Unlimited 5G broadband

What is unlimited 5G broadband?

Unlimited 5G broadband refers to unlimited data plans paired with either a 5G home broadband device or a 5G mobile broadband device.

In short, if you choose an unlimited 5G broadband plan you’ll be able to use 5G data without limits on all your Wi-Fi enabled devices, either at home, in place of fibre broadband, or when away from home, where other Wi-Fi services may not be available, or may not be fast or free.

Should I choose mobile broadband or home broadband?

Whether you should choose unlimited 5G home broadband or unlimited 5G mobile broadband depends on your needs.

If you’re looking for a home broadband solution, where a 5G-powered Wi-Fi network is permanently delivered to all your gadgets at home, then you should choose 5G home broadband. With this, you’ll get a home broadband router that you can plug in and simply leave switched on, so you always have internet at home.

However, if you’re looking for a way to get laptops, tablets, and other gadgets online when away from home – such as when on a train, in a coffee shop, or at a hotel, then it’s 5G mobile broadband that you’ll want. With this, you’ll get a battery-powered router that can broadcast a 5G signal without needing mains power.

Which networks offer unlimited 5G broadband?

EE

On EE, you can get unlimited 5G broadband with either the EE Smart 5G Hub or the EE 5G WiFi. The former is designed for home broadband, while the latter is a battery-powered mobile broadband device.

The EE Smart 5G Hub can get over 100 devices online, so it will suit even the biggest and most tech-filled homes. It also supports Wi-Fi 7, and EE claims you can expect average download speeds of 146Mbps.

The EE 5G WiFi can get up to 64 devices online and has a 6,460mAh battery, along with a 30-metre Wi-Fi range. At the time of writing, you can get an unlimited 5G broadband plan with download speeds of up to 100Mbps with this device.

Three

Three offers unlimited 5G home broadband with the Three 5G Broadband Hub, delivering peak speeds of 1Gbps, average speeds of 150Mbps (though this will vary depending on location), and the ability to get 64 devices online.

If you don’t have much coverage in your home though then Three has a potential solution there too, with the Three 5G Outdoor Hub. This is installed outside your home, so there aren’t any walls or windows blocking the signal, and it’s paired with a powerful Eero 6 Wi-Fi router.

There’s also the Three 5G MiFi, which is a mobile broadband device with speeds of up to 1Gbps, an eight-hour battery life, and the ability to get up to 32 devices online. This is also available on unlimited data plans.

Vodafone

Vodafone also has both unlimited 5G home broadband and unlimited 5G mobile broadband options. For the former, there’s the Vodafone GigaCube 5G. This – when paired with Vodafone’s network – should offer average speeds in the region of 150-200Mbps, and peak speeds of 1Gbps, and it can get up to 64 devices online.

Then for unlimited 5G mobile broadband there’s the Vodafone 5G Mobile Hotspot, which can get up to 32 devices online, offers up to eight hours of battery life, and has a 2.4-inch touchscreen that you can use to adjust its settings.

O2

O2 doesn’t offer any 5G home broadband plans, but you can get unlimited 5G mobile broadband on the network, paired with a Netgear Nighthawk M6.

This can get up to 32 devices online, has up to 13 hours of battery life, and even has an Ethernet port for wired connections – which isn’t something you’ll find on all mobile broadband devices. It also has a 2.4-inch touchscreen.

National Broadband

Finally there’s National Broadband, which doesn’t offer 5G mobile broadband plans but does have a 5G home broadband service with unlimited data.

This is paired with a 5G WiFi Router which can get up to 64 devices online, and delivers average speeds of well over 100Mbps.

National Broadband is unusual in that it isn’t paired with a single network – rather it will use whichever network can provide the best coverage to your home.

How fast is 5G broadband?

Networks typically advertise their average 5G broadband speed as being in the region of 150Mbps, but actual speeds will in large part depend on where you are – whether there’s a 5G mast nearby, whether anything is obstructing the signal, and how congested the network is, so there are a lot of variables.

There are however some third-party tests that provide insight. Opensignal in 2024 for example found that Three’s average 5G download speed was 208.9Mbps, Vodafone’s was 138.7Mbps, EE’s was 96.8Mbps, and O2’s was 80.1Mbps.

For 5G upload speeds, it found that Three’s average was 19.2Mbps, EE’s average was 17.7Mbps, Vodafone’s average was 15.1Mbps, and O2’s average was 10.1Mbps.

We also have data from RootMetrics, which in 2024 found that Three’s 95^th percentile 5G download speed (meaning close to the highest recorded) was 879.0Mbps, EE’s was 709.9Mbps, Vodafone’s was 458.6Mbps, and O2’s was 298.9Mbps.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who offers the best unlimited 5G broadband plan?

Looking just at the plans, Three’s tend to be among the most affordable, and Three also often has some of the highest 5G speeds, as detailed above. So for both home and mobile broadband, Three is a great choice.

That said, the best unlimited 5G broadband plan will be the one that provides coverage where you need it, so it’s worth using each network’s coverage checker before deciding on one.

Do I need a landline for unlimited 5G home broadband?

No, 5G home broadband doesn’t need a landline, so you could save some money by getting rid of yours. It also doesn’t need an engineer, as setup is incredibly simple – in fact it’s little more than just plug and play.

How many devices can I get online with unlimited 5G broadband?

Device limits vary depending on which 5G broadband router you have, but for 5G home broadband the limit tends to be 64 – though EE’s Smart 5G Hub allows over 100.

For 5G mobile broadband, the limit is often 32, but the EE 5G WiFi can connect up to 64.