Thanks to 5G, an exciting new alternative to traditional fibre home broadband is starting to emerge.
The next-generation mobile network known as 5G is not merely a super-fast way to get connected from your smartphone, it’s also being positioned as a viable means of connecting to the internet from your home.
In order to connect to 5G home broadband, you’ll need a 5G router. Here’s a rundown of the current 5G router market in the UK.
What is a 5G router?
A 5G router is a plug-in device that enables you to access home broadband using a 5G signal rather than the telephone wiring that runs to your home.
With average real world download speeds of between around 100–200Mbps, 5G home broadband is already faster than standard fibre broadband where available. With peak speeds potentially exceeding 1Gbps in places, it could even potentially compete with top-notch full fibre broadband.
5G also benefits from lower latency than 4G, which should in time make for a fixed broadband-like responsive online experience. Based on the available data, you can currently expect a ping of around 20-35ms, which falls in between a decent home broadband connection (10–20ms) and a 4G broadband connection (around 35-50ms).
But perhaps the key benefit of using a 5G router right now is how quick and easy they are to set up. You can receive it in the post the very next day after you order, at which point you literally plug it in and access the internet. There’s no need to wait around for an engineer to visit.
Best 5G routers
Given the relatively new nature of 5G broadband, there aren’t an awful lot of options for 5G routers on the market. In fact, until fairly recently there was only really one, albeit rebranded by three different networks. Thankfully, the choice is a little wider now.
Three 5G Home Broadband

If you take out Three 5G Home Broadband, then you’ll receive a Three 5G Hub (also sometimes referred to as the Three 5G Home Broadband Hub), and it supports an impressive max download speed of 3.8Gbps – though Three’s own network tops out at 1Gbps on this device, so for now you won’t see those speeds.
For average download speeds, Three claims that at least 50% of its 5G home broadband customers will get average speeds of 150Mbps during the peak hours of between 8pm and 10pm.
The Three 5G Hub also has two Ethernet ports, along with antenna sockets, plus support for up to 64 simultaneous connections. That’s far more than you’re likely to need, and is in line with rivals.
And note that Three also sells the Three 5G Outdoor Hub, which is somewhat similar but would be mounted outside your property, to give it a better chance at hooking on to a signal.
Three 5G Broadband
£19.00 a month24 month contract
Three 5G Broadband
£28.00 a month1 month contract
EE Smart 5G Hub

EE offers 5G home broadband via its own-branded 5G router (seen above), the EE Smart 5G Hub.
EE hasn’t revealed all the specs of this device, but it claims that you'll get average download speeds of 146Mbps from its Smart 5G Hub, and that it can impressively get over 100 devices online, which is more than rivals. The EE Smart 5G Hub also has two Ethernet ports.
EE Smart 5G Hub
£45.00 a month18 month contract
EE Smart 5G Hub
£50.00 a month18 month contract
Vodafone GigaCube 5G

The Vodafone GigaCube 5G theoretically offers top speeds of 3.8Gbps, though as with other options your real world speeds will be a lot lower, with Vodafone stating that its network tops out at 1Gbps.
Like many rivals, it can get up to 64 devices online at once, so it’s competitive with most rivals, and it has Ethernet ports. Note however that Vodafone used to offer different routers under the same name.
Vodafone GigaCube 5G
£30.00 a month24 month contract
Vodafone GigaCube 5G
£30.00 a month24 month contract
National Broadband 5G WiFi Router

National Broadband doesn’t have its own 5G infrastructure, but it does sell a 5G router, and if you purchase one of its plans then it will provide signal using the best network in your area.
It calls its router the 5G WiFi Router, which at the time of writing is a rebranded TP Link 5G NX200 v1, offering average download speeds of over 100Mbps, and the hardware is capable of peak speeds of 4.67Gbps.
As with rival devices, it also includes antenna ports, Ethernet ports, and support for both 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi.
Have you considered 5G Mobile WiFi dongles?
Your choice of portable 5G routers is fairly limited at the time of writing, but there are a few interesting options if you want to be more flexible or mobile with your 5G broadband connectivity.
EE 5G WiFi
The EE 5G WiFi is the latest mobile broadband device to be launched by EE.
EE's device has a lot going for it, with a 30-metre Wi-Fi range and the ability to connect over 100 devices at the same time.
In theory this offers average download speeds of 146Mbps, but in practice EE’s current plans for it top out at 100Mbps.
This also doesn’t support external antennas, but that’s typical with portable devices.
Three 5G MiFi
Three’s 5G mobile broadband device is called the Three 5G MiFi, and this offers peak download speeds of 1Gbps, and delivers up to eight hours of life.
This can get up to 32 gadgets online, and it has a thin and light design.
Netgear Nighthawk M6
The Netgear Nighthawk M6 is a 5G mobile broadband router that’s available from O2 at the time of writing.
It has a peak download speed of 3.1Gbps (though as with all of these devices the speeds on the network will be much lower), and it has a 5,040mAh battery, a 2.4-inch touchscreen, an Ethernet port, and the ability to get up to 32 devices online at once.
Netgear Nighthawk M3
The Netgear Nighthawk M3 is a cheaper alternative to the M6 that’s also available on O2, but it’s a similar prospect.
Just like the M6 it supports 5G, and real-world speeds should be similar too, but it doesn’t have an Ethernet port.
Vodafone 5G Mobile Hotspot
The Vodafone 5G Mobile Hotspot is Vodafone’s portable 5G option, and this can get up to 32 devices online at once, and has a 2.4-inch touchscreen and eight hours of battery life.
Speeds theoretically top out at 3.8Gbps, but don’t expect to get anywhere near that currently.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a 5G router or a 4G router?
5G broadband is much faster and more responsive than 4G broadband, and that gap is going to increase exponentially over the coming years. You should go with a 5G router if at all possible.
The main reason not to is simply that you don’t have 5G coverage in your area, but with 5G coverage increasing all the time, you might soon do if you don’t already.
How do I check whether I can get 5G broadband?
Check out the 5G coverage checkers for the UK’s 5G home broadband suppliers. These will provide detailed 5G coverage information for your area.
Check coverage
How fast is 5G broadband?
At the time of writing, real world download speeds for 5G broadband tend to fall roughly between 100 and 200Mbps on average, which is faster than most regular broadband packages. Peak speeds of almost 1Gbps have been recorded in certain places, however, which rivals the fastest full fibre broadband services available in the UK.
Can I get an external antenna for a 5G router?
Yes, you can. The Three 5G Home Broadband Hub, Vodafone GigaCube 5G, and the 5G WiFi Router from National Broadband all support external antennas, which you can connect to improve your signal, which is ideal if your 5G signal is iffy or absent without an antenna.
Why aren’t there many 5G routers on the market?
Due presumably to limited 5G coverage, only a few operators are offering 5G home broadband packages, and only in a relatively small percentage of the country.
Because of this, there isn’t an abundance of 5G router options available. This will undoubtedly improve over time as 5G broadband becomes more popular.