EE has announced the launch of its 5G network and revealed plans to develop new experiences in partnership with Google and Niantic.
The UK’s largest mobile operator will switch on 5G on May 30th in six initial cities: London, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Belfast, Birmingham, and Manchester.
Later in the year, the BT-owned network plans to expand coverage to include Bristol, Coventry, Leicester, Nottingham, Sheffield, Liverpool, Hull, Leeds, Newcastle, and Glasgow. EE’s rapid rollout program will add more than 100 new 5G sites each month to accelerate national coverage.
Marc Allera, CEO of BT’s Consumer division, said:
“This is the start of the UK’s 5G journey and great news for our customers who want and need the best connections. We’ve started with 5G in some of the busiest parts of the UK, we offer the widest range of 5G devices in the country, and our plans give customers the best mobile connection and meaningful benefits.
We’re building 5G on the UK’s leading 4G network to increase reliability, boost speeds, and keep customers connected where they need it most. 5G will enable new augmented reality experiences, make everyday life easier, and help create entirely new businesses and services that we can’t yet imagine.”
At launch, EE expects typical speeds of around 100–150 Mbps even in the busiest areas, with some customers potentially reaching speeds above 1 Gbps on compatible 5G smartphones.
When questioned about the potential impact of Huawei’s uncertain legal position on the rollout, Allera said it would not affect the launch. BT has been phasing Huawei equipment out of core parts of its network since 2016.
BT said in a statement: “In 2016, following the acquisition of EE, we began a process to remove Huawei equipment from the core of our 3G and 4G mobile networks, in line with network architecture principles that have been in place since 2006.”
EE had planned to offer 5G devices from Huawei, but Allera confirmed those plans are paused until there is greater clarity.
Devices, experiences, and pricing
The 5G smartphones EE is launching alongside its network include the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G, Oppo Reno 5G, LG V50 ThinQ, and the OnePlus 7 Pro 5G—several of which will be UK exclusives to EE.
EE has formed partnerships with Google and Pokémon GO developer Niantic to showcase what 5G can enable through new experiences and applications.
Niantic is preparing to launch its next augmented reality title, Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, and EE is the exclusive UK launch partner. EE venues will be featured in the game as sponsored Inns and Fortresses, offering higher rewards and special quests at launch.
“Our partnerships with Google and Niantic are just the start of our commitment to work with the most innovative companies in the world, ensuring EE customers are among the first to benefit from the exciting new experiences 5G will bring,” Allera added.
Google will connect its Google for Startups Campus in London to EE’s 5G network. The collaboration aims to accelerate the development of next-generation apps and transformative 5G experiences.
EE will also introduce the UK’s first 5G home broadband service in June, offering a wireless alternative that requires no engineer installation. The operator says it will provide more details about home broadband plans soon.
For mobile, EE will offer an on-the-go hotspot powered by the HTC 5G Hub with an upfront device cost of £100. Data plans for the hub start at 50 GB per month for £50, or 100 GB per month for £75.
Standard mobile 5G plans start from 10 GB (£54 per month) up to 120 GB (£74 per month). EE has added new “Swappable Benefits” for 5G plans.
5G customers will receive two Swappables from a choice of five — BT Sport App HD HDR for the best video quality, Gamer’s Data Pass, Music Data Pass, EE Video Data Pass, and Roam Further Pass — which can be swapped in or out at any time. Customers on the 120 GB plan will receive three Swappables.
EE is also launching the UK’s first 5G SIM-only plans that include Swappables and inclusive Service Pack benefits. These start at 20 GB per month for £32 and rise to 100 GB for £52 per month.
EE’s broad device lineup, fast rollout schedule, and unique customer experiences are intended to justify the operator’s premium 5G pricing and to give consumers clear reasons to upgrade from 4G.
Rival network Vodafone recently announced that existing 4G customers will be upgraded to 5G free of charge. While unconfirmed, Three UK is also expected to offer free upgrades to 5G for current customers, as it did moving from 3G to 4G.
EE’s early partners and experiential offerings will play a key role in demonstrating real-world benefits of 5G and persuading customers to adopt the next generation of mobile connectivity.