Is the UK’s 5G signal really getting worse and is Liz Truss to blame?

Recent TikTok videos and social media posts have highlighted a problem in the UK - users are finding it hard to connect to 5G phone services, and many feel that 5G is getting worse, not better.

Users on Twitter have complained about unreliable 5G services which cut out at awkward moments, or slow speeds delivered over 5G, with one Twitter user calling on TV presenter Stacey Dooley to investigate.

A recent video by TikTok user Professor Make It Make Sense suggested that a decision by former PM Liz Truss to mandate the removal of Huawei equipment from British phone networks over security fears could be to blame – while other experts have suggested that masts are being built too slowly and in the wrong places.

Is Britain’s 5G really worse than other places?

Research has shown that Britain’s 5G networks are slower and less reliable than other countries in Europe.

Research by mobile network analytics company MedUX in February this year compared large European cities, and found that London had the worst 5G speed performance in both uploads and downloads, with Lisbon 75% faster.

London also had the second-lowest performance for reliability and accessibility, which is measured in time to deliver content to a device.

Cars used by MedUX drove through cities testing 5G speeds - and found that Lisbon offers the fastest download and upload speeds, while Berlin and Paris offer the best streaming video.

Speaking to Yahoo News, Rafael González, CMO of MedUX, says that slower countries need to accelerate investments in 5G.

Gonzalez said, “The differences in 5G performance and experience among major cities in Europe are a “wake-up call”. Setting ambitious national digital infrastructure strategy roadmaps and accelerating investments and deployment pace is a must to catch up with world-class technology leaders.’

Why has Britain banned Huawei equipment?

In 2020, the US warned allies not to allow Huawei to play a part in their 5G networks, arguing that it is a security risk due to the Chinese company’s close links to the Beijing government.

Critics argued that China’s government could pressure Huawei into putting ‘backdoors’ into equipment for espionage, or just to shut down networks.

In 2020, the US Pentagon placed Huawei on a list of companies controlled by China’s military – and then prime minister Boris Johnson announced that Huawei equipment would be removed from British 5G networks by 2027.

In 2022, Prime Minister Liz Truss sent legal notices to British telecoms networks to officially enforce the move.

Is the Huawei ban to blame for Britain’s poor 5G?

The removal of Huawei equipment may have slowed down 5G deployment because there are relatively few companies with Huawei’s expertise in delivering 5G networking equipment.

Gonzalez of MedUX says, "The Huawei ban may have also introduced setbacks to the industry – but the lag in quality of experience in the UK's capital can be attributed to a multitude of factors, including spectrum policy, deployment strategy, investment efforts, and the level of support from both the government and other public stakeholders for 5G deployment.

At present, British networks are rolling out 5G hardware on top of existing 4G installations, and are using mid-band frequencies which are not as fast as other countries, says Liz Parry, CEO of telecoms service support company LifeCycle Software.

The process of replacing Huawei equipment with those from other vendors such as Ericsson and Nokia is time-consuming and costly, Parry says.

Andy Aitken, co-founder and CEO of UK telecoms network Honest, says, "The reason 5G speeds aren't living up to the hype yet is because the networks needed for it just aren’t fully up and running. The big telecom companies still need to expand their infrastructure, which will cost billions.

"Plus, regulations slow things down. For instance, in China, they can put up 50m-tall masts easily. That’s not the case in the UK thanks to our planning regulations. That makes a huge difference in how effectively 5G can be rolled out. On top of that, the 'Big Four' UK networks get to choose to build masts in places they expect the most use, like busy city areas, with little interest or incentive to put masts in less populated spots.’

How to check 5G signal in my area

Before signing up to a particular network, you can use Ofcom’s free Mobile Checker to assess signal levels in the area - both indoors and outdoors.

The free website lets you enter your postcode and assess coverage on each of the ‘Big Four’ networks – EE, Three, 02 and Vodafone – at your specific address, with a warning if services are ‘Limited’.

How long until 5G is everywhere in the UK?

The rollout of 5G services in the UK began in 2019, with 5G services being rolled out by the Big Four private mobile network operators.

In September 2023, Ofcom estimated that between 85% and 93% of UK premises could get 5G coverage outdoors from at least one operator.

At present, much of 5G is built on top of existing 4G equipment, and ‘standalone’ 5G with dedicated 5G equipment everywhere is at ‘an early stage’, according to the Government.

The government’s official target is for ‘all populated areas’, including areas in the country, to have standalone 5G coverage by 2030.