Virgin Media O2 has continued its 5G Standalone (5G SA) rollout across the UK, this time expanding across Wales.

The telco announced today (May 6) that it has switched on its 5G SA network in nine large towns and cities, 18 smaller towns, and 133 villages and rural communities across Wales.

The rollout of the service is part of Virgin Media O2's £700 million ($953m) investment into its mobile network this year. It forms part of the telco's Mobile Transformation Plan, matching the figure it invested last year.

According to the telco, these latest network upgrades will cover more than 800,000 residents.

The rollout covers cities such as Cardiff and Newport, plus rural communities across Monmouthshire, the Vale of Glamorgan, Gwynedd, and surrounding areas.

The full list of locations includes Cardiff, Newport, Barry, Barry Island, Cwmbran, Penarth, Risca, Chepstow, Caldicot, Monmouth, Llantwit Major, Caerleon, Dinas Powis, Radyr, Magor, Rhoose, Sully, Roglet, Tongwynlais, St Athan, Pen-y-Rheol, Thornhill, Whitchurch, and Morganstown.

Virgin Media O2 launched its 5G SA network in February 2024. The carrier said this network is now available for 90 percent of the UK's population.

“This is a significant step forward for mobile connectivity in Wales. We’re expanding 5G+ across cities like Cardiff and Newport as well as towns, villages, and rural communities right across the country, bringing faster speeds, lower latency, and a more reliable experience to more than 800,000 people," said Professor Robert Joyce, director of mobile access engineering at O2.

“Backed by our tidy £700 million Mobile Transformation Plan and cracking innovations like O2 Satellite, we’re not just upgrading the network, we’re extending high-quality coverage into parts of Wales that have historically been harder to reach.”