How to load an eSIM on a Teltonika router using the RutOS app and your phone’s data
Load an eSIM profile onto a Teltonika RUT241, RUTM52 or ATRM50 with no internet on site, using the RutOS app and your...
The plain-English field guide to UK 5G networks, SIMs and eSIMs
5G SIM: UK 5G networks, explained properly
Standalone or non-standalone. Consumer, business or IoT. One network, several, or roaming in from abroad. The 5G icon on your screen hides a lot of detail, and that detail decides whether your phone, router or sensor actually performs. This site explains it in plain English.
Network status
5G standalone in the UK
EE 5G+50m+ people, Apr 2026
O2 5G+c.86% of people, Jul 2026
VodafoneThree 5G Ultra70%+ of people, Sep 2025
Operator-reported population coverage at the dates shown. Ofcom put outdoor standalone coverage at 49% to 85% across the three standalone networks in spring 2026.
Which 5G are you buying?
Consumer
Phones, tablets and home 5G
Plans built for people: big data allowances, handset deals, fair use policies and the occasional tethering limit.
- Is 5G+ on my plan?
- Home 5G vs broadband
- eSIM on phones
Business
Sites, offices and vehicles
Pooled data, static IPs, private APNs, service levels and someone to ring when it breaks. Standalone and slicing start to matter here.
- Failover and primary 5G
- Static IP and private APN
- Bonded and multi-WAN
IoT
Machines, meters and gateways
Low data, long life, no human to press a button. Multi-network SIMs, eSIM profiles and the 2G switch-off decide more than headline speed.
- RedCap and LTE-M
- Multi-network SIMs
- SGP.32 eSIM
The guides
Start here
UK 5G networks in 2026: who runs what, and what you actually get
The UK has three 5G network operators since VodafoneThree. How EE, O2 and VodafoneThree compare on 5G standalone, spectrum and who can use it, checked...
The big one5G standalone vs non-standalone: the difference, and how to tell which you are on
Plain-English guide to 5G SA vs NSA: what the 5G core changes, what it does for phones, routers and IoT, and how to check which one your device is rea...
5G SIMs5G SIM cards explained: what makes a SIM “5G”, and when you need a new one
What a 5G SIM card actually is, whether your old SIM works with 5G and 5G standalone, and how to choose a 5G SIM for a phone, a router or an IoT devic...
Three worldsConsumer, business and IoT 5G: the same network, three different products
Why a consumer 5G SIM, a business 5G SIM and an IoT SIM behave differently on the same UK network: data, priority, IP addressing, APNs, roaming, suppo...
Business5G for business: failover, primary connectivity and when standalone is worth it
How UK businesses actually use 5G: backup for broadband, primary connectivity for sites without fibre, temporary sites and vehicles. Static IPs, priva...
IoT5G for IoT: RedCap, LTE-M and why most machines do not need 5G yet
Which cellular technology an IoT device really needs in the UK: LTE-M, NB-IoT, 4G Cat 1, 5G RedCap or full 5G. How 5G standalone, roaming and eSIM aff...
Roaming5G roaming: abroad on a UK SIM, and foreign SIMs on UK networks
How 5G roaming works for UK SIMs abroad and for foreign and IoT roaming SIMs in the UK: 5G NSA vs SA roaming, permanent roaming restrictions, steering...
ResilienceMulti-network SIMs and 5G: how they really work, and where they fall short
How multi-network and multi-IMSI SIMs connect to more than one UK network, steered vs non-steered, how fast failover really is, and whether you get 5G...
eSIMeSIM and 5G: phones, routers and IoT, from SGP.22 to SGP.32
How eSIM works with 5G for phones, routers and IoT devices. The difference between consumer eSIM (SGP.22), older M2M eSIM (SGP.02) and the new IoT sta...
eSIM5G eSIM routers: what they are, and what to check before you buy one
What a 5G eSIM router is, how eSIM profiles get onto it, the difference between consumer and IoT eSIM in routers, and the questions to ask before buyi...
PracticalHow to check 5G coverage properly, and read the signal numbers
How to check UK 5G and 5G standalone coverage for a real location, why coverage maps disagree, and what RSRP, RSRQ and SINR mean when you are placing...
LegacyThe UK 2G and 3G switch-off: where things stand, and what it means for 5G and IoT
UK 3G has gone and 2G will follow by 2033. Network-by-network status, what it means for alarms, meters, trackers and roaming IoT devices, and how to p...
From the notebook
Why Businesses Need Temporary 5G Internet (And Why EE Is the Network to Beat)
Temporary internet connectivity used to mean a BT engineer, a six-week lead time, and a contract you couldn’t get out of. That...
Buying Teltonika routers in the UK: what to check before you order
Teltonika routers are everywhere in UK industrial and IoT work, and they are sold by a lot of people: specialist distributors, general...
Teltonika RMS: The Complete Guide to Remote Management for Industrial 4G and 5G Deployments
Teltonika RMS has quietly become one of the most influential tools in the entire industrial IoT ecosystem. Anyone deploying fleets of routers,...
Teltonika RUT276: compact 5G RedCap router for IoT, EV charging and telemetry
Most industrial deployments do not need a full 5G router. They need something small, reliable and cheap enough to fit in every...
Top 10 Teltonika 5G Routers of 2025 and How to Choose the Right IoT SIM for Secure Industrial Connectivity
5G is redefining industrial and IoT communication. It’s faster, lower-latency, and more reliable than any mobile technology before it. But achieving dependable,...
Teltonika RUTX50 with a 5G SIM: setup notes
The RUTX50 has been Teltonika's workhorse 5G router for a few years now, and it is still the one I would point...
The Future of Connectivity on Rails: Why the Teltonika ATRM50 is a Game-Changer for Railway 5G
Connectivity is constantly pushing boundaries, and nowhere is that more apparent than in demanding environments like the railway industry. Operators need to...
Teltonika TSW Network Switches
Teltonika Industrial Ethernet Switch Selector Guide Teltonika offers a versatile range of industrial Ethernet switches designed for reliable, high-speed connectivity in harsh...
Quick questions
What is a 5G SIM?
A 5G SIM is a SIM or eSIM profile that the network has enabled for 5G service. The plastic is usually the same as a 4G SIM; what changes is the profile on it and the plan behind it. For 5G standalone some UK networks also need a newer SIM or an eSIM, so an old SIM can be the reason a 5G device never shows standalone.
What is the difference between 5G standalone and non-standalone?
Non-standalone 5G (NSA) adds 5G radio to a connection that is still controlled by the 4G core network. Standalone 5G (SA) uses a dedicated 5G core, which is what enables lower latency, network slicing, RedCap devices and voice over 5G. EE and O2 market standalone as 5G+, Vodafone as 5G Ultra.
Will any 5G SIM work in a 5G router?
Usually, but not always. Consumer plans can carry fair use or tethering limits, some business and IoT SIMs are restricted to 4G or to non-standalone 5G, and multi-network or roaming SIMs often get 4G only. Check the plan, the APN and whether the router supports the UK bands, especially n78 and n28.
Can I get 5G on a roaming or multi-network SIM in the UK?
Sometimes. Inbound roaming on 5G non-standalone is increasingly common, but 5G standalone roaming is still rare. Many multi-network IoT SIMs connect at 4G in the UK, which is fine for most telemetry but not for high-throughput or low-latency work.