영국 커버리지

영국 수치가 뜻하는 것

중요한 숫자는 두 개인데, 모든 판매사가 인용하는 건 그중 하나뿐입니다. 일반적인 속도는 67 Mbps입니다. 상태가 좋을 때가 어느 정도인지 알려주는 숫자입니다.

읽을 값어치가 있는 건 10분위, 17 Mbps 쪽입니다. 역 위 기지국이 가득 차고 주변 사람들이 모두 같은 전파에 붙어 있는, 하루 중 아래쪽 10퍼센트일 때의 속도입니다. 중앙값이 높고 바닥이 낮은 나라는 정작 필요한 그 순간까지만 훌륭하게 작동하는 나라입니다.

영상 통화나 테더링이 꼭 필요한 여행이라면 일반 속도가 아니라 혼잡 시 수치를 기준으로 계획하세요.

영국에서 망이 붐빌 때 벌어지는 일

혼잡은 고장이 아니라 화요일 저녁입니다. 문제는 그때 eSIM이 무엇을 할 수 있느냐인데, 대부분의 여행용 eSIM은 할 수 있는 게 없습니다. 나라마다 도매 계약 하나, 망 하나, 길에 선 채로 다른 회사 eSIM을 한 장 더 사는 것 말고는 빠져나갈 방법이 없습니다.

여기서 Orbislo 트래픽은 EE 및 Three를 지납니다. 지금 쓰는 망이 나빠지면 여행 도중이라도, 요청하지 않아도 다른 망으로 옮깁니다. 그 순간에 방해하는 대신 옮기고 나서 알려드립니다.

영국의 이동통신사

• VodafoneThree: Vodafone UK and Three UK merged on 31 May 2025 as VodafoneThree, 51 percent owned by Vodafone and 49 percent by CK Hutchison, with a pledge to invest 11 billion pounds over ten years in a 5G standalone network.
• VodafoneThree: VodafoneThree says its 4G reaches over 99 percent of the UK population and has committed to 5G standalone coverage of 99 percent of the population by 2030 and 99.96 percent by 2034.
• Virgin Media O2: Virgin Media O2 launched O2 Satellite, the first direct-to-device satellite service from a UK network, in 2026, and says it took its landmass coverage to 95 percent. Its network also carries giffgaff, Tesco Mobile and Sky Mobile customers.
• EE: EE's 5G+ network, its most advanced tier, reached more than 44 million people by November 2025. It is offered on EE pay monthly handset plans and selected SIM-only plans rather than to every connection.

영국의 구형 네트워크

• EE switched off its final 3G site, in Belfast, in February 2024, ending more than 20 years of 3G on its network.
• Vodafone UK completed its 3G switch-off across the country in February 2024 and is reusing the last 3G frequencies to strengthen its 4G and 5G service.
• On O2, a 3G-only phone keeps calls and texts once 3G is withdrawn in its area but loses mobile data. O2 said 3G carried less than 2 percent of the data on its network before the switch-off.
• Three switched off 3G completely in November 2025, so its network carries calls only over 4G Calling, also called VoLTE. A 4G phone without it can still text and use data on Three but cannot make or receive calls, and a 3G-only phone cannot connect at all.
• 2G closes next. EE begins closing its 2G network from May 2029, and at that point 2G and 3G phones, and 4G phones without 4G Calling, lose service on EE completely.
• Virgin Media O2, which completed its 3G switch-off at the end of 2025, starts switching off 2G in summer 2029. 2G carries less than 0.5 percent of data on its network but accounts for more than 10 percent of its cell site energy use.
• VodafoneThree switches off the Vodafone 2G network in spring 2030, and some areas may lose it earlier as a test. Three never had a 2G network, having launched in 2003 as a 3G-only operator.
• Under a government charter, operators must announce a 2G switch-off date at least three years ahead and confirm reliable 4G or 5G coverage before closing 2G anywhere, keeping access to emergency services.
• Once every operator has closed 2G, the technology will be unavailable to everyone in the UK, visitors included, so a visiting phone that relies on 2G will find no 2G network to use.

영국의 5G

• Ofcom's 2021 auction of 700 MHz and 3.6 to 3.8 GHz spectrum raised 1.379 billion pounds. EE won 3,680 to 3,720 MHz plus 700 MHz blocks, O2 won 3,760 to 3,800 MHz plus 700 MHz, Vodafone won 3,720 to 3,760 MHz, and Three won 700 MHz only.

영국 네트워크 참고 사항

• The Shared Rural Network, a deal between government and the four operators, met its main target a year early: more than 95 percent of the UK is now within range of a 4G signal.
• Gaps remain in the Scottish Highlands. Parts of the West Highland Way and the Munros Ben Lawers and Ben Vorlich have no 4G from any operator, and new masts are planned for Glen Coe, Wester Ross, Mull, South Uist and Skye.