EE unlocks next-gen 5G performance for millions with world-first technology

• EE becomes the world’s first mobile operator to launch Advanced RAN Coordination (ARC) technology in its distributed network.
• Technology delivers more reliable 5G connectivity and 20 percent faster download speeds for enhanced streaming, with customers using EE’s 5G standalone network getting the biggest boost.
• To connect millions more customers to the UK’s best network, EE is now rolling out 5G standalone to a further 17 new towns and cities by the end of December 2025.

Millions of people across the UK are getting a significant boost to their 5G connectivity after EE unveiled two major upgrades – including becoming the first operator in the world to launch ARC in its distributed mobile network.

Advanced RAN Coordination (ARC) is a ground-breaking technology¹ that allows mobile sites near to each other to remotely pair up and share capacity, dramatically boosting network performance – especially in busy areas at peak times – without the need for additional masts.

Already live on EE’s network in major cities including Manchester and Edinburgh, ARC is delivering faster and more reliable 5G connectivity for customers in busy locations like train stations, high streets and city centres – including improved video streaming and 20 percent faster download speeds on average.

Throughout the next year EE plans to deploy the technology across some of the UK’s busiest cities, boosting 5G performance for customers in London, Leeds, Glasgow, Liverpool, Belfast, Cardiff, Newcastle, Sheffield and Sunderland. Customers in these places using the latest 5G standalone (5GSA) compatible devices – on both iOS and Android – will see the biggest performance gains.

With global brands like Apple, Samsung, Google, Honor, Lenovo and Microsoft continuing to launch new devices with 5G standalone access - including smartphones, tablets and laptops - EE is innovating its network to give people across the UK the best mobile experiences on the devices they use every day. ²

“EE customers are the first in the world to benefit from this technology, with millions of them getting a huge boost to the 5G connectivity they rely on every day. By increasing capacity in this way, our customers will get faster speeds and an even more reliable experience instantly. It is a real game-changer and yet another example of how the nation gets a better network experience on EE,” said Greg McCall, Chief Networks Officer at BT Group.

To enable more customers to benefit from the best mobile connectivity available to them, EE is continuing to rapidly rollout 5G standalone to a further 17 new towns and cities by the end of December 2025.

EE’s ambition is to make 5G standalone available to more than 41 million people by spring 2026. The new locations set to benefit next include:

1. Basildon
2. Bolton
3. Brighton and Hove
4. Colchester
5. Gloucester
6. Lincoln
7. Maidstone
8. Newcastle-upon-Tyne
9. Northampton
10. Oxford
11. Plymouth
12. Poole
13. Portsmouth
14. Reading
15. Southampton
16. Southend-on-Sea
17. Telford

“We are building our 5G standalone network at an unprecedented pace to connect customers, communities, and the country to the most reliable and powerful mobile experiences. For those people wanting to get the most out of the newest 5GSA-enabled smartphones, they need the UK’s best 5G network to match and that’s exactly what EE delivers,” added McCall. ³

For more information on how to access 5G standalone on EE, please visit:  ee.co.uk/why-ee/5g-on-ee

Notes to editors:

¹ BT Group has partnered with Ericsson to deploy Advanced RAN Coordination (ARC) technology into its live mobile network. To learn more about the rollout and its positive impact on EE customers, read our blog. 
² Full list of smartphones, tablets, laptops and devices which are compatible with EE’s 5G standalone network can be found here.
³ The UK’s best 5G network claim based on the RootMetrics® UK RootScore® Report: H1 2025. Tested at locations across the UK with the best commercially available smartphones on all national mobile networks across all available network types. The RootMetrics award is not an endorsement of EE. Visit ee.co.uk/claims for more details.​

EE’s 5G standalone network is already available to over 34 million people (more than half the UK population) in places including:  Aberdeen, Altrincham, Ashton-Under-Lyne, Barrow-in-Furness, Barry, Bath, Belfast, Beverley, Birkenhead, Birmingham, Blackburn, Blyth, Boston, Bradford, Bridgend, Bristol, Bury, Caerphilly, Canterbury, Cardiff, Carlisle, Chesterfield, Chippenham, Cleethorpes, Corby, Coventry, Crawley, Cwmbran, Derby, Doncaster, Dudley, Dundee, Edinburgh, Exeter, Exmouth, Glasgow, Gosport, Great Malvern, Grimsby, Halifax, Harlow, Havant, Hemel Hempstead, Huddersfield, Hull, Hyde, Inverness, Ipswich, Leeds, Leicester, Leyland, Lichfield, Liverpool, London, Loughborough, Manchester, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Newport, Norwich, Nottingham, Paignton, Peterborough, Port Talbot, Rotherham, Royal Leamington Spa, Sale, Salisbury, Sheffield, Shrewsbury, Slough, St Albans, St Helens, St Neots, Stockport, Stoke-on-Trent, Sunderland, Sutton Coldfield, Sutton in Ashfield, Swansea, Trowbridge, Wakefield, Walkden, Wellingborough, Weston Super Mare, Whitley Bay, Wigan, Wilmslow, Windsor, Winsford, Wishaw, Wokingham, Wolverhampton, Wrexham, Yeovil, York.

BT Group is the UK’s leading provider of fixed and mobile telecommunications and related secure digital products, solutions and services.

BT Group consists of three customer-facing units: Consumer serves individuals and families in the UK; Business covers companies and public services; Openreach is an independently governed, wholly owned subsidiary wholesaling fixed access infrastructure services to its customers - over 700 communications providers across the UK.

British Telecommunications plc is a wholly owned subsidiary of BT Group plc and encompasses virtually all businesses and assets of the BT Group. BT Group plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange.

For more information, visit www.bt.com/about