Vodafone initially launched 5G Standalone technology in the country in 2023

Some 39% of companies in the U.K are ready to invest in 5G Standalone (5G SA) right now, with 14% expecting to invest in this technology within 12 months, according to recent research by Vodafone.

Vodafone noted that 93% of the companies surveyed said that reliable data connections are critical to success.

Nick Gliddon, business director at Vodafone UK, said: “Our customers are telling us they are ready for 5G Standalone. Whether it is to keep employees connected with more reliable services, or to customize their business through next-generation services such as network slicing. 5G Standalone is the doorway to innovation, new revenues, and better connection with employees.”

The company added that it has extended its existing “5G Ultra”—its brand name for its 5G Standalone service—to enterprise and small- to medium-sized business customers. Vodafone initially launched 5G Standalone technology in the country in 2023.

Vodafone’s research also highlighted that 86% of customers suggested the rollout of 5G Standalone is either important or extremely important, with 44% stating lower latency would help business growth, while 83% reporting that they would slightly or significantly increase 5G investments once advanced capabilities are available. Also, 46% of those surveyed believed that 5G Standalone would offer them a competitive advantage within three years by better enabling innovation.

Vodafone’s research also showed that 71% of companies stated remote working is critically important to their business. However, 32% are still struggling with the connectivity requirements of a hybrid and remote working environment. In fact, 26% stated that challenges with team collaboration and communication are having a negative impact on their business, and 43% specifically called out poor-quality video or voice calls.

Vodafone said it has also been working with partners to understand how network slicing, a new capability introduced with 5G Standalone, can better benefit businesses across the U.K. Network slicing would allow Vodafone to create tailored connectivity services to customers, designed to fit the individual requirement of their business or use cases. 

The research demonstrated that 38% of businesses believe a network that can be customized to fit the specific needs of the business would help growth, while 24% said a lack of services tailored to their organization’s needs is negatively impacting their business today.

Vodafone UK is in the midst of a proposed merger with Three UK. The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has recently extended the deadline for its investigationthe proposed merger to December 7.

The CMA launched the initial phase of an antitrust investigation in January after the entity was notified by the two carriers about the proposed merger. Phase 2 investigations, which started in April, allow an independent panel of experts to probe in more depth initial concerns identified at phase 1, the CMA explained.

Last year, Vodafone UK, which is owned by Vodafone Group and Three UK, owned by CK Hutchison Holdings, had announced a new joint venture agreement that would bring their operations under a single network provider. Under the terms of the proposed merger, Vodafone will own 51% of the new entity while Hutchison Group will own 49%.

The CMA recently highlighted that it has concerns that the deal could lead to mobile customers facing higher prices and reduced quality.