UK telco EE says it has improved its nationwide mobile network for “millions of people” by upgrading its 5G technology. The firm, which is owned by BT, said it has expanded 5G+ connectivity to reach enough of the country to serve 50 million people – though the operator does not have that many mobile customers.

If you’re an EE mobile customer with a compatible 5G smartphone, 5G+ is a technology that promises “more reliable mobile internet, faster download and upload speeds, and improved video call and gaming experiences in the busiest locations and at peak times”, according to EE.

5G+ is EE’s branding for what is known as 5G standalone, where mobile operators install 5G masts that do not rely on older 4G network technology but are built purely on 5G.

EE says this has led to more reliable, faster connections for new and existing customers. You can use EE’s postcode checker to see if you have 5G in your area, while a list of compatible smartphones shows if your handset can tap into the more modern mobile tech. All iPhones since the iPhone 15 will work, as will Samsung Galaxy phones back to 2023’s S23 range.

Other devices such as the Google Pixel 10 and the Nothing Phone 3, also work.

As well as these prerequisites, you’ll also need to be on an EE All Rounder or Full Works plan if you are a SIM only customer, which are amongst EE’s priciest tariffs. But the perks are on offer at no extra cost to all EE pay monthly customers.

“This milestone shows the pace at which we’re building the UK’s most advanced mobile network,” said Greg McCall, Chief Security and Networks Officer at BT Group. “By expanding EE’s 5G+ coverage to millions more people and being the first in the world to launch new network technologies, we’re giving our customers more reliable and resilient connectivity in the places where it matters most.”

According to Analysys Mason, EE currently holds about 20 percent of the mobile market in the UK.

EE said 5G+ customers are seeing “considerably faster download speeds” and that the firm was the first to launch “five carrier aggregation on its 5G+ mobile sites”, which “allows compatible 5G+ smartphones and devices to combine the power of five spectrum bands at once, resulting in 10 percent faster download speeds on average and improved performance when streaming video.”

Towns and cities that 5G+ has recently expanded to include Aberystwyth,Antrim,Bangor, Barnsley, Cheltenham, Chichester, Cirencester, Dorchester, Erskine, Melton Mowbray, Merthyr Tydfil, Newbury, Preston, Salford and St Austell.