Vodafone has outlined plans to deliver 5G Standalone (5G SA) to Northern Ireland, should it be given the go-ahead in its proposed £15 billion ($19bn) merger with Three in the UK.

The telco said this week that its 5G SA network will support many industries across rural Northern Ireland, including healthcare, education, and agriculture.

Vodafone was the first UK telco to launch a 5G SA network, doing so in July of last year.

“We know how vital access to connectivity is for everyone, so we want to ensure we do as much as we can to extend our coverage to rural Northern Ireland," said Andrea Donà, chief network officer at Vodafone UK.

"Evidently, we need to accelerate the roll-out of 5G infrastructure to every corner of the UK, and the proposed merger with Three UK will enable this, ensuring rural Northern Ireland doesn’t get left behind as a result.”

The UK government recently gave its approval to the proposed merger, though the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched its Phase 2 investigation into the union.

Vodafone also said that it will exceed the UK Government’s Shared Rural Network minimum target, of bringing 4G to more than 85 percent of Northern Ireland’s geography, "by ensuring at least 98 percent of Northern Ireland’s landmass has access by 2027."

The telco notes that once it has merged with Three, it will work towards upgrading its network to deliver more than 98 percent 5G SA geographic coverage by 2034, which will also be available to 4G customers.

Rival telco Virgin Media O2 launched its 5G SA network in February, while BT has hinted at plans to launch its own network this year.

The UK government wants 5G to be available in all populated areas of the country by the end of the decade.