Jersey's first mobile masts upgraded to 5G

Wednesday, 28 May 2025 at 09:30

The first of JT's mobile masts have been upgraded to 5G.

The island's then-telecoms regulator, CICRA, first proposed rolling out 5G in 2018, but the licensing process was put on hold during the coronavirus pandemic.

It restarted in 2022, with JT and Sure awarded licences to operate the next-generation technology the following year.

Now, the first of JT's mobile masts have had new equipment from Ericsson installed to bring faster mobile data to supported phones and devices.

St Ouen is the first parish to have been updated, with JT promising the rest of the island's infrastructure will follow by the end of 2025.

Daragh McDermott, JT's CEO, says it marks the beginning of a new era: "Networks are never complete; the work never stops because technology is always improving, so our focus will always be on enabling the technology of tomorrow, for our customers today."

The operator says tests show significant improvements in signal strength and coverage and faster download speeds.

Jersey's government has welcomed the 5G rollout, saying it brings potential for enhanced service, security, resilience and innovation.

Economic Development Minister Kirsten Morel says it will create job opportunities, support emerging technologies and give Jersey the potential to be ' a global testbed for digital solutions to the challenges of ageing populations and improving productivity that Western jurisdictions are all facing'.

JT is planning to extend 5G coverage to St John, Trinity and St Martin in June followed by Gorey, La Rocque and St Peter in July, St Brelade in August, St Helier and St Saviour in September with St Clement following in October and finally St Lawrence and First Tower in November.