Vodafone has revealed that it will be bringing 5G to 12 more locations across the UK, adding to the seven cities where it has already begun – or will do soon – trialling the next-generation mobile network.

Vodafone begun the first full 5G trial in the UK in October 2018 when it began streaming live mobile data traffic to and from the internet over the technology in Salford, Greater Manchester. Since then, sites have gone live in Bristol, Cardiff, and Liverpool, while engineers have installed 5G antennas in Birmingham, Glasgow, and London ahead of a forthcoming switch-on.

Now, the mobile network provider has said it will also launch 5G in Birkenhead, Blackpool, Bournemouth, Guildford, Portsmouth, Plymouth, Reading, Southampton, Stoke-on-Trent, Warrington and Wolverhampton, as well as in Newbury – where the company’s technology headquarters is based.

“Our multi-billion-pound network investment and leading position in setting global standards will ensure our customers have the very latest 5G releases and technology,” said Scott Petty, chief technology officer executive at Vodafone UK. “5G will also usher in a new era where everyone and everything is better connected, whether you are running a hotel in Portsmouth or broadcasting live at MediaCity in Salford.”

Vodafone has also joined he National Beyond Visual Line of Sight Experimentation Corridor (NBEC) consortium to provide 4G and 5G connectivity in order to test ways to make drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) safe to fly in the same airspace as manned aircrafts.

“Drones offer exciting opportunities for the future that will benefit society and the economy. However, we need to make sure they are used safely and responsibly,” said Anne Sheehan, director of Vodafone Business UK. “We are delighted to bring our mobile connectivity expertise to the NBEC consortium so that drone technology can be further tested and developed.”