Samsung is starting its 5G tests in London alongside Arqiva

Why it matters to you

We’ve been stuck on 4G LTE for what feels like an eternity, and now, 5G could be coming to London thanks to Samsung and Arqiva tests

The future is coming fast for the U.K. According to the latest reports, Samsung and telecommunications firm Arqiva will be debuting 5G mobile internet to the U.K. in the second half of this year. A partnership between these two companies will bring 5G trials to central London in hopes of determining whether this technology could replace fiber optic broadband beginning in 2020.

The hope, IBTimes reports, is to determine the feasibility of a future “where residential and commercial properties connect to a super-fast internet connection wirelessly over 5G, as smartphones do with 4G today.” Today, most of these connections are made through a fixed fiber optic cable. Not only is this a slower option, but it also requires significant time and resources to install new cables as businesses and populations grow. But with 5G, homes and businesses could simply buy a router and get online.

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“5G will be a crucial pillar of the U.K.’s economy in the 2020s. The smarter network infrastructure and an enhanced ability to support exponential scale for connectivity will open the doors to further applications across a variety of markets such internet-of-things, industrial applications, and the full promise of autonomous vehicles,” Arqiva chief executive Simon Beresford-Wylie told IBTimes.

So why are these tests being conducted in the U.K.? According to Thomas Riedel, head of Samsung Networks Europe, “There is so much opportunity in the region due to the diversity of markets and services already in place here, and we think the U.K. is a prime candidate to show off the benefits that 5G can bring to consumers here.”

The nation itself is also investing plenty of capital in connectivity. As Karen Bradley, the culture secretary, noted, “The government wants the U.K. to be a world leader in 5G and we’re already laying the foundations for a successful launch. We are investing [$1.25 billion] to boost the U.K.’s digital infrastructure and support 5G trials, and will shortly be publishing our 5G strategy.”