Vodafone has begun a public 5G trial at Manchester Airport to showcase the advantages of the latest mobile network generation.
Passengers can connect via a portable 5G router Vodafone calls a “Gigacube,” installed in Terminal One. The Gigacube leverages Massive MIMO technology to support multiple simultaneous transmit and receive streams, boosting capacity and improving connection reliability in busy environments.
Brad Miller, Chief Operating Officer at Manchester Airport, said:
“We are delighted to support Vodafone’s 5G trial at Manchester Airport. As we progress with the design and delivery of our £1bn transformation programme, we are constantly exploring how new innovations and technology can be applied to improve the airport experience.
As a business with a strong presence in our surrounding community, Vodafone was a natural partner for a trial project like this and we look forward to collaborating with them again in the future.”
The trial is hosted in a branded “5G Blast Pod.” Visitors connect to the Gigacube over Wi‑Fi, allowing them to experience 5G speeds and responsiveness using regular consumer devices without requiring a 5G handset.
Participants were given a complimentary Entertainment Pass for the streaming service NOW TV. Under the trial conditions, users could download an episode from the recent series of Tin Star in roughly 45 seconds, and the entire series in about six minutes and seven seconds. By comparison, the same downloads over 4G took approximately 26 minutes and eight seconds, making the 5G trial throughput up to four times faster in these tests.
Nick Jeffery, CEO of Vodafone UK, commented:
“We all love to catch up on our favourite TV shows, play games or finish off some work when travelling.
5G, with its fast speeds and quick response times, will make that quick and easy, even in busy locations.”
Industry observers expect a broader wave of 5G devices to be announced at upcoming trade events, bringing more capable handsets and fixed wireless equipment to market. While device availability will grow, widespread consumer saturation will take time as networks and devices scale.
Public demonstrations like Vodafone’s Manchester trial help familiarise passengers with 5G benefits and should encourage uptake of 5G smartphones and services as they become available.
Vodafone intends to extend the trial to other major UK transport hubs over the coming weeks. Snow Hill railway station in Birmingham has been identified as one of the next locations for deployment, with further expansions planned across airports and train stations.
The operator expects the full rollout of these transport-hub 5G sites to complete in roughly a year.
(Photo by Lacie Slezak on Unsplash)