 2025, a sim only plan for “Unlimited Max” – the fastest service – costs £36 a month. [3] 5G Technology
Most 5G connections in the UK are currently 5G non-standalone (5G NSA). These connections use the existing 4G network to connect to the internet but use a 5G connection to download data. The next stage of 5G technology, 5G standalone (5G SA), does not use the 4G network but is currently limited in its deployment. [4] Publishing rights
Should you publish information from this press release in a story or use the press release partially or fully, you MUST include a hyperlink to https://signal-tracker.net/londoners-three-times-more-likely-than-brummies-to-get-latest-5g/.
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