Executive Summary
The UK’s mobile networks are now in a mature stage of their 5G rollout. All four national operators — EE, Vodafone, Three, and Virgin Media O2 (VMO2) — claim near-universal population coverage, with 5G services now widely available in towns and cities. Yet, as customer complaints and regulator scrutiny show, coverage statistics do not always align with customer experience.
As an independent specialist, Nexibium conducted a two-week benchmarking campaign in early 2025, focusing on critical corridors and high-usage zones rather than attempting nationwide coverage. Our 500–800 km of drive testing routes covered London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, and key commuter highways. Indoor walk testing was performed at shopping malls, an airport, and a stadium to measure real-world experience in high-footfall environments.