5G Innovation

How 5G will change the world

Kevin McCloud’s Rough Guide to the Future

Kevin McCloud is passionately optimistic about technology and the future, but Jon Richardson, Phil Wang and Alice Levine aren't so sure. Can Kevin persuade his trio of sceptics to see the light?

Find out on All 4

Why Vodafone 5G?More on 5G

Latest important updates

Stay up-to-date with the latest information that might affect how you use our network and what we're doing to keep the UK connected.

Parking – how 5G will help

What if you could find out where you can park in town, as soon as a spot becomes available? See how AppyWay will use 5G to save you time and money.

Take a look

The economy – recovering with a 5G boost

Upgrading the UK to 5G could be worth £158billion for the UK economy over the next ten years, and make public services simpler to use.

Find out how

World’s first remote 5G autograph signing

Fans can’t travel to watch The British & Irish Lions this summer (2021), but we didn’t let that stop us connecting some UK fans with their Lions heroes.

With the help of a precision robot, motion control tech, and Vodafone’s low latency 5G network, the Lions players in South Africa signed jerseys live for their fans in the UK in a world first for 5G, all whilst chatting on video call.

As Ken Owens’ stylus touched the tablet in South Africa, our robot arm in London replicated his movement, so he could sign little Rocco’s shirt in real time, from 8,000 miles away.

Was it good?

“I reckon that’s my best ever signature,” said Ken.

First 5G Duet

Earlier in pre-lockdown 2020, we used our 5G network to digitally connect two pianos in different locations and put the legendary Lewis Hamilton in the middle. With no lag and the ability to play together in real time, see how Lewis and pro musician Jay Keys played the world’s first 5G Duet.

Gaming x Lewis Hamilton

5G and gaming – a match made in heaven? Lewis Hamilton’s used to serious speed, so we invited him to play some VR games with us, powered by our super-fast and super-reliable 5G network.

Watch the video to see how we got on.

Drones x Lewis Hamilton

5G will open so many doors – so why not fly a drone through them? Lewis Hamilton puts his world champion driving skills to the test on a drone racing track, powered by our 5G network.

Watch the video to see how he did.

How will 5G change the world?

5G has the potential to revolutionise how we work, play, and everything in between. From crystal-clear video calls and streaming films to industry, manufacturing and even robotic surgery, 5G will be a game-changer.

This super-fast, stable and powerful network will allow you to communicate, work and stream faster than ever before. Plus, you’ll be able to link all of your home’s smart devices and control them in real time - so you can streamline your life and make more time for the things which matter to you.

Explore 5G devices See 5G ready SIMs

5G makes holographic calls possible

We made the UK’s first live holographic 5G call between Manchester and Newbury.

Watch the excitement as England and Manchester City Women’s Football Captain Steph Houghton appears as a live 3D hologram at Vodafone’s Future Ready conference in Newbury, to give 11-year old Lionesses superfan Iris some footballing tips.

Revolutionising mobile gaming with 5G

What if you could stream games on your phone seamlessly, without lag?

We demonstrated the power of our 5G network at the Bullring in Birmingham yesterday by inviting YouTube sensation, Tom Cassell (Syndicate), to test-run a number of cloud-based games from Hatch, the cloud gaming platform.

Want your favourite show for the flight?

Our 5G blast pod allowed holidaymakers and travellers to download a film or box set up to 4 times quicker than 4G. It’s just a glimpse of a 5G future where you’ll be able to download anything fast, so you’ll always have the content you need to get through your commute, trip or long-haul flight.