MORE than 34 million people will receive a big boost to their mobile service this summer at no extra cost.
And it should cut down on dreaded poor connection when your phone says it has 5G.
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EE is unleashing the best version of 5G, known as 5G standalone, to more users across the UK.
When connected to 5G standalone you essentially receive the best form of 5G there is.
At the moment, a lot of the 5G your phone gets is actually non-standalone, which is some 4G tech mixed in with 5G upgrades, therefore connections aren’t at their full speed potential.
But the BT-owned company has been making progress on replacing its kit to the full whack 5G standalone standard.
By the end of August, the firm says its 5G standalone network will be available to more than half of the UK population.
It claims this will make EE the UK’s biggest 5G standalone network less than a year on from launch.
Some areas that have recently had the tech switched on include Carlisle, Chesterfield, Hemel Hempstead, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Gosport, Slough, Stoke-on-Trent, Sutton Coldfield and York.
But this summer, the following 38 areas will notice more reliable, speedy 5G too.
- Aberdeen
- Beverley
- Blyth
- Boston
- Canterbury
- Chippenham
- Cleethorpes
- Crawley
- Derby
- Exmouth
- Great Malvern
- Grimsby
- Halifax
- Harlow
- Havant
- Inverness
- Ipswich
- Leyland
- Lichfield
- Loughborough
- Norwich
- Paignton
- Peterborough
- Royal Leamington Spa
- Salisbury
- Shrewsbury
- St Albans
- St Neots
- Sutton in Ashfield
- Trowbridge
- Wellingborough
- Whitley Bay
- Windsor
- Winsford
- Wishaw
- Wokingham
- Wrexham
- Yeovil
EE says it is also rolling out voice over 5G standalone (Vo5G), a feature that improves voice calls with faster setup times, reducing the delay between dialling a number and the phone starting to ring.
“Whether you are video calling from a crowded train station, livestreaming on social media from a sold-out concert, or simply staying in touch with your family and friends over the summer holidays, 5G standalone on EE makes your experience smoother, faster and more secure,” explained Greg McCall, Chief Networks Officer at BT Group.
“Delivering a high-quality mobile experience every day for millions of people is what matters to us, it’s what has driven us to build the UK’s most reliable network and why we’re now delivering 5G standalone to more people in more places across the UK.”
EE’s aims to make 5G standalone available to more than 41million people by spring 2026.

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