09/05/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/05/2024 05:06
EE announces the launch of the UK's newest mobile network - 5G standalone (5GSA)* - across fifteen major UK cities**. Building on a decade of mobile leadership and underpinned by the world-leading innovation of BT Group, EE's new 5G standalone network sets a new standard for connectivity and is available across a range of handsets and new plans. EE also unveils the Smart Hub Pro and Smart WiFi Pro, ensuring home broadband customers are some of the first in the world to benefit from the latest Wi-Fi standard - Wi-Fi 7. The new networks will provide EE customers with leading connectivity in and out of the home.
Marc Allera, CEO of EE, says:"Today, EE is launching UK firsts in network capabilities designed to unleash the huge potential of a wave of AI powered devices.
"5G standalone is a new mobile network giving enhanced performance to customers from day one and unlocks game-changing new services of the future. It's been built to handle the growing range of AI-powered devices, from smartphones to laptops, tablets and more.
"Wi-Fi 7 for the home is another first for EE customers, giving households higher speeds and better capacity to support devices in every corner of their home.
"Together, these new technologies bring EE customers the best networks in and out of the home."
5G standalone: A future network, now
5G standalone brings benefits to customers from day one. The new network, the first of its kind in the UK to offer near uninterrupted outdoor coverage in every city where it launches, will allow customers to make calls and use data in areas where it wasn't possible before. This will deliver better gaming and video streaming performance, all over some of the fastest available speeds on a mobile network.
EE's 5G standalone network is also being powered by the latest in AI technology, using automation to improve reliability and machine learning to reduce energy demand on the Grid, by putting mobile cells into a sleep mode when not being used. Identified as the backbone of many future services, EE's 5G standalone network has been designed to deliver the smooth running of future AI applications, ensuring they connect seamlessly to the cloud to provide the best experience. EE is also exploring ways the new technology will overhaul how customers experience connectivity in the future, by improving latency for gaming, protecting spectrum for broadcasting or providing quality of service guarantees for businesses.
In addition, a new network feature will help improve performance in busy areas. Exclusive to some new tariffs, Network Boost will enhance performance to customers when the network is busy, by allocating more capacity to a customer, meaning they always get the best available performance.
Transformative new pay monthly plans
5G standalone and Network Boost are included as part of the new All Rounder and Full Works, two of the new EE plans launching today.
In all, customers can now choose from five tiers of unlimited plans, with the option of unlimited data. In addition, Essentials+, All Rounder or Full Works plans allow customers to extend this unlimited data to an existing smart watch for free. EE is also bringing back EU Roaming for these plans, with calls, text and data allowances included at no extra cost. Those on a Full Works plan will receive EE's Roam Further Pass on top, extending their allowance to Australia, USA, Canada, Mexico and New Zealand.
Following an exclusive partnership*** and global first with Google, EE is also making Google One AI Premium available as part of EE's Full Works line up. Google One AI Premium will help customers tackle their most complex projects with AI-powered tools.
Google One AI Premium joins Apple One, Netflix, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and TNT Sports as a plan benefit.
Wi-Fi 7: A global first with triband for EE customers
EE has joined forces with Qualcomm Technologies to deliver global-leading speeds and performance of home WiFi with the new WiFi 7 Smart Hub Pro and Smart WiFi Pro powered by Qualcomm's Networking Platforms. EE Full Fibre customers will be among the first in the world to experience WiFi 7, specifically designed to meet the growing demands of a connected home, meaning better cloud gaming, AR/VR and 4K/8K video streaming.
Overall, this will allow EE customers to benefit from gigabit Wi-Fi throughout the home with faster speed, less interference, more capacity and better performance to support the many high-bandwidth activities of the future and providing them with choice based on their needs.
When used together with the new Smart Hub Pro, Smart WiFi Pro will give customers a minimum of 100Mbps connection in every room, with a money back guarantee.
What's more, as an EE One member, EE home broadband customers unlock great value on mobile SIMs for the family. It could mean a saving of up to £372 a year when customers take just two SIMs.
The new Smart Hub Pro and Smart Wi-Fi Pro will be available with select EE Full Fibre packages and also available as an add-on to existing plans in the coming weeks.
Notes to Editors
*5G Standalone (SA) is the next evolution in wireless communication, designed to realise the full potential of 5G. It is built on a completely new, end-to-end 5G architecture including a dedicated 5G core, while removing any reliance on older 4G architecture. It delivers ultra-low latency, higher speeds, and greater capacity, which will enable a range of advanced and real-time services for customers over the years ahead.
** The launch cities announced today are: Bath, Belfast, Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Hull, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, London, Manchester and Sheffield.
*** Google One AI Premium Partnership subject to period of exclusivity.
For more information, assets or interview requests, please contact:
For 5GSA and network enquiries [email protected]
For Wi-Fi 7 and Tariff enquiries [email protected]
About EE
EE is one of UK's largest subscription businesses, backed by the UK's biggest and fastest mobile network, offering superfast connections in more places than any other operator.
Built on the foundation of decades of mobile and broadband leadership, EE is on a mission to be the most personal and customer-focused brand in the UK by playing a more meaningful role in customers' lives, with a suite of exciting products and services open to all UK consumers, available via a new 'EE ID' digital platform.
EE's mobile network continues to receive extensive recognition including UK's best overall network by RootMetrics® every year since 2014, as well as being named Network of the Year at the 2022 and 2023 Mobile Industry Awards.
EE is committed to offering first class service in the industry and has over 400 stores across the UK. EE remains the only mobile provider to answer 100% of customer calls in the UK and Ireland and was recognised as the UK's Best Large Contact Centre by the UK Customer Experience Awards 2018 and Welsh Contact Centre Awards 2019.
EE was awarded The Sunday Times' Best 100 Companies to Work for in 2018 and 2019, as well as being named Best Employer 2018 by the European Contact Centre & Customer Service awards. EE won Best Repair Service and Best Network Provider at the Mobile News Awards in September 2023 and was recognised as the provider that does more than any other to deliver a great service.
EE is part of BT's Consumer business unit which provides products and services to all of BT's consumer customers in the UK.
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