Sure said it was the first local telecoms provider to launch such an innovative trial as 5G on  Guernsey to assess how the new ‘fibre in the air’ technology can benefit islanders and businesses.

Two locations – in the Vale and St Peter Port – have been chosen to test 5G for three months.

Eligible customers have been contacted directly, with those who choose to participate given a free 5G router in their home or business.

Participants will provide feedback via online surveys to help understand the value of 5G for consumers and businesses and to test the feasibility of providing enhanced broadband services via 5G in the island.

Sure said 5G’s potential was best described as ‘fibre in the air’ because the technology, which the firm has been trialling on the island since 15 November, will look to replicate the speeds and reliability of fibre broadband without the need for cables. But it is also 20 to 40 times faster than the broadband that most people currently use.

‘5G is the future which offers the opportunity to connect communities in ways we’ve never seen before. So we’re excited to be launching this comprehensive trial to assess the different ways consumers and businesses will want to use this ground-breaking technology,’ said Justin Bellinger, chief digital officer at Sure.

‘At Sure, customers are at the heart of everything we do. We want 5G to benefit everyone, so it’s very important for us that our customers can trial this latest technology and give feedback on their experience so we can develop a network that is truly impactful and beneficial to their daily lives.’

Guernsey 5G part of five-year plan

Sure’s 5G trial comes hot on the heels of a number of announcements by the telecoms company as part of its five-year plan to stay ahead of customer demand as consumers and businesses increasingly use digital services.

As well as the 5G trial, Sure’s plans include a commitment to increasing broadband speeds through extending its fibre-rich approach, trials for fibre directly to the home and a multimillion-pound investment in submarine cables that connect Guernsey to the rest of the world, providing the foundations for these upgrades and future growth.

Sure is supplier of telecommunication services in Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man. In April 2013, Sure was acquired by the Batelco Group,