Catenaa, Wednesday, December 03, 2025-UK mobile operator EE announced Monday that its standalone 5G network now covers 44 million people, roughly 66% of the population, exceeding its spring 2026 target of 41 million.
The operator aims to reach 99% population coverage by 2030, highlighting the pace of its ongoing rollout.
EE’s 5G+ service is available across all major cities and most populous towns.
Ahead of the festive season, the operator added coverage in 20 locations, reaching 1.6 million people in areas hosting Christmas markets and attractions, including Bath, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, York, Belfast, and London’s Hyde Park Winter Wonderland.
The operator said more than 500,000 pay-monthly handset customers have received access to 5G+ as part of existing plans.
The telco highlighted the benefits of 5G+ for high-capacity, low-latency connectivity during periods of heavy usage, such as holiday travel and shopping.
EE has also trialed network slicing at events including football matches and Christmas markets, though commercial rollout of slicing services has not yet been announced.
EE’s Chief Networks Officer Greg McCall said the expansion supports reliable connectivity across the UK during peak demand periods, emphasizing the importance of maintaining service quality as the operator progresses toward full population coverage.
Industry observers note that network slicing is still emerging globally, with 33 operators providing 65 commercial services worldwide, signaling growing potential for differentiated 5G offerings.
