Vodafone UK confirmed that its Salford site in Greater Manchester is now carrying live 5G trial  traffic. The operator claims to be the first company in the UK to carry full 5G over a commercial network. This comes after Vodafone conducted the UK’s first holographic call using 5G spectrum.

Live mobile data traffic is now being streamed to and from the internet exclusively over 5G from the Salford site, connected to Vodafone’s nationwide fibre network. This new site in Salford provides coverage to MediaCityUK and surrounding area and forms part of Vodafone’s trials of 5G in seven cities during 2018.

The operator is now also inviting local businesses and organisations to register their interest in experiencing 5G at its new ‘Future Ready’ digital incubator and innovation centre, which is scheduled to open in Manchester in spring 2019. The facility will be equipped with the latest digital technology, including 5G wireless routers, IoT services and gigabit-capable optical fibre links. It will be open to winners of the Vodafone Techstarter competition, which offers a GBP 300,000 fund to companies developing innovative technology with a social purpose.

Vodafone plans to extend its full 5G roll-out to six other cities shortly – Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow, Cardiff, Liverpool and London. In 2019, it plans to bring 5G to the Lake District, Cornwall and the Scottish Highlands.