EE has switched on 5G in Bristol in a move the local authority says will encourage a "culture of innovation" in the city.
Bristol joins a number of cities across the UK that are now receiving EE’s 5G coverage, including London, Birmingham and Cardiff.
Councillor Craig Cheney, Bristol's deputy mayor with responsibility for finance, governance and performance at the council, said: “Bristol has a growing reputation for its thriving digital economy, so we're very pleased that we are among the first cities in the UK to be connected to 5G.
"Faster and more reliable connectivity will help us deliver better public services, keep our citizens safe and encourage a culture of innovation.”
EE was the first to launch 5G in the UK when six cities were switched on in May. Since then, it has been building its network on a daily basis.
Paul Coles, BT Group regional director for the South West, said: “It’s great to see Bristol being among the first locations in the UK to welcome 5G.
"The new technology will enable a faster, more reliable mobile connection, helping a range of sectors including healthcare and manufacturing.
"We know that demands for data from consumers and businesses are continuing to increase, so the arrival of 5G will ensure Bristol remains one of the most connected and competitive cities in the UK.”
5G is built on top of EE’s 4G network and users will be able to connect to both 4G and 5G at the same time, even in the most crowded areas.
EE says it has 5G in more places in the UK than any other network, and is targeting 5G connectivity in 45 cities and large towns by the end of the year.
Marc Allera, chief executive of BT’s consumer division, added: “Switching on 5G in more places is helping us deliver the best mobile experience to our customers, keeping them connected to the things that matter most."
He added: "Our engineers are continuing to build new sites every day, on our journey to keeping our customers connected 100 per cent of the time.”
Source: https://www.business-live.co.uk/technology/ee-launches-5g-network-bristol-17376305