Sharon Meadows, Managing Director, Marketing & Commercial, EE

For many of us, our smartphone is one of the most important pieces of technology we own. Whether it's keeping in touch with family and friends, managing our finances, capturing memories or streaming entertainment on the go, we rely on our devices every day.

Having access to the right device shouldn't feel out of reach. Yet as technology continues to evolve, affordability remains an important consideration for many households. As cost-of-living pressures continue, many people are taking steps to better manage their household budgets, with some cutting back on non-essential spending and others shopping around more carefully before making purchases.

That's why we're expanding EE Flex Pay, giving customers greater freedom to choose how they pay for the devices they want. Customers can now choose from 12, 24, 36 or 48-month repayment terms on eligible smartphones, making it easier to access the latest technology in a way that works for their individual circumstances.

Introducing New 48-Month Smartphone Repayment Options

The introduction of a new 48-month device agreement through EE Flex Pay gives customers another way to spread the cost of a smartphone and keep their monthly payments lower.

Whether they're looking to upgrade to the latest flagship device, better manage their monthly spending or find a payment option that works around their circumstances, the expanded range of repayment terms gives customers greater control over how they pay.

What is EE Flex Pay?

EE Flex Pay separates the cost of the handset from the airtime plan, enabling customers to spread the cost of their device over a timeframe that works for them.

Customers who choose a 48-month device agreement continue to benefit from a separate 24-month airtime plan and can settle their remaining device balance at any time.

Even more ways to save on your next smartphone

The expansion of Flex Pay is part of EE's wider commitment to helping customers access great technology in a way that works for them.

Customers can also make upgrading more affordable through EE Trade In, turning old devices into cash that can be put towards a new phone.

The service provides an instant quote, free postage and fast payment, making it easier than ever to give old technology a second life.

For customers looking to save money while making a more sustainable choice, EE's refurbished smartphone range offers high-quality Apple and Samsung devices with pay monthly plans or device agreements and airtime plans. Every refurbished device undergoes a rigorous 53-point inspection and comes with an extended warranty.

Putting customers in control

Whether it's choosing a shorter 12-month repayment term to pay off a device sooner, spreading the cost over 48 months to reduce monthly outgoings, trading in an existing handset or opting for a refurbished device, EE is giving customers more ways to access the devices they want.

EE Flex Pay: At a glance

• EE Flex Pay now offers 12, 24, 36 and 48-month device repayment terms
• Customers can choose the repayment option that best suits their budget and needs
• Device and airtime costs are separated, providing greater flexibility
• Customers on a 48-month device agreement continue to benefit from a separate 24-month airtime plan
• Customers can settle their remaining device balance at any time

Frequently Asked Questions

Does EE offer 48-month smartphone repayment terms?

Yes. EE customers can choose a 48-month repayment term on eligible smartphones through EE Flex Pay.

What repayment terms are available through EE Flex Pay?

EE Flex Pay offers customers a choice of 12, 24, 36 or 48-month device repayment terms on eligible smartphones.

What is EE Flex Pay?

EE Flex Pay separates the cost of the handset from the airtime plan, allowing customers to spread the cost of an eligible smartphone over a repayment term that suits them.

Can customers pay off their device early?

Yes. Customers can settle their remaining device balance at any time.

By Anita Muir, Marketing and Commercial Director, EE

Giving EE One customers even more value

Customers increasingly expect more from the brands they trust: not just great products and services, but joined-up experiences that are simple and deliver real value.

With EE One, we have been doing this for the last two years - bringing mobile, broadband and more together to give our customers a better, more connected experience that rewards their loyalty. EE One is a powerful proposition for households who want brilliant connectivity, greater simplicity and more value from the services they use every day.

To date, EE One has brought over a million households who combine EE Mobile and EE Broadband under one account, access to a range of exclusive benefits, including household savings, unlimited data boosts on eligible existing mobile plans, discounts on additional SIM and handset pay monthly plans, and the option to add EE TV - for an even more connected home experience. 

Building on the success of EE One

Today, we’re building on the success of EE One with the launch of EE One Up – our new rewards programme, designed to thank our EE One customers for choosing us to keep them connected at home and on the go.  

Available through the EE App, EE One Up gives our customers access to a fresh set of rewards every week, bringing together must-have experiences, technology offers and everyday treats. It's another way we're rewarding customer loyalty while delivering even more value on top of the benefits they already receive through EE One. 

Turn your Fridays all the way up

Everyone deserves something to look forward to at the end of the week. That’s why, every Friday, EE One customers can unlock a fresh set of rewards across three categories:

• Turn Up Tickets: Customers will have the chance to win tickets to some of the UK's biggest live events, alongside exclusive experiences from our partners. From major concerts at iconic venues such as Wembley Stadium to unique VIP opportunities, EE One Up helps bring customers closer to the moments that matter most.
• Turn Up Tech: Exclusive offers on the latest phones, gaming products, audio technology and more, helping customers access the best technology for less.
• Turn Up Treats: A range of offers and rewards from brands we know our customers love, making everyday moments that little bit better. 

Launching with experiences customers love

EE One Up launches with ‘a collection of rewards designed to help customers make the most of the Summer season. This week, customers can enter for the chance to win tickets to see Bruno Mars, enjoy a summer strawberry treat with an M&S e-gift card - powered by Lifestyle, and receive 15% off tablets in the EE Tech Store.

Alongside these weekly rewards, customers can benefit from double Airtime Rewards every Friday - when shopping with more than 200 participating retailers, including Boots and ASOS. And there's more to come: customers will soon be able to benefit from six months of free access to Readly*, giving them access to thousands of magazines and newspapers.

Ready to turn your Fridays up?

EE One customers simply need to download the EE App and check in every Friday to discover the latest tickets, tech and treats waiting for them.

Supporting our vision for customer value

At its heart, EE One Up is about saying thank you. Every day, millions of customers trust us to keep them connected on the UK’s best network, and we do not take that loyalty for granted. Whether through EE Rewards, which continues to offer great experiences and offers for EE customers, or through the additional benefits available with EE One Up - we're focused on doing more for our customers, giving them more value, more reasons to feel rewarded and more moments that make being with EE feel even better. By strengthening our role as a trusted connector, we're making those connections work harder for the people who matter most: our customers.

If you have a young person in your life, the question of how to keep them safe online is likely never far from your mind. Technology and the internet can be a powerful force for good, but there are real risks, too.

At EE, we believe that making the most of connectivity means being informed about both the benefits and challenges of being online. We’ve made it our mission to support families navigating the digital world safely, through guidance designed to help them create healthy habits and set boundaries that work for their needs.

Young voices weigh in on a social media ban

“I’d introduce new restrictions for really young kids, who are just being introduced to technology”; the words of Michael, a Year 11 student reacting to the proposals for an U16 social media ban currently moving through the halls of Westminster. His words, calling on platforms to “stop the cycle”, are a timely reminder that, if we want to make the online world safer for young people, we must start by listening to their views. At the same time he highlights importance addressing these challenges before young people build habits dependent on social media.

Our response to the Government’s Growing up in the online world consultation

Ahead of submitting our response to the Government’s consultation, we assembled our EE Youth Council for a candid discussion. We talked about the realities of growing up online, and the legislative changes that could help young people have safer experiences on social media.

At EE we have long-standing commitment to helping families take control of their online safety. In 2024, we were the first telecom provider to introduce age-based smartphone guidance and, in 2025, the first major network to introduce dedicated smartphone plans for under-18s, Safer SIMs.

Alongside our plans, we introduced in-store online safety appointments with our expert EE Guides, offering personalised support on everything from setting up a child’s first phone, to adapting parental controls as they grow up. To further encourage conversations around responsible smartphone ownership, we launched The P.H.O.N.E. Chat, a comprehensive guide designed with insights from experts at Internet Matters, children and their parents.

Growing up with social media: the benefits, risks and young people’s vision for change

“Parents think social media is just sitting there watching videos, and that’s it,” said Belicia, Year 11, but for the six young people joining the roundtable, aged 11 to 17, social media is not seen in black and white terms.

They see technology as a force for good, helping them connect with family and friends, enhance their learning and discover new interests.

At the same time, they acknowledge the harms they navigate daily, from chasing validation through likes or comments, to auto-play features exposing them to upsetting content, to never really knowing who they are interacting with online.

We agreed that responsibility for safer online spaces cannot rest solely on young people and their families or teachers. Platforms must be held accountable for the design choices that have led young people to encounter harms in the first place and protect future generations from facing the same challenges.

The Youth Council was unanimous in believing a social media ban should be a last resort. Instead, they advocated for age-based restrictions that gradually ease as young people learn to handle the responsibility of digital independence.

Some great suggestions included young users being asked to provide their parents’ contact information for consent when creating social media accounts, or barring children from higher-risk features, like connecting with strangers or being added to mass group chats. 

Creating age-appropriate experiences is a key priority for EE, and the main ambition behind our tiered Safer SIMs plans and smartphone guidance for under-16s.

The roundtable reinforced our belief that online safety shouldn’t be just about restricting access, but about helping to prepare young people for the moment when they are old enough to explore the internet freely, without their parents’ supervision.

In a show of disarming maturity, the Youth Council reflected on Australia’s social media ban and recent reports suggesting three in five young people have found ways to work around those restrictions¹. Rather than accept defeat, the Council argued there would still be meaningful benefits for the two in five who do not.

One of the most thought-provoking moments in our discussion came when the Youth Council was asked what they would do if they were shaping the UK’s online safety policy. Their answers were selfless, focusing on how to spare future generations from the potential harms of social media:    

1. Break the cycle: learn from teens’ experiences today and develop safety policy with future generations in mind
2. Limit exposure to social media: set a 10pm curfew across all platforms to encourage better sleep and wellbeing
3. Introduce a social media license: require users to demonstrate responsible online behaviour before being permitted access to social media platforms
4. Bring parents on board: better equip parents to understand online risks and set boundaries tailored to their child’s needs

Young people understand better than anyone how social media shapes their friendships, wellbeing, confidence and identity. Nearly half (45%) of secondary school-age children turn to their friends with questions about online safety², highlighting how much young people rely on each other to navigate risks. Their experiences should not sit on the sidelines of policymaking; they should help to guide it. This is our core tenet at EE.

The Youth Council spoke thoughtfully about wanting future generations to experience a safer online world, with clearer boundaries and healthier expectations from the outset. At EE, we remain committed to doing our part in developing the solutions to make this future possible.

Clear and predictable pricing 

EE and BT were the first major UK providers to introduce pounds-and-pence mid-contract price changes in April 2024. This approach gives customers certainty by showing exactly what they will pay over the full length of their contract. 

We’re committed to transparent and predictable pricing. Costs are shown upfront before a customer signs up so they know what they’ll pay throughout their contract term, with no inflation-linked surprises. 

Price changes help us to continue investing in: 

• Network innovation
• Connectivity reliability
• Improved customer experiences and support 

Demand for mobile data, faster broadband and always‑on connectivity keeps rising. Continued investment is essential to meet that demand and keep the UK reliably connected.

Pricing fairness and regulation

The UK Government and Ofcom have called for more transparent pricing across the telecoms industry. This includes moving away from inflation‑linked increases and towards clear pounds‑and‑pence price changes that customers can easily understand.

We fully support these expectations, especially around:

• Giving customers a clear, predictable view of their bill throughout their contract
• Ensuring customers choose a package that meets their personal and connectivity needs, supported by clear communication before they sign up

Our approach provides predictable billing and helps customers select the package that best suits their needs.

What this means for customers

Customers who joined EE before our pounds‑and‑pence pricing was introduced, will move to this clearer approach as part of the 2026 price change. This means all customers will benefit from transparent pricing shown in pounds and pence, rather than charges linked to inflation. Our approach aligns with Ofcom and UK Government guidance on pricing transparency.

For customers who are out of contract, the 2026 price change will apply from 1 March 2026. The exact date and updated price, will be included in each customer’s individual notification.

Customers moving to pounds‑and‑pence pricing are already outside their minimum term, so they will not be placed into a new minimum‑term contract. We are also not changing the annual price rise for customers still within their minimum term, a practice that has faced significant scrutiny across the industry.

The UK telecoms market in context 

The UK mobile and broadband market is highly competitive with a range of services and choice for consumers. While usage continues to increase, prices have stayed flat or fallen over time. 

Independent analysis from Assembly Research highlights several key trends: 

• Average mobile prices in the UK have fallen by around 25% since 2019
• Consumers receive increasing value for money as data allowances and network performance improves
• Telecoms account for just 1.5% of weekly household spending, and this share has been falling year on year since 2020.
• UK mobile pricing compares favourably with other leading European markets 

Average data usage has nearly tripled in recent years, while prices for most data plans have declined. 

Investing in networks, technology and protection 

We invest billions of pounds each year in our mobile and broadband networks, products, services and customer support. 

EE has been named RootMetrics® UK’s Best Mobile Network for 12 years in a row, reflecting continued investment in coverage, speed and reliability. 

EE is also the only major UK network to offer WiFi 7 as standard across all full fibre broadband plans, helping customers get the best possible performance across their homes. 

On mobile, EE’s 5G+ network delivers stronger, more reliable connections using the UK’s most advanced mobile technology. 

Keeping customers safe from scams and fraud 

Scams and fraud are a growing threat and protecting customers is a core priority. 

We’re committed to protecting our customers through ongoing network research and innovation

In the past 12 months, we have: 

• Blocked 1.6 billion attempts to access malicious domains
• Stopped 200 million scam text messages
• Blocked 61 million scam calls
• Flagged 175 million nuisance and fraud calls 

We continue to invest millions of pounds in our industry leading scam protection, education and network-level security. 

Customer satisfaction and support 

Customer satisfaction matters in a competitive telecoms market. Ofcom has recognised EE as having the highest overall customer satisfaction for both mobile and broadband. 

We do this by: 

• Investing in UK and Ireland based customer service teams
• Ongoing improvements to tools, training and AI-assisted support
• A focus on personal, human customer interactions 

This satisfaction builds on the strength of our networks and the products and services we offer to maximise our networks.

We’re committed to keeping people connected with transparent pricing, at a time when household finances remain under pressure. 

Our goal is to ensure customers can:

• Access the most reliable and innovative mobile and broadband technology
• Benefit from continued network investment and innovation
• Receive clear, predictable pricing and best‑in‑class customer support.

By combining predictable pricing with industry‑leading networks and customer support, we aim to deliver long‑term value for customers across the UK.

By Greg McCall, Chief Networks Officer, BT Group

As 2025 wraps up, we’re proud to end the year with recognition from Umlaut Connect that EE has once again – for the eleventh consecutive year – been named the UK’s best mobile network, following its robust independent benchmarking process. This follows similar recognition from RootMetrics earlier this year.

Last year, we set a record-breaking score for the UK, becoming the first network to ever break the 900 barrier – an achievement which placed EE in a class above every other UK operator. This milestone still stands, and this year we’ve gone even further, achieving an incredible score of 920 and extending our already significant lead over second place.

EE also performed best in each of the nine major cities where local performance was analysed, including London, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast¹, as well as in testing on railways and across over 5.7 billion samples of crowdsourced data. That means whether they’re gaming, video-calling or streaming, customers in these cities, and right across the UK, enjoy an unbeatable experience.

The results come just a few weeks after we experienced a new record data peak on our mobile network of 1.79 Tbps, demonstrating the ever-increasing need for reliable mobile connectivity in our personal and professional lives. Which is why we’re also especially proud of the fact that we’ve also been named within Umlaut’s report as the most reliable network for both voice and data services.

It takes a huge amount of work to keep enhancing our mobile network leadership performance while meeting growing customer demand – and doing so as we continue to expand coverage, including this year doubling the size of our 5G+ network, which now reaches over 68% of the UK population, with an ambition to cover 99% by the end of FY30.

With that in mind, I wanted to take a few moments to reflect on some of the brilliant milestones and innovations of the past 12 months, all of which have contributed to the recognition we’re seeing from Umlaut today:

• We achieved a world-first in launching Advanced RAN Coordination (ARC), a smart technology that lets nearby mobile sites share capacity. This means faster speeds (around 20 per cent quicker downloads) and more reliable 5G in busy places like city centres and train stations – without needing extra masts.
• We’ve also improved upload for customers, becoming the first operator in Europe to deploy a new generation of Ericsson Massive MIMO units for up to 4x greater uplink performance than previously – increasingly important for everyday activities like live-streaming and mobile gaming.
• Our comprehensive network of outdoor small cells – miniature masts which help to boost mobile capacity in the busiest urban areas – now stands at 1,500 nationwide following over 500 new installations across the UK, including our very first deployments in towns and cities such as Belfast, Bristol, Middlesbrough, Preston and Bolton.
• Complementing this work, we’ve also delivered improved indoor connectivity across a host of venues where it’s needed most, from shopping centres and travel hubs to some of the country’s most iconic sports and events venues like Cheltenham Racecourse.

These milestones underline how our commitment to enhancing and densifying the EE network is delivering a tangible difference for customers – faster speeds, greater reliability, and better connectivity where it matters most, with our brilliant engineers working tirelessly year-round to make it all possible. Achieving a record-breaking score isn’t just an accolade; it’s proof that our strategy is working. As demand for mobile data continues to grow, we’ll keep pushing the boundaries to ensure EE customers continue to enjoy the best possible experience on the UK’s best network. 

¹ _{Full list of cities: Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London and Manchester}

By Jonny Bunt, Corporate Affairs Director, BT Consumer

Protecting BT, EE, and Plusnet customers from scams and fraud isn’t just a priority, it’s a responsibility and one we take very seriously.  

As the UK’s best network for safety, we’ve led the sector in recent years by deploying cutting-edge, AI-driven solutions to keep our customers secure. In 2025 alone, we’ve blocked an incredible 3 million scam attempts every day across our network.  

But technology alone isn’t enough. Fraud is a growing, sophisticated crime that demands a united response. Collaboration is vital. Over the last few weeks, we’ve taken part in several key moments designed to help keep customers safe. Working together as providers, regulators, and partners ensures we can protect the nation and stay ahead of evolving threats. 

This week marks BBC Scam Safe Week, an annual national campaign dedicated to raising awareness about scams and fraud. Through TV, radio, and online coverage, the BBC is sharing practical advice to help people spot, avoid, and report scams, alongside real-life stories that highlight the impact of these crimes. The initiative brings together experts and industry partners to share best practices and tools for protection. It’s a timely reminder that collaboration across sectors is essential to tackling the growing threat of fraud and keeping consumers safe. You can find out more about the BBC’s work here, and why not take their quiz to make sure you’re scam safe? 

A big step forward in the fight against fraud  

Earlier this month, we joined the wider telecoms industry in signing the second Fraud Charter, an important and timely step for the sector. This is a big step forward in the fight against fraud: this recent signing of the 2nd Telecoms Sector Fraud Charter, was hosted at the BT Tower and marks a significant moment in efforts across our industry and beyond to tackle this critical issue. 

A threat that is not going away 

Scams and fraud remain a very significant threat in both scale and impact. 44% of crime in the UK is fraud-related. BT, EE and Plusnet are blocking over 3 million scam attempts every day which shows both the scale of our intervention but also the size of the issue.  

Victims of fraud lost over £700m in total last year and the impact is more than financial. Those impacted can also suffer a loss of confidence, finding it hard to trust institutions and people again. That is certainly the experience of those customers who seek help from us after a scam. Further still, it impacts wider consumer confidence as people lose trust in the platforms they use and the communications they receive harming the UK economy at large.  

How we’re stepping up 

We continue to play a leading role. BT, EE and Plusnet are investing in innovations including advanced network intelligence to look for call and SMS patterns, machine learning to improve our pattern tracking and success rates and real-time monitoring to stop fraud at source.  We also have dedicated teams working 24/7 to block malicious activity and teams trained to help support and counsel victims. 

But success requires more than just our strong defences, Fraudsters will exploit the weakest link in any eco-system and target the gaps between organisations. So we need collaboration across the telecoms industry and also beyond with government, regulators, banks and law enforcement all working hand-in-hand. 

We have always sought to lead our industry forward and partner with other sectors and stakeholders. The 2^nd Fraud Charter boosts this because it directs that collaboration to raise the ceiling of what we can achieve.  

A charter with real improvements 

The 1^st Charter delivered real progress but this iteration expands our ambitions. We will go further to detect fraud and stop it at source, increase public awareness of the threat of scams and how to avoid them and add layers to the defence of our networks. We will also share more information and innovation at pace across sectors to remain one step ahead of bad actors. 

BT is proud to stand alongside our partners to make the UK the hardest possible place for fraudsters to operate. 

It was apt that we hosted the signing of the 2^nd Telecoms Fraud Chart at the top of the BT Tower - a building long associated with innovation, the power of connections and being a force for good. The sun even came out for the event! Thanks to the Home Office, Lord Hanson and industry colleagues as well as the leadership of the Communications Crime Strategy Group (chaired by BT’s own Brian Webb), the view is certainly brighter. 

By Greg McCall, Chief Networks Officer, BT Group

As September draws to a close, the milder (and wetter) days have signalled the shift from summer to the colourful tones of autumn. Time never stands still at BT Group, as we continue building and connecting you to the UK’s best networks. But the change in seasons is a good moment to reflect on some summer highlights — and the role our network played in powering them. 

A rock 'n' roll star of a network 

A whole host of monumental events have contributed to making this one of the busiest ever summers on the EE network. But where better place to start than the Oasis reunion tour, arguably the hottest ticket across the UK in recent months – with Wembley Stadium, Connected by EE, hosting the Manchester rock band on seven separate occasions – more than any other venue. 

With data traffic across all gigs reaching roughly 33.5TB – enough to stream Definitely Maybe well over 900,000 times – our state-of-the-art, upgraded indoor system (earlier this year Wembley became the UK’s first major sports venue to get permanent 5G Standalone connectivity), was integral to the event experience, enabling fans to stay in touch and share content even amongst a sell-out 90,000+ crowd! 

The summer music calendar also featured Guns N' Roses, Blackpink, and Lana Del Rey — but it was Coldplay’s record-breaking 10-night run that saw the most traffic, with an average of over 4.7TB used in just a few hours each evening. Across the UK, our network supported hundreds of festivals and events, often with temporary masts to handle surging demand. Nowhere is this better seen than at Glastonbury, where our two permanent sites were joined by seven temporary builds — enabling 265TB of data usage, up 25% from last year. 

Seamless sporting moments 

As a nation of sports lovers, bringing the UK’s best and most reliable network to the summer sports schedule is also a priority for us. Wembley is of course synonymous with sport, and while from June onwards the hallowed green turf makes way for the protective hard-flooring needed for concerts, the early part of summer saw us support major events including the Men’s and Women’s FA Cup finals, the Lionesses’ Nations League match against Portugal, and Rugby League’s Challenge Cup Final. 

But it’s not just Wembley. Venues across the UK are equipped with similar systems, ensuring reliable connectivity year-round. At Cheltenham Racecourse, we boosted coverage ahead of March’s world-famous Festival, welcoming nearly 220,000 racegoers. The result? A near doubling of 4G and 5G traffic year-on-year (38.21TB vs 20.08TB in 2024). 

And for something a little different, in July we showcased the power of our expanding 5G Standalone network by partnering with SailGP as it returned to the UK. By upgrading multiple sites in Portsmouth, we delivered smoother, more secure mobile connectivity for fans and, for the first time, enabled multiple concurrent network slices to support critical event operations. These dedicated slices ensured reliable performance for boat telemetry, point-of-sale systems, media and broadcast needs — all protected from public network congestion, with operationally vital data running over the slices across the weekend. 

Connectivity that takes off 

Music and sporting events aside, another staple summer activity is escaping the UK for sunnier climes. To support British holidaymakers from the very start of their trips, we boosted capacity with new indoor systems at some of the UK’s busiest airports. In August alone, Manchester, Luton and Stansted saw nearly 300TB of combined data usage — enough to stream 26,000 4K movies from the departure lounge. But it’s not just about killing time before a flight — from downloading boarding passes to using mobile payments, airports are now digital spaces where fast, reliable connectivity is essential. 

So, as you can see, from packed stadiums to festival fields, EE’s network has been behind the scenes all summer, keeping fans connected when it mattered most. Whether live-streaming the winning goal or your favourite artist’s encore, our reliable, high-performing mobile connectivity has helped customers share and treasure the moment. And while summer may be winding down, our commitment to delivering seamless connectivity doesn’t stop here – it’s a year-round promise, wherever and whenever our customers need us. 

In today's competitive market, many mobile and broadband customers across the UK find themselves chasing the cheapest deals. While saving money is important, this often comes at the cost of a quality, reliable service and overall customer satisfaction. The allure of low prices can sometimes overshadow the long-term benefits of investing in a provider that prioritises customer experience and service reliability.

Our commitment to delivering exceptional service is reflected in the positive feedback we receive from our customers, who appreciate the reliability and quality of our network and customer service we provide in our contact centres and retail stores. This recognition is not just a testament to our efforts but also a reflection of our dedication to providing personal customer service and putting our customers first.

Leading the Way in Mobile Service

EE provides the most reliable mobile connectivity in more places than anyone else, with RootMetrics® naming EE the UK’s best network for a record-breaking 12 years in a row. In addition to our network recognition, Ofcom’s 2025 Comparing Customer Service report, EE Mobile stands out among major network operators (Vodafone, Three, and O2) in several key areas:

• Highest Customer Satisfaction with Service Overall: With a remarkable 90% satisfaction rate, our customers have made it clear that they value the quality of service we provide.
• Best Reception and Signal Strength: An impressive 83% of our customers are satisfied with our reception and signal strength, ensuring they stay connected when it matters most.
• Top Value for Money: At 82%, our customers appreciate the value they receive from our services, knowing they are getting the best for their money.
• Fewest Reasons to Complain: Only 14% of our customers have had a reason to complain, the lowest among major network operators, reflecting our commitment to resolving issues before they arise.

We achieve satisfaction for our mobile customers through extensive investment in our mobile network, alongside our UK based customer service guides in our retail stores and contact centres being focused on providing a premium and personal service to our customers.

Excellence in Broadband Service

Our dedication to quality service extends beyond just mobile, as evidenced by our performance in the broadband sector compared to major providers (Sky, TalkTalk, Vodafone, and Virgin Media):

• Highest Customer Satisfaction with Service Overall: We are proud to have an 87% satisfaction rate, demonstrating our commitment to delivering a reliable, secure and high-quality broadband service.
• Second Highest Satisfaction with Speed: At 86%, our customers are pleased with the speed of our broadband, ensuring they can enjoy seamless, uninterrupted online experiences.
• Most Reliable Service: With an 89% satisfaction rate for reliability, our customers can trust that their connection will be stable and dependable.
• Fewest Reasons to Complain: Only 23% of our broadband customers have had a reason to complain, the lowest among major providers, highlighting our proactive approach to customer service. The broadband providers who had the fewest customers with a reason to complain were BT and Plusnet, also part of our BT Consumer family.

We achieve customer satisfaction for our broadband customers as the UK's first major provider to offer a WiFi 7 router, offering faster, more reliable speeds and access to new features and benefits, offering best in-home experience. Teamed with our latest broadband tech, our UK based customer service guides in store and in our contact centres focused on providing personal service.

Resolution the Key to Satisfaction

We lead the industry in complaint resolution and according to Ofcom’s Review of ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution) in the Telecoms Sector, we resolved 87% of complaints within one week of them being raised. 97% of all complaints are fully resolved within a four-week time period. Our complaint resolution performance eclipses all other telecoms providers included within Ofcom’s review. More importantly resolving issues in a timely manner is key to building customer satisfaction and trust.

Our Commitment to You

At EE, our commitment is to provide value to our customers every day, ensuring they receive the best possible experience and support with customer satisfaction at the heart of everything we do. Ultimately, true value in mobile and broadband services is not just about the price tag. It's about the peace of mind that comes with a quality, reliable service that you can count on.

Our results in Ofcom’s Comparing Customer Service report are a testament to our unwavering commitment to our customers. We believe that providing exceptional service is not just about meeting expectations but exceeding them. We are dedicated to continuous improvement, ensuring that we remain at the forefront of the mobile and broadband industry in delivering value, reliability, and customer satisfaction.

By Luciano Oliveira, Director of Home & TV

Today, our homes are more connected than ever. Streaming the latest series, working from the kitchen table, or gaming with friends around the world, in-home connectivity is central to daily life. At EE, our mission is clear: to deliver the best broadband to every corner of the UK and make life simpler and better connected for our customers. Not all broadband is created equal. With EE, you get premium quality and advanced features at an affordable price, starting at less than £1 a day, so everyone can have top-tier connectivity without paying over the odds. 

In 2024, we took a major step forward in premium connectivity by becoming the first major UK provider to launch a WiFi 7 router and extender, the Smart Hub Pro and Smart WiFi Pro. With tri-band technology designed to provide broader in-home capacity, these devices deliver faster, more reliable WiFi in every room, giving you a “fast lane” for the latest devices and activities like 8K streaming, cloud gaming, and virtual reality. Even when you’re further from the hub, you can count on consistently high speeds. This is about future-proofing your home and ensuring you’re ready for whatever comes next in digital living. 

But cutting-edge technology alone isn’t enough, which is why we use WiFi intelligence, a smart solution that proactively enhances your WiFi experience throughout your home. At the same time, our expert teams offer personalised support and guidance, helping you make the most of your connection - whether you're in an urban flat or a countryside cottage. We’re so confident in our solutions that we guarantee a seamless connection in every room—or we’ll give you cash back. 

EE is now the UK’s fastest-growing broadband provider, with thousands of new customers joining us every week. This growth is no accident; it’s the result of a focused commitment to innovation and personal service that’s driving a real shift in the market. More parents, more gamers, and more WFH’ers—people from all walks of life are making the switch. The reason is simple: we’re not just providing fast broadband—we’re delivering real value and peace of mind. 

We also understand that switching broadband providers can feel daunting. Many people stick with what they know simply out of habit, but we’re making it easier than ever to switch, offering a seamless journey from sign-up to installation and beyond. Our customers tell us they love the confidence that comes with our advanced features: WiFi Controls to manage family internet use, Work Mode for unstoppable productivity, and Game Mode for unrivalled gaming performance. With our WiFi Extenders, you get uninterrupted reach, even in the trickiest corners of your home, so every device gets the speed it needs. 

But it’s not just about broadband. Juggling multiple providers for TV and streaming services can be a headache, so we created EE TV—a flexible, customer-friendly platform that brings live TV and your favourite streaming apps together in one place. This means less hassle and more entertainment, all supported by the strength of your EE connection, and you don't need to just take our word for it, see the latest view on the service by one of the UK's leading consumer lifestyle publications, T3.

Our strategy is rooted in understanding what matters most to our customers: speed, reliability, simplicity, and support. Ofcom’s latest Connected Nations report shows that UK households are demanding faster, more reliable broadband to support hybrid work, streaming, and smart home devices. EE’s investment in Full Fibre and WiFi 7 technology is a direct response to these needs, ensuring we remain ahead of the curve and ready for the future. 

What truly sets EE apart is our relentless focus on making life easier and better connected for our customers. We offer more than just fast pipes—we deliver a complete experience, backed by the latest technology, personalised support, and flexible entertainment options. That’s why more people are choosing EE every week, and why we’re proud to be leading the way in the UK’s home connectivity revolution. 

If you’re looking for a provider that’s always innovating, always supporting, and always putting your needs first, the choice is clear. Welcome to the new standard for connected homes. Welcome to EE. 

Without a mobile network that works, our lives don’t go the way we want them to.

While exciting developments in AI, extended reality (XR) and quantum computing are reshaping the vision of how we can enhance the lives of our customers in the future, it is important to recognise that the bedrock of mobile connectivity is giving people the reliable performance they need – whenever and wherever they need it.

Rooting for the right network

But with all UK mobile operators claiming to be reliable, how can you know which one to trust when it comes to making connectivity work for you?

Every six months for almost 15 years, RootMetrics – a team of independent mobile analysts – collect millions of data points as they travel the length and breadth of the UK to test the real-life performance of every mobile network operator.

In the past six months, RootMetrics conducted more than 623,000 individual tests in a variety of locations across every UK nation – including 16 of the largest cities – and drove more than 23,000 miles in the process.

And what did they find? EE stands alone as the UK’s best and most reliable network.

It is a record that now stretches back more than 11 years. But what does that mean for our customers? Put simply, they stay connected to their life the way they want.

In performance terms, they get fewer dropped calls, more spam calls blocked, the fastest average download speeds, better video streaming than anyone else and access to the UK’s best 5G experience.

That 5G experience – so essential for reliable connectivity in the modern world – has been supported by the sharp increase in the availability of our 5G network in the past 12 months (which is the highest of any UK operator by some distance according to recent research).

The road to reliability

Our unwavering commitment to reliability means something only if our customers feel the benefits every single day. To make sure that happens, we’ve continued to make significant upgrades in the past six months to ensure our network can meet the changing demands of modern life.

These upgrades include:

• Launching our most advanced network – 5G standalone – in 31 major towns and cities, covering an area of 21 million people
• Investing in new rural mobile sites to extend the reach of our 4G network, which now provides connectivity to almost 90% of the UK’s entire landmass
• Adding more than 1,000 small cells in urban areas such as high streets, train stations, and tourist destinations to improve performance during peak times – in places such as Birmingham, Brighton, Newquay and Cardiff
• Utilising bespoke indoor systems to strengthen our connectivity in more shopping centres, stadiums and airports
• Reusing spectrum – freed up by retiring our outdated 3G network – to boost the performance of 4G and 5G for millions of customers in every corner of the UK

We know there are still places in the UK where we need to find ways to provide the connectivity people want and we’re continuing to work on expanding our network footprint so more people in more places can benefit from it. But what these RootMetrics results show is how much progress we’ve already made.

A special thanks must go to our outstanding network and technical teams grafting round the clock in all weathers to ensure we have the best network for our customers to rely on every single day.

A year ago we launched New EE: a telco for the future. We’ve built New EE to provide customers with all they need for our fast-moving world of technology beyond the connectivity we’ve always been famous for. 

We unveiled our new look and feel with the tagline “New EE does more”.  

Gaming is one of the best examples of how we’re doing more. Of how we’re making things better for our customers. We know gaming matters to them. It’s the biggest entertainment category in the world now. Bigger than music and film combined as a category. And it’s growing. 

We’re growing with it. This past year has seen us take huge strides forwards with our ambition to become the number 1 gaming destination in the UK, and it was superb to see our team’s efforts recognised with EE named the Gaming Retailer of the Year at the PCR Awards earlier this month. 

Partnering with some of the most exciting gaming and tech companies in the world, including PlayStation, Xbox, Nvidia, Activision and Meta, means we can see the future. The console is just one part. That’s why our strategy for our gaming business brings together ecommerce, retail, experiential, community and our networks to give gamers everything they need. 

We sell games consoles in the same way as we do smartphones. We’ve taken our connectivity and combined it with the capability we have to enable customers to spread their payments and bundle services like Game Pass Ultimate from Xbox. We’re already one of the biggest retailers in the UK for gaming consoles. In the past few weeks, we’ve launched the Xbox Series X and Meta Quest 3 mixed reality headset as standalone products and as part of gaming bundles. And the new PlayStation 5 Pro is now available to pre-order in the same way.  

The PS5 Pro is particularly exciting – not only because PlayStation have called it the most visually impressive way to play games on their console but also because it’s Wi-Fi 7 compatible, meaning our customers will get the most out of it with faster speeds and lower latency if they pair it with EE’s new Wi-Fi 7 Smart Hub Pro and Smart WiFi Pro. Think of it as WiFi made for gamers. And a console doesn’t have to be Wi-Fi 7 compatible to deliver brilliant connectivity for gaming.  
 

Networks made for gamers 

It’s not just EE broadband that will give gamers the best possible connection. We launched our new 5G Standalone network in September, giving mobile gamers the fastest, most reliable, lowest-latency, best mobile connectivity out there.  

 5G Standalone is really built to enable the game-changing services that are to come. The most obvious of these is Network Slicing – multiple virtual networks on top of a shared physical network to provide greater flexibility in the use and allocation of network resources. That gives us the ability to guarantee performance even at the busiest times and means EE’s 5G Standalone network is perfect for mobile gaming, streaming or video conferencing on the move.  

 Talking of the services of the future (and the services of now, for that matter), it’s increasingly crucial that we ensure our network stays ahead of the rapid evolution of AI if we are to keep bringing our customers the best device experiences.  

 5G Standalone has been designed to do just that. It enables AI applications to connect seamlessly to the cloud, providing the best experience, each time, dynamically responding to changing needs and network pressures. It’s security aware. Streaming aware. Gaming aware. 
 

More in store 

We’re not only continually building our networks. We’re adding to our EE Game Store all the time, too, as we promised we would at launch. You don’t need to be on EE to access it: anyone can buy anything from one of the UK’s largest range of gaming products, from chairs to controllers to racing wheels.  

 We’ve also broadened our offering to introduce a new category, with our range of gaming desktop and graphic card bundles – and both come with a 24-month EE Gamer’s Data and Video Data Pass. The EE GameCard, meanwhile, is a gift card that you can use on thousands of products across all gaming platforms as well as in-game purchases and currency. It gives customers the flexibility to choose their own gaming adventure. 

Being part of the gaming community’s conversation is important to us, too. EE Game Day is an annual celebration of gaming culture, giving everyone the chance to win prizes via the EE Game Store by transforming the UK into the world’s biggest gaming arcade for 24 hours in September. This year, we made our billboard advertising and retail stores playable nationwide. All you had to do was scan the QR codes or search ‘EE Game Day’ in TikTok Effects for our in-app social game. We also hosted a gaming activation on Brighton Pier. 

Not only did thousands of people across the UK get involved, but we saw a 20 per cent console market share that week. It was another way of letting people know that our gaming offering is built by gamers, for gamers. 
 

Exclusive experiences  

Players can get exclusive access to in-game bonus content with EE, too, thanks to our being official partner of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 for the UK. In August, we gave 100,000 fans access to Call of Duty: Black Ops 6’s Early Access Beta, and we can’t wait to bring players even more with new bundles, in-game content and a special in-store event to mark the release of the new edition.  

Our stores remain an important part of how we’re doing more for customers. As part of our £6m investment in the UK high street, we're opening 10 Experience stores this year. All have Gaming Zones featuring elite gaming rigs, racing simulators, virtual reality experiences and the most up-to-date games and consoles so gamers of all levels can come in and experience  no-holds-barred gaming for themselves.

And we remain a guide online with EE GameSmart – designed to give parents everything they need to know about what their kids are playing, from age ratings to game content, and help them understand safe gaming.  

We’re opening up more games to more players in more accessible ways than ever. It’s all part of our ambition to be the number 1 gaming destination in the UK. 

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It’s something that I, like every parent, have thought about. A smartphone can open up a new world of exciting possibilities, but it also exposes children to dangers many of us never had to face when growing up.

As a huge provider of phones and connected devices, and as the UK's best mobile network 11 years in a row (as named by RootMetrics after independent testing of everyday mobile experience across the country), EE has an important role to play. That’s why I’m really proud of the work our team is doing to improve how we help parents and children with this big decision.

This week, as parents prepare for the start of the new school year, a time when they tend to come under increased pressure to buy their child a mobile device, we’re the first network provider to introduce clear age guidance for smartphones – for anyone on any network. As well as launching better products and controls for children to safely start using their first smartphone.

• Under 11s. For this group we’re recommending non-smart devices, such as ‘feature phones’ – that’s phones that can make texts and calls but can’t access social media or inappropriate content. We’ve exclusively launched the new Dash+ phone from Verve Connect, which is perfect for this.
   
• 11-13 years. If you’re giving your child a smartphone at this age, it should have parental controls enabled, restricted access to social media, and a family-sharing app in place.
   
• 13-16 years. Our guidance is that smartphones are appropriate, but parental controls should still be used to manage and restrict children’s access to inappropriate sites, content, and platforms. From 13 years old children are allowed access to social media, but any profiles should be linked to a parent or guardian account.

As well as this new guidance we’ve also enhanced our PhoneSmart platform – open to all, whether you are an EE customer or not – which teaches children and parents how to be kind and safe when using the internet. As well as critical advice for parents in setting up a new phone safely.

We offer easy-to-find parental controls for customers in our app – so they can easily manage and monitor their children’s device usage. 

We have more child-friendly products – such as the Dash+ and the Xplora X6 Play smart watch, an ideal initiation to a first phone experience.

And we’re providing more resources for parents, teachers and children, with a new school programme (starting this week in Scotland) and a new family online safety hub launching later this year. 

We launched the new guidance with an exclusive in The Sunday Telegraph, and it’s had a very positive response from media and the public so far. It's also been great to have the support of our partners at Internet Matters, a leading child safety organisation, whose chief executive Carolyn Bunting said: “Our recent research showed that parents want to make their own decisions about their children’s use of technology, but that many would value guidance to help them in doing so.”

Carolyn is not the only one whose support I know we can count on. I’ve spoken to lots of colleagues about this issue, and I know many are really passionate about it. This year we’ll also be launching a new volunteering programme to help colleagues play a part in supporting and educating their local communities. 

We can all play our part. If you know any parents or caregivers struggling with the decision over whether or not, or when, to get their child a smartphone, let them know EE can help.

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We spend a lot of time thinking about the networks of the future, what they look like and – most importantly – what they can do for customers.  

Technology is moving so fast now. There's a huge amount of complexity for all of us that's growing every day in our increasingly connected lives. From the devices we use and where we use them to the subscriptions and services we have – and of course the other technologies that are all coming at us thick and fast: e-SIM, cloud platforms, new devices and new services.  

We know we have an important role to play for our customers in making things simpler.   

That’s the thinking at the heart of New EE: in BT and EE, we had two platforms and two brands offering fixed and mobile networks that we have brought together under one flagship brand and platform that brings our customers much more than the connectivity we’ve always been famous for. The gateway to all of that is the EE ID, which customers can download and set up in no time at all via the EE app. 

The EE app will bring customers new ways to shop, organise devices, subscriptions and services, as well as their digital identity. It’s a place where we can connect our customers to our partners so they can get every product or subscription they need in one place. And it’s supported by our nationwide customer service and retail teams all over the UK.   

Our EE app is open to anyone, so you won’t need to have a mobile or broadband account with us. It means you could be on any network yet still be able to buy a smartphone, games console or connected fridge from us, manage your online identity or digital subscriptions in one place to make life a little easier to manage. 

With everything in one place, it’s a natural evolution that we are bringing our mobile and broadband networks closer together, too. It means we can bring our customers the best personal connection wherever they are and whatever they need – from gaming to streaming or working from home.  

Because everything we do is about making it easier for people to connect.   

Simplicity and savings on the UK's best network

We want things to keep getting better for our customers when they bring their mobile and broadband together with a converged offering we’re calling EE One.  

EE One is a new offering available to customers who take both broadband and mobile with us. When they do, they can enjoy all the benefits EE One brings, such as unlocking the best value mobile with brilliant savings on SIMs with unlimited data, the security of our mobile and broadband networks and the most reliable connection on the UK’s best network. Keeping your family safe is a serious business. Having both mobile and broadband together means EE can protect you, whichever device you or your family is connected on.     

We are starting to think about our networks more and more as one connection, so why pay for two providers? EE One is designed so customers can take control of their networks in and out of the home with the ease of having all their connections together. So, our customers can start to think of their broadband and mobile connections as one network.   

That means they can manage everything easily in the EE app, with one account for the whole household. The EE app enables customers to add and remove members from their account whenever they want, thanks to 30-day rolling contracts.  

It also means customers can take control, better than ever before. The head of the household can control mobile data and WiFi, employ parental controls and manage how and when their family spends time online. They can protect calls, data and online activity against fraud with Scam Guard and stay safe on up to 15 devices with Cyber Security powered by Norton. 

EE One is also designed to help your family stay connected wherever they are, so you won’t have to worry about your household’s younger members running out of data or having to rely on public WiFi.  

This is our opportunity to join things up, make life simpler for customers and help them organise all of these things. But there’s more we can do. We know that, with the UK’s biggest and best networks, we have an important role to play in helping families to stay connected while giving young people, parents and guardians the knowledge and confidence they need to stay safe online. There is more to come from us on that front.  

For now, we want to be the household brand in the UK, and we’re going to do that by giving our customers the best and simplest experiences that address simple everyday needs .

EE One is the first part of some big plans this year as we continue to build the networks of tomorrow. And it’s another step forward in our ambition of being the UK's most personal, customer-focused brand. 

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In January, we announced that we would move away from inflation-linked price rises for our mobile, TV and broadband customers.

We acted after an Ofcom consultation proposed that when people sign up to a phone, broadband or pay TV contract, they should be clear and certain about what they will have to pay throughout its duration. The regulator said price increases being linked to future inflation created too much uncertainty for consumers.

Up until now, we have used a model that was introduced in response to Ofcom’s Fairness for Customers commitments in 2019 that adjusts customer pricing every year, on 31st March, by the rate of inflation (CPI) +3.9%. That price increase went ahead this year as normal at the end of March.

We want to act in line with Ofcom’s guidance to move from % figures and CPI-linked changes for our monthly plans and provide certainty for our customers on exactly what their price change will be, and when. So, starting today (10 April), we will introduce a new model for BT and EE customers’ price changes consistent with Ofcom’s approach that shows pounds and pence amounts in new and upgrading customers’ contracts. Plusnet will follow later this summer. 

From 31 March 2025, for new and re-contracting mobile customers, this annual increase will be an extra £1.50 a month. It will be £1.50 a month for connected devices (including laptops, tablets and smart watches), £2 a month for TV customers, and £3 a month for broadband customers. Out-of-bundle services will be subject to an annual 5% increase.

There will be no plan increases for our customers in financially vulnerable circumstances on EE Basics or BT Home Essentials.

The cost of living and a digitally inclusive society are now more relevant and important than ever. I’ve written before about how our annual price change is never an easy conversation to have with customers. But it is a necessary conversation to have to help us manage our own rising costs and investments we’re making into networks and customer service, while also protecting those customers in vulnerable circumstances, experiencing financial hardship or digital exclusion.

It is also important to point out that our price rises have not risen in line with usage. Customers' consumption of data, across the industry, has trebled across mobile and fixed networks in the past five years alone. All this while telco services continue to make up only a small and declining share of household outgoings, representing just 3.5% of average monthly basket spend.

Driving meaningful change

We are continually thinking about how we – and the wider industry – can play our part alongside policymakers to drive meaningful change, at a time when we can see so many people under pressure. Today, we provide broadband for 72% of those in the UK who take social tariffs, and we continue to give all our customers outstanding value for money: in real terms, people pay less for their connectivity now than they ever did and get much more.

Value for money is different from offering the lowest prices. The quality and reliability of mobile networks are now more important, to more people, than ever. The digital economy is the economy for the future, built on brilliant digital infrastructure. We know many people pay a little more to be on EE, which is why we’re proud to have been named the UK’s best network for 10 years in a row, according to RootMetrics. It’s testament to our approach of always putting network quality at the heart of our customer experience.

We’ll continue to invest and offer our customers the best and most reliable connection on our networks, with the latest tech and brilliant UK-based service. It’s all part of our ambition to be the most personal, customer-focused brand in the UK.

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Fighting fraud is at the top of the agenda for all of us. But the battle is never won.

The scale of the problem is clear: 38 per cent of all crime in England and Wales is fraud and it cost the UK £6.8bn in 2019/20 alone, according to national statistics.

The UK Government’s new National Campaign Against Fraud – or Stop! Think Fraud – is designed to help reduce those numbers. They’re calling on law enforcement, industry and civil society to use clear messaging so that people know how to protect themselves from fraud, how to report it and – should they fall victim – how to recover.

We’re backing the campaign because we share the belief that better communication is crucial to empower people to spot and stop scams. And, as an industry, mobile and broadband operators have a responsibility to do all we can to address the problem and prevent our networks and systems being abused.

EE’S STAND AGAINST SCAMS

We’ve achieved a lot since we have adopted a range of new technologies to block scams on our network. Here’s a few examples:

-       In 2022, EE launched upgraded technology that’s blocked as many as one million international scam calls a day, and a total of more than 134 million since we introduced it. The tech blocks ‘spoof’ calls pretending to be based in the UK, preventing them from reaching our customers and people on other networks, too. 

-       In 2021, we launched our SMS Anti-Spam Filter, which has blocked more than 285m scam texts, leading to an 85% overall reduction in EE customers reporting spam messages to us.

-       We work hard to keep up. We’re constantly adapting our response to counter changing scam practices. One example was specifically targeting ‘Mum & Dad’ texts pretending to be from a son or daughter saying: ‘I've lost my phone, this is my new temporary number, can you send me some money?’ We’ve reduced volumes of these texts by more than 70%.

-       It’s not just calls and texts, either. In 2023, we blocked as many as 1 billion spam emails from reaching our customers every single month.

So, we know we are having a really big impact. But there is still a lot to do, and we need to go further.

FIGHTING FRAUD TOGETHER

We know we can’t do it alone. So much of our success is down to our partnerships across Government, law enforcement and wider industry bodies.

-       We’re a founding member of Stop Scams UK, who work across the telecoms, finance and tech industries to bring companies together and share threat intel, and helping to launch SSUK’s 159 service. 

-       We’re part of a cross-industry alliance with Ofcom, the Information Commissioner’s Office, the National Cyber Security Centre and other mobile providers to share data on scams, and to collaboratively improve the scam text reporting service, 7726.  

-       We work with bodies such as the National Economic Crime Centre, the NICC, and the Communication Crime Strategy Group to share intelligence and best practices in order to deliver arrests and convictions for fraud.

-       Following the publication of the Government’s Fraud Strategy, we’re also working with both the Government and Ofcom to help deliver the aims of that strategy, having previously helped develop the Telecommunications Sector Fraud Charter.

We’re part of these groups because we’re committed to playing a proactive role, sharing our insight and helping develop a proactive response. For example, last year we hosted an event with representatives from all of the groups above to discuss how we can adopt AI, machine learning and data analytics to help eliminate financial fraud.

OUR TECHNOLOGY PARTNERSHIPS

We also work with some of the world’s most advanced companies in the fight against fraud.

Last year, we announced an EE partnership with Hiya that will provide AI-powered, real-time call screening that verifies calls from legitimate businesses and labels suspected nuisance calls to customers. As well as being integrated into services for EE mobile customers, Hiya will be progressively rolled out to all customers as part of their Digital Voice switchover. In fact, one of the great benefits of moving to Digital Voice is that the system enables Hiya to function, which isn’t possible on traditional analogue lines.

We’re partnering with experts to help protect our customers, too. EE Cyber Security powered by Norton provides powerful protection against viruses and other online threats. Plus, it notifies customers if their personal information is found on the dark web, or if their accounts on popular social media sites have unusual login activity. And as part of BT Group, EE customers benefit from BT’s team of more than 3,000 security professionals helping to keep its network and customers safe from cyber-attacks.

With more than 25m subscribers on the UK's best and biggest mobile and fixed networks, and up to 30 terabytes of data going over those networks every second, we know that we can play a huge role not just in protecting our customers against scams and fraud, but the UK as a whole.

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Performance that is personal

With 98 percent of the UK’s adult population now owning a mobile phone ₁, the quality and reliability of mobile networks are more important, to more people, than ever before. Whether you live in a major city or on a remote Shetland island like  Alice Arthur on Out Skerries, connectivity is critical.

Our mobile devices are personal gateways into our lives and while we may use them in different ways and for different things, we all use them. And that means we are all reliant on our mobile network to deliver the performance we need, when we need it – whether we are at home, in the car, on a train, in a sold-out stadium, or exploring the rural countryside.

To help provide a robust and definitive picture of the performance of the UK’s mobile networks in real-life situations, independent analyst RootMetrics® has spent the last six months conducting 635,000 tests in a variety of locations across every region. In the process they have driven more than 24,000 miles, examined 788 major indoor locations, and completed 22,700 unique tests on every mobile operator’s network – including how they perform in 16 major cities throughout the UK.

They do this to determine which of the UK’s four mobile operators delivers the best network performance, so you know which one you can rely on when it matters – when it is personal.

21 times in a row…and counting

The results from this extensive testing saw EE named the UK’s best mobile network for a record-breaking 21^st time in a row. As well as being awarded the best overall network in each individual nation, we were also named the UK’s most reliable mobile network too.

It is a record that stretches back more than ten years and built on us prioritising investment in our network where it matters, to improve its reach and performance. In that time, we have:

• extended the reach of our 4G network by more than 60,000 square miles (two thirds of the UK’s entire landmass), bringing fast and reliable mobile connectivity to more rural communities than ever before
• supported more than 350 major festivals, sporting events, and local shows with mobile coverage – including Cheltenham Festival, British Grand Prix at Silverstone, and the Royal Welsh Show
• installed more than 700 small cells in popular urban areas across the UK to increase network capacity
• and brought 5G connectivity to 73% of the UK population, including nearly every major UK town and city, the UK’s busiest train stations, the first platforms and tunnels of the London Underground and some of the biggest stadiums - including Wembley, Villa Park and Murrayfield

What does all this mean in reality? Well, it means making a simple phone call every day on EE will give you 30% less call setup failures than any other network. It means with EE you get access to the UK’s best network for video performance, as well as getting the most consistent download speeds for watching your favourite TV shows, films, or content creators. It also means you get to enjoy immersive gaming experiences on the UK’s best network for mobile gaming, which is fine-tuned to provide low-latency, jitter free gameplay and give you an advantage over the competition. 

In short, it means that our customers know that when it counts for them, they can count on EE.

The fight for first

The UK’s mobile landscape is similar in a way to Premier League football, in the sense that it is fiercely competitive, with networks choosing to invest in different ways to deliver the best experience to customers.  Every day we combat enormous challenges to provide the connectivity our customers up and down the country need, whether that is a pandemic, cyber-threats, extreme weather, planning and supply chain issues, pressure from the competition, or something else.

To have consistently overcome these and led the chasing pack for more than ten years demonstrates our focus on delivering the best possible network experience for our customers. We are continuing to invest to make sure they are empowered to keep connecting to the people and things they care most about, whether they are in Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol or anywhere in between.

Our annual price change is never an easy conversation to have with customers, particularly when so many people are dealing with the increasing cost of living. But it is a necessary conversation to have to help us manage our own rising costs and investments we’re making into networks and customer service, while also protecting those customers in vulnerable circumstances, suffering from financial hardship or digital exclusion.

Following Ofcom’s recent consultation, the way we communicate and charge for the contracts we provide (for both new and re-contracting customers) is going to change.

What are we changing?

We currently use a model that was introduced as part of Ofcom’s Fairness for Customers commitments in 2019 that adjusts customer pricing every year, on 31^st March, by the rate of inflation (CPI) +3.9%.

At the end of last year, Ofcom shared a consultation advising that prices linked to inflation can be confusing for customers, because they don’t have certainty on exactly what their price change will be. They don’t know because inflation can go up by different amounts each year, and isn’t set until the December CPI figure is published in January. They made clear that while price increases within contract are okay, they must be set out more clearly. 

Ofcom is proposing an amended regulation requiring that any price change written into a customer's contract needs to be set out in pounds and pence, prominently and transparently, at the point of sale. That includes being clear about when any changes to prices will occur.

We're listening, and we've taken this on board.

Ofcom will finalise its decision on the proposed requirements in the coming months, with new pricing models in place no later than four months after that.

So, starting in early summer, we will introduce a pricing model consistent with Ofcom’s approach, moving away from % figures and CPI, and offering instead, a clear and simple view of any changes in “pounds and pence”. For new and re-contracting mobile customers we expect this increase to be from £1.50 (for Sim Only and Airtime, for example), and for broadband customers £3.

Until then, we continue to follow the existing rules, with our annual March 31^st price increase of CPI + 3.9% going ahead as per normal.  With the CPI inflation rate being announced tomorrow, most of our customers can expect an increase of a few pounds per month, about the price of a takeaway coffee each month.

Helping people under pressure

Our new pricing model isn’t for all our customers, however. There will be no changes for our customers in financially vulnerable circumstances on EE Basics or BT Home Essentials.

The cost of living and a digitally inclusive society are now more relevant and important than ever. We are continually thinking about how we – and the wider industry – can play our part alongside policymakers to drive meaningful change, at a time when we can see so many people under pressure.

I am proud that we have led the market for many years, first with BT Basic, (for some time the only social tariff for phone lines and broadband on offer across the entire industry), and more recently our fibre-based broadband tariff Home Essentials. Today we provide broadband for 72% of those in the UK who take social tariffs.

At the same time, customers' consumption of data, across the industry, has trebled across mobile and fixed networks in the past five years alone. All this, while telco services continue to make up only a small and declining share of household outgoings, representing just 3.5% of average monthly basket spend.

In real terms, people pay less for their connectivity now than they ever did and get much more. As an industry, we continue to give our customers outstanding value for money.

We’ll continue to offer our customers the best and most reliable connection on our networks, with the latest tech and brilliant UK-based service. And we’ll let our customers know clearly and in good time how the way we communicate and charge for their contracts is going to change.

It’s all part of our ambition to be the most personal, customer-focused brand in the UK.

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The launch of EE TV is one of the first significant strides we’re taking since we launched New EE in October, when we moved the best of everything we offer – mobile, broadband, TV and other converged services – to our EE brand and EE platform.

Our EE TV service is a great example of how New EE does more for our customers. It's built for busy households, and we believe it will elevate the TV experience for consumers across the UK. Our new range of powerful set-top boxes will give customers a slick and premium experience for watching the best entertainment, sport and movies via our flexible content packages.

And, in an exciting UK-first, we’re launching EE TV on Apple TV 4K via the new EE TV app, with a bespoke TV guide that gives you a live TV experience featuring more than 70 Freeview channels including BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5, plus a new EE-branded remote. You can read more about what more new EE TV can do, our new hardware and how you can also take out a multi-room option at no extra charge, here.

We are proud to work with amazing companies at the heart of technology innovation every day. And our EE TV launch is just one part of New EE’s plans to evolve what we offer, with compelling experiences for consumers across the UK. The changes we are making are about us adapting to meet our customers’ needs for now, and for the next decade.

The second part of what we’re changing is that New EE is built on a new technology platform. We have created a new way of joining our brand and our service. We've put an EE Identity – an account – at the heart of that, which means anyone can join us. You don't need broadband or mobile connectivity with us to join New EE. And that means we can truly be open to anyone in the country who wants to create a relationship with us. You can set up your EE ID in less than a minute on our website, or by downloading our app. However, you do need EE broadband to get EE TV.

The third part of the story is the new verticals and other services that we're providing, from gaming to security to insurance. We already have a huge amount of confidence that it will work because we've been testing and trialling over the past few months in a few verticals. One of which is gaming. We're not in the business of making games. We're not going out to rival Activision Blizzard in Call of Duty, for example. But what we can do is partner with some of these brands brilliantly. We partner with some of the best brands on the planet at what they do and we create brilliant services that are giving our customers more.

A TELCO FIT FOR THE FUTURE

The best of everything on New EE, our new platform and the EE ID, and the new verticals we now offer are the next step for us adapting to what the role of a telco is in the future. As the UK’s largest subscription business, we are evolving to play a much more important role in customers’ lives beyond the essential connectivity we are famous for.

And, as I said it’s open to anyone, you won’t need to have a mobile or broadband account with us. It means you could be on any network yet still be able to buy a smartphone or games console from us, or put all your digital subscriptions in one place to make life a little easier to manage.

This is just the start. Upcoming releases will see us add more partners, subscriptions, services and capability, like the ability to log into other sites and services so that you don't have to worry about remembering all your passwords.  

Today, we’re really excited to have launched a truly flexible TV experience for the busiest homes. We believe EE TV is set to give consumers more choice, and more flexibility.

New EE is here. New EE will do more than we’ve ever done for our customers. And we can’t wait to bring you with us on the next step of our journey.

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It’s something that will have gone largely unnoticed by the wider world, but this week we have taken another big step forward as a business on our way to EE becoming the UK’s most personal brand.

Leanne from North Tyneside took our first new EE Broadband order on the phone, and then Michael from our Carlisle shop made the first sale in our retail stores – all using our highly advanced new IT architecture, which we’re calling Orbit.

Orbit is a fundamental rework of our customer ordering systems – and it specifically designed to help make everything quicker, simpler, and more personal for our customer-facing teams. It gives them all the information they need at their fingertips to ensure they can serve our customers brilliantly. This includes being able to see at a glance a customer’s history with us and the other products and services they have – or might require. It has also been designed with input from the people who will be using it and, with their feedback, it can be adapted to better serve our colleagues. Compared to our previous systems, Orbit is a major breakthrough and will undoubtedly help us continue to improve our customer satisfaction scores. 

We’re deliberately rolling Orbit out in stages to get it right and react to any challenges we find. Having already trained our teams in our North Tyneside contact centre and we’re setting up the teams from Dundee to join them this week. Similarly, Michael’s Carlisle store in The Lanes Shopping Centre was one of 62 across four regions to go live with Orbit from Monday.

Orbit is designed to create a seamless order journey that will help our people be a personal guide for our customers, helping them navigate the complex world of technology, devices, platforms, subscriptions and services. That’s what New EE is all about – a brand that makes sense of the world of technology for our customers, with a personal touch.

That personal touch is something I know Michael and Leanne showed with those first sales. A big thank you to them, and to every single one of my colleagues who've worked so hard to get us here – hundreds of our people in technology, digital, transformation, marketing, sales and service, networks and many more across our Consumer division.

This summer, we have been opening the doors to a new world of retail for EE customers.

At the beginning of June, we launched our new flagship store, the EE Studio in White City, London. It’s the UK’s largest telco retail space, combining physical and digital experiences to guide visitors through every stage of their connected lives.

Today, we’ve opened the doors to customers at the first of our new Experience stores – in Cardiff. Other EE Experience stores in Manchester and Bluewater, Kent, will follow. Experience stores will look and feel very much like our Studio store, only on a smaller scale. These wonderful spaces showcase the direction we are taking with New EE and our nationwide retail strategy, which seeks to reinvigorate the high street and reinvent the role of retail in the telco industry.

Our new stores are designed with innovation, personal experience, and community front and centre and bring technology to life for customers up and down the country.

Retail’s important role in our connected lives

So, why are we looking to create standout IRL experiences at a time when so much of our lives are lived online?

We're all using more connected devices, all the time. Our world is becoming more complex, more confusing and there's no one, really, helping you navigate through that complexity and all those devices. We think there's a big part our retail spaces can play in that.

Our Studio store has been a long time in the making. A couple of years ago, we were coming out of the Covid pandemic and it was a challenging time for the high street. A lot of brands were thinking hard about what they should do with their retail estate. Was it still relevant? Should they move everything online?

We went through that same process. The most important thing in all of that is how our customers still feel. They told us that retail is still really important – as are contact centres, as are our digital channels.

At the same time, we really got thinking about our New EE brand, the direction it was taking, EE becoming our flagship and the ambition we have to be the most personal consumer brand in the UK. And as a key part of that, we are rethinking our retail strategy and raising the bar in terms of what we create for our customers on the high street.

We've all heard for many years about how retail is moving from functional more towards experiential. There are few brands and places that have really put their money where their mouths are and created great experiences.

We think what we have with our Studio store and our Experience stores will create great experiences for customers, making the complex world of technology and connectivity simpler.

We want our Studio and Experience stores to be that much more welcoming. We hope we're creating the antithesis of the traditional mobile phone store – this is not about customers walking in, we sell them something and we'll see you in two years for an upgrade. We want them to come back the next week, and the week after. Because every week, we should have something different to say to them, a different event and a different experience.

Serving our communities, closing the digital divide

As part of being a welcoming space, we want our stores to play a more vital role in the communities they serve.

So, what does that look like in London?

On Saturday, we kicked off our Westfield Studio store’s partnership with Our Power Hub with the first of an ongoing calendar of free tech workshops that we’ll run throughout the summer. Our Power Hub is a community group created after the Grenfell Tower Fire to support residents and improve their quality of life by providing free access to events, activities and community projects.

Fathima Hakkim, a professional illustrator and novelist, led Saturday’s Digital Art Workshop using the latest technology and apps. She guided children through the process of digital art creation and animation, giving them tips and tricks on sketching, drawing and colour blending.

We want to encourage people to learn new skills and for local people to feel like our Studio store is part of the local community, not just part of Westfield Shopping Centre. And, building into EE’s wider purpose as part of BT Group, working with Our Power Hub is another way we are helping tackle the digital divide.

Details about upcoming sessions will be available on the digital screens on the EE Studio shopfront, as well as the Our Power Hub website.

Together with Our Power Hub, we are dedicated to making a lasting impact and contributing to a more inclusive and connected society.

We’re taking some really big steps forward this summer with EE. These steps will help us deliver on our ambition to be the most personal brand in the UK and do so much more for our customers than the connectivity we're known for.

We want to be a personal guide – helping our customers navigate the complex world of technology, devices, platforms, subscriptions and services.

We’re also walking hand in hand with some of the most exciting tech companies in the world to bring our customers the best experiences possible and connect them to new products and services. Today, we’ve unveiled the latest example of that: our partnership with NVIDIA on its cloud gaming service, GeForce NOW.

With the cloud gaming bundles that our teams have worked so hard to put together, we’re able to not only provide customers with membership for one of the best streaming platforms – but also offer them the hardware and data too, helping to make high-level gaming even more accessible and affordable to customers across the UK.

It’s another part of EE’s ongoing ambition to become the number 1 destination for gamers in the UK. But that’s just one piece of the puzzle, and what we’re doing with New EE that we’re bringing to life this summer.

Reinventing retail with our new stores

The networks, platforms and partnerships – such as the one we have with NVIDIA – mean we are pioneers in so many technologies. As a business, we invest billions in technology every year. But we also know that millions of customers still value that personal touch. That’s what our brand is all about. We want EE to be a personal brand that makes sense of the world of technology for our customers.

So, we’re big believers in retail.

Our new EE Studio store in London’s White City is another glimpse into the world of New EE we're building. The space that we've created really says something about our new brand, what it stands for and how we will play a much bigger role in our customers' lives.

Our Studio store brings to life what we’re doing with New EE. It’s designed to help customers build their connected life and home with trusted advice from our guides, and also features one of the UK’s largest dedicated community gaming hubs and a Digital Spa to support digital wellbeing. We’re even selling smart fridges there!

It’s also a hub for the local community to work, learn and play. And I can’t wait to see what our teams have built for the communities in our Experience stores we'll soon be launching in Cardiff, Manchester and Bluewater.

A new standard for home broadband

On the same day we told the world about our new store last month, we also revealed our plans to launch a Full Fibre 1.6Gbps service and a new range of in-home hardware – featuring back-up from EE’s award-winning mobile network. This will be supported by best-in-class Wi-Fi controls designed to help improve experiences in and around the home.

Our new supercharged home broadband services will set the standard for broadband for years to come. The new speeds, hardware and controls have been developed using the experience and expertise of the world-leading BT R&D teams at Adastral Park, and are designed to help customers manage their increasingly busy households.

This will see us bring customers not just the UK’s best mobile network, but the best in-home connectivity too, and marks the next step by EE as lead consumer brand for the BT Group.

A new cloud gaming partnership, new stores and the best Full Fibre home broadband. This is just the start of the new products, services and experiences we will bring our customers. And it really shows how momentum is building for the New EE that we’re creating as we become a new brand and service that does more.

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