Millions of people attending the UK’s biggest events and festivals this summer will be able to benefit from a significant boost to their mobile connectivity, with fewer dropped calls, less buffering and more reliable signal, after EE revealed its 5G+ network will be activated at more than 25 major events – including BST Hyde Park, Isle of Wight Festival, Reading and Leeds Festival, the Formula One® British Grand Prix at Silverstone, the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and many more. ¹

At the same time, people and businesses in more than 30 towns across the UK have been given a major signal boost as EE expands its 5G+ network ahead of the busy summer season.

These upgrades come as EE’s new nationwide advertising campaign, which launches today, highlights how customers can get the edge with 5G+, which is EE’s most powerful and reliable form of 5G connectivity.

5G+ has been designed to provide customers with stronger mobile internet connections, faster download and upload speeds, and improved video calling, especially in busy locations and at peak times.

By deploying 5G+ connectivity on its temporary mobile sites at festivals and events, EE is helping improve how attendees stay connected to friends and family, as well as how businesses engage with their customers – even in remote event locations or when the mobile network is at peak demand as thousands of people try to call, chat, and stream at the same time.

As part of a long-standing commitment to support culturally important events in all parts of the UK, EE will be making 5G+ available at major regional showcases, such as the Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival in Kiltarlity, the Devon County Show, and the Royal Welsh Show in Builth Wells where it has delivered permanent 5G+ connectivity for enhanced mobile performance all-year round.

Connecting communities and the country with 5G+

With customer usage of 5G+ increasing by more than 11% between March and April, EE is continuing to rapidly expand the coverage of its most reliable mobile technology to meet demand and ensure the benefits of 5G+ connectivity continue to be felt by communities and businesses in every corner of the UK.

5G+ on EE is now available to 75% of the UK population, with these latest upgrades meaning the technology covers more than 44 million people in England, over 2.1 million people in Wales and 3.3 million people in Scotland, as well as nearly one million people in Northern Ireland.

Many more places across the UK have recently benefitted from EE’s free connectivity boost ahead of the summer, including market and seaside towns and destinations popular with tourists:

“The summer has arrived and as our town centres and tourist hotspots get busier, staying connected with fast, secure and reliable mobile coverage has never been more important. 5G+ on EE has been designed to deliver exactly that, so whether you’re video-calling your friends from a packed festival crowd or just keeping in touch with your family while you’re shopping in the high street, switching to 5G+ means you can benefit from a more dependable connection,” said Greg McCall, Chief Security and Networks Officer at BT – which connects EE, BT and Plusnet customers.

“We continue to build on our commitment to give customers access to the most reliable connectivity on the UK’s best mobile network. By investing in these latest 5G+ upgrades, we’re ensuring we’re on track to deliver our ambition to bring the UK’s highest quality 5G+ connectivity to 99% of the population by the end of March 2030,” he added.

EE expands UK-first rollout of ARC

As part of BT’s £40 billion investment in upgrading the UK’s network infrastructure this decade, EE customers are also benefitting from the roll out of ARC (Advanced RAN Coordination), a cutting-edge technology that enables mobile sites close to each other to dynamically share capacity in real time, instantly boosting network performance – particularly download speeds – by up to 20% without the need for additional masts.

After already making ARC live for customers in Edinburgh, Manchester and London, the technology is now improving the everyday mobile experience for EE customers in the busiest areas of Liverpool, Sheffield, Cardiff, Glasgow, Newcastle, and Leeds as part the UK’s first rollout of the technology.

All EE 5G customers are able to benefit from the improvements ARC is providing, however 5G+ customers will see the biggest boost to their network speeds and performance on their devices.

5G+ gives customers the edge when it matters most

With EE’s 5G+ network now being used by a growing number of people and businesses, the operator’s new advertising campaign launches nationwide today, highlighting how the reliability and capacity benefits of 5G+ help give customers the edge in everyday life; whether that is booking their next event tickets while at a festival stage or sliding in to bag the last e-bike on the commute home, with 5G+ customers can stay ahead when it matters most.

For more information on how to start benefitting from 5G+, head to www.ee.co.uk/why-ee/5g-on-ee

To check if EE’s 5G+ network is available in your local area, please visit: www.ee.co.uk/help/mobile-coverage-checker

-ENDS-

Notes to editors:

¹ Events where EE is deploying or has already deployed 5G+ this summer, include: All Points East, BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend 2026, Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival, Big Feastival, Boomtown, BST Hyde Park, Creamfields, Devon County Show, Download Festival, Eisteddfod, Formula One® British GP At Silverstone, Game Fair, Goodwood Festival Of Speed, Hillhead 2026, In It Together Festival, Isle Of Wight Festival, Kendall Calling, Latitude Festival, Lost Village, Leeds Festival, Parklife Festival, Reading Festival, Royal Ascot, The Royal Welsh Show, Ynot Festival, and the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

Full list of smartphones, tablets, laptops and devices which are compatible with EE’s 5G+ network can be found here. Customers with 5G+ compatible devices, SIMs and plans will be able to access EE’s 5G+ network.

UK’s best network claim based on the RootMetrics® UK RootScore® Report: H2 2025. Tested at locations across the UK with the best commercially available smartphones on 4 national mobile networks across all available network types. Your experiences may vary. The RootMetrics award is not an endorsement of EE. Visit ee.co.uk/claims for more details.

Despite being the fifth-largest Scottish island, with growing tourism and agricultural industries, some parts of Islay have never had any mobile signal from any operator.

Until now.

No more not-spots

As part of EE’s role in the Shared Rural Network, our team led the build and delivery of a new mobile mast designed to address a long-standing mobile not-spot on the west of the island. The new mast now serves the local community by providing fast, reliable mobile connectivity to residents, businesses and visitors across parts of Kilchoman, Machrie, Rockside, Aruadh, Ballinaby, Smaull, Braigo, Sanaigmore, Carnduncan, Grainel, Lyrabus, Gruinart and Craigens.

It also provides new 4G connectivity to 14 kilometres of roads, paths, and tracks – including parts of the B8018 and B8017 – as well as popular tourist attractions such as Loch Gorm, Machir Bay Beach, and the RSPB Loch Gruinart nature reserve.

The new site not only addresses one of Scotland’s most persistent mobile not spots but also:

• Ensures greater resilience and support for emergency services across Islay
• Helps close the divide between rural and urban areas by providing residents with access to critical online services like healthcare and banking
• Improves safety for those travelling or working in remote areas, including seafarers and fishermen passing by and working near the island
• Supports local businesses with improved connectivity

With all UK mobile operators now live on the same site, it also means the community benefit from greater choice over which network to rely on every day and improved resilience for emergency calls – without the need for additional infrastructure.

Better signal, brighter future

Research shows that mobile connectivity from a single EE mast can deliver between £740,000 and £1,054,000 for rural communities in Scotland over the course of its lifetime.

This positive economic impact will serve as an important lifeline for many local businesses on Islay, including the family-run Kilchoman Distillery – the first farm distillery built on the island in more than a century.

Islay Heads, General Manager at the distillery, is excited about how the new mobile connectivity will help the business thrive – opening up new ways to engage customers and generate revenue: “I think people on the mainland take reliable 4G connectivity for granted, but we certainly don’t. From a business perspective, our visitors are now able to post reviews and photos before they leave the site, something guests often forgot to do before, as they had to wait until they had a mobile signal. We can also now run live presentations and tastings from areas outside the distillery which allows more people to see how our traditional farm distilling process works.

 “It makes our ability to communicate with suppliers and team members much quicker as well. In modern business, these sorts of efficiencies are important to our overall success as a local enterprise and international brand.”

An Atlantic adventure

Bringing reliable mobile coverage to one of Scotland’s most remote islands is never simple. Behind this important milestone for the community is a story of persistence, collaboration, and the kind of engineering problem‑solving that only comes from working at the very edges of the UK’s geography.

Having been part of the team that has delivered significant mobile improvements for BT and EE customers in almost 2,000 rural communities across the UK in the last five years, it’s a journey that Nora Kileen, Deployment Delivery Manager at BT, knows well.

“Islay is one of Scotland’s most unique places, and it certainly presented us with some unique challenges when it came to making this new mast a reality. We submitted our planning application back in late 2023 and whether it was the raging storms and strong winds in winter, securing the necessary wayleaves for a power supply, or navigating the transport of an entire tower, crane and crew of engineers to Islay via ferry, there have been multiple obstacles to overcome.

“We have always been extremely conscious of respecting the wildlife and ancient ruins dotted across the island too, so spent time carrying out important ecological and archaeological surveys. We even paused the build last summer to allow red-billed choughs – a critically endangered bird species on Islay – the space they needed as part of their nesting season.

“But with the support of our partners at Openreach, Mova and WHP Telecoms, and even more importantly, our ongoing collaboration with the local community and organisations like NatureScot, we’ve been able to make history and finally deliver mobile coverage to this part of Islay for the very first time.”

Connecting customers, communities and the country

Switching on our first total not‑spot site as part of the Shared Rural Network is a significant step forward for residents, emergency services and businesses alike. But our work on Islay is more than a successful engineering project: it’s a symbol of our ongoing commitment to connect even the hardest‑to‑reach communities.

More than 90 percent of the entire UK landmass now has reliable mobile coverage from our terrestrial network. From the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales, to Penmachno in the Welsh valleys and Scottish islands like Jura and Shetland, we’re proud to be delivering meaningful improvements for some of the UK’s most remote areas, ensuring that everyone - no matter where they live, work or travel - has access to reliable connectivity.

You can read more about the new connectivity on Islay here.

Photos courtesy of Mova.

Residents and businesses in the scenic Welsh village of Penmachno are celebrating the start of a new, connected era after EE became the first UK operator to deliver reliable mobile connectivity to the community.

Situated in the Machno Valley, a few miles south of Betws-y-Coed, the village is steeped in centuries of rich history with a strong farming community and 30 kilometres of renowned mountain bike trails. However, its 600 residents were, until recently, living in part of the ‘forgotten’ four percent of the UK that is without reliable mobile signal from any operator. ¹

Living in one of the UK’s last remaining mobile not-spots left the community isolated for many years, with residents having to travel to nearby villages to make phone calls, struggling with organising home deliveries of food and medication, and left stuck with restricted access to secure online banking and other digital services.

That has all changed now.  EE, with the support of Bro Machno Community Council, has discreetly built a new mobile mast at the edge of a forest on the slopes of the Machno Valley, providing fast and reliable 4G connectivity to the village, as well as critical signal for the emergency services as part of the Home Office’s Emergency Services Network. ²

“We’ve always been 100 percent behind the mast and that has helped our journey to where we are today, with a mast in the forest and signal for everybody,” said Daniel Tomos, Clerk of Bro Machno Community Council. 

Greg McCall, Chief Security and Networks Officer at BT Group, added: “As part of our work to connect the unconnected, we’re going further and faster than anyone else to ensure every rural community in the UK has the reliable connectivity they need. There is more to do to completely eradicate the UK’s digital divide but our collaboration with the local residents of Penmachno is a shining example of what can be achieved when mobile operators and communities work together to tackle the issue head on.”

Connected and protected

Being in the heart of Eryri National Park means Penmachno attracts a lot of tourists, including hikers and mountain bikers. Residents David and Emma Dallimore, who regularly ride Penmachno’s mountain bike trails, believe the additional safety offered by reliable mobile signal will encourage more people to visit the area: “Safety was quite a concern for people coming into the area because there was no mobile reception. If people were injured, particularly if they were out riding on their own, there was no way of getting hold of anyone to help.  The fact it is now safer is a very good thing for all of us.”

They are also excited about how the new mobile connectivity will enable them to use more sustainable technology, including a smart meter and EV charging point: “There are people that we know in the village that have got mobile reception for the very first time and are chuffed to bits. It’s important for mobile operators to come to places like this and offer what the rest of the country has, as it enables us to contribute and live and work in the way people in more urban areas can.”

Full bars under the stars

Paul Huckstep is co-owner of Benar Cottages, a local holiday-let business offering luxurious stays in 16^th century cottages overlooking the surrounding valley. The new mobile connectivity is having a positive impact on his customers, many of whom come to explore Penmachno’s forest and river walks, as well as its natural scenery.

“Now that we’ve got the mobile mast, it will make running our business easier. In the past we have had guests leave us negative reviews because of the lack of mobile phone service, but now all that has gone away. Guests can arrive, open their phones when they get here, find out where they are staying on-site, and keep in contact with everyone they need to,” he said.

Future-fit connectivity for future generations

The new mast in Penmachno is part of EE’s ongoing work to help close the UK’s digital divide so rural communities can thrive in the modern age and attract future generations to live and work in countryside communities.

Owen Davis is a father of four and has lived in Penmachno for more than 25 years. He said: “Having a mobile network here in the village is making an immediate difference to everyone who lives here, helping them feel that they have the same opportunities as other places. When I think of my family and particularly my younger children, it’s reassuring to be able to track them using tools like Find my iPhone and just know where they are, as we don’t want to restrict them when we live in such a lovely area.”

Owen is also a co-ordinator for Penmachno’s new Community Hub – the village’s old memorial hall which has been renovated into a vibrant and modern community space running events, fitness classes, and skills sessions for all ages.  

He believes the new connectivity will also help support the local economy while bringing the tight-knit community even closer together: “One of the opportunities we’re exploring with the Community Hub is starting a monthly local producer’s market, for people to sell their eggs and fresh vegetables. The opportunity to be able to use the mobile signal to take online card payments will be a benefit to us.”

Research from analysts at Farrpoint examining the impact of mobile connectivity in Trawsfynydd, which is a 30-minute drive from Penmachno, shows that 4G signal from a single EE mast can deliver up to £383,000 in economic value to rural Welsh communities over its lifetime.

EE’s investment has seen it expand and strengthen its network in more than 1,800 rural locations across the UK in the last five years, including some of the most remote and hard-to-reach communities – taking its mobile coverage in Wales to record levels, with reliable signal now covering more than 90% of the country’s landmass.

-ENDS-

Notes to editors:

¹ According to Ofcom’s Connected Nation’s Report 2025, while 96% of the UK’s landmass has 4G connectivity from at least one network operator, the remaining 4% has no mobile coverage from any mobile operator.

² The Home Office’s Emergency Services Network (ESN) is providing mobile coverage for the emergency services in some of the most rural and remote parts of Great Britain. ESN will enable fast, safe and secure voice, video and data across the 4G network, giving first responders immediate access to life-saving data, images and information in live situations and emergencies on the frontline.

There will be a total of 20,840 new and upgraded sites to facilitate the coverage needed for ESN across Great Britain. This will include the current EE network of 19,795 existing sites which have been updated, as well as the construction of 1,045 new 4G masts (figures correct as of January 2026). Of the 1,045 new masts being built, 753 will be built by EE to support the existing network. The Home Office is also building 292 additional masts, known as the Extended Area Service (EAS). EAS is a critical part of ESN and will supplement EE’s ESN coverage, ensuring maximum emergency service coverage in hard-to-reach areas.

—

O FAN-GWAN I BOETHFAN: EE YW'R CYNTAF YN Y DU I DDARPARU SIGNAL I BOBL PENMACHNO

• Nid yw trigolion a busnesau ym Mhenmachno, pentref gwledig Cymreig yng nghymoedd Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri, wedi'u hynysu o'r byd y tu allan mwyach ar ôl i EE ddod yn weithredwr cyntaf y DU i ddarparu gwasanaeth ffôn symudol i'r gymuned.
• Tan yn ddiweddar, roedd y 600 o drigolion ym Mhenmachno yn byw yn y pedwar y cant ‘anghofiedig’ o’r DU nad oedd ganddynt signal ffôn symudol dibynadwy gan unrhyw weithredwr.
• Mae cysylltedd EE bellach yn cael ei ddefnyddio i wella diogelwch i drigolion a thwristiaid, darparu mynediad at wasanaethau ar-lein hanfodol, a hybu'r economi leol.

Mae trigolion a busnesau ym mhentref hardd Penmachno yng Nghymru yn dathlu dechrau oes newydd, gysylltiedig ar ôl i EE ddod y gweithredwr cyntaf yn y DU i ddarparu cysylltedd ffôn symudol dibynadwy i'r gymuned.

Wedi'i leoli yn Nyffryn Machno, ychydig filltiroedd i'r de o Fetws-y-coed, mae'r pentref wedi'i drwytho mewn canrifoedd o hanes cyfoethog gyda chymuned ffermio gref a 30 cilomedr o lwybrau beicio mynydd enwog. Fodd bynnag, roedd ei 600 o drigolion, tan yn ddiweddar, yn byw mewn rhan o'r pedwar y cant 'anghofiedig' o'r DU sydd heb signal ffôn symudol dibynadwy gan unrhyw weithredwr. ¹

Gadawyd y gymuned ynysig am flynyddoedd lawer, gan fyw yn un o fannau digyswllt olaf y DU, gyda thrigolion yn gorfod teithio i bentrefi cyfagos i wneud galwadau ffôn symudol, yn cael trafferth trefnu danfoniadau bwyd a meddyginiaeth adref, ac yn cael eu gadael yn sownd gyda mynediad cyfyngedig i fancio ar-lein diogel a gwasanaethau digidol eraill.

Mae hynny i gyd wedi newid nawr. Mae EE, gyda chefnogaeth Cyngor Cymuned Bro Machno, wedi adeiladu mast ffôn symudol newydd disylw ar ymyl coedwig ar lethrau Dyffryn Machno, gan ddarparu cysylltedd 4G cyflym a dibynadwy i'r pentref, yn ogystal â signal hanfodol ar gyfer y gwasanaethau brys fel rhan o Rwydwaith Gwasanaethau Brys (ESN) y Swyddfa Gartref. ²

“Rydyn ni wastad wedi cefnogi'r mast cant y cant ac mae hynny wedi helpu ein taith i ble rydyn ni heddiw, gyda mast yn y goedwig a signal i bawb,” meddai Daniel Tomos, Clerc Cyngor Cymuned Bro Machno.

Ychwanegodd Greg McCall, Prif Swyddog Diogelwch a Rhwydweithiau yn BT Group: “Fel rhan o’n gwaith i gysylltu’r rhai sydd heb gysylltiad, rydym yn mynd ymhellach ac yn gyflymach nag unrhyw un arall i sicrhau bod gan bob cymuned wledig yn y DU y cysylltedd dibynadwy sydd ei angen arnynt. Mae mwy i’w wneud i ddileu’r gagendor digidol yn y DU yn llwyr ond mae ein cydweithrediad â thrigolion lleol Penmachno yn enghraifft ddisglair o’r hyn y gellir ei gyflawni pan fydd gweithredwyr symudol a chymunedau’n cydweithio i fynd i’r afael â’r mater yn uniongyrchol.”

Cysylltiedig ac yn diogel

Mae bod yng nghanol Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri yn golygu bod Penmachno yn denu llawer o dwristiaid, gan gynnwys cerddwyr a beicwyr mynydd. Mae'r trigolion David ac Emma Dallimore, sy'n reidio llwybrau beicio mynydd Penmachno yn rheolaidd, yn credu y bydd y diogelwch ychwanegol a ddarperir gan signal ffôn symudol dibynadwy yn annog mwy o bobl i ymweld â'r ardal: “Roedd diogelwch yn bryder mawr i bobl a oedd yn dod i'r ardal oherwydd nad oedd signal ffôn symudol. Os oedd pobl wedi'u hanafu, yn enwedig os oeddent allan yn reidio ar eu pen eu hunain, nid oedd unrhyw ffordd o gael gafael ar unrhyw un i helpu. Mae'r ffaith ei fod bellach yn fwy diogel yn beth da iawn i bawb.”

Maen nhw hefyd yn gyffrous am sut y bydd y cysylltedd newydd yn eu galluogi i ddefnyddio technoleg fwy cynaliadwy, gan gynnwys mesurydd clyfar a phwynt gwefru cerbydau trydan: "Mae yna bobl rydyn ni'n eu hadnabod yn y pentref sydd wedi cael signal ffôn am y tro cyntaf erioed ac maen nhw wrth eu bodd. Mae'n bwysig i weithredwyr symudol ddod i leoedd fel hyn a chynnig yr hyn sydd gan weddill y wlad, gan ei fod yn ein galluogi i gyfrannu a byw a gweithio yn y ffordd y gall pobl mewn ardaloedd mwy trefol."

Cysylltiad â'r we o dan y sêr

Mae Paul Huckstep yn gyd-berchennog Bythynnod Benar, busnes llety gwyliau lleol sy'n cynnig llety moethus mewn bythynnod o'r 16eg ganrif sy'n edrych dros y dyffryn cyfagos. Mae'r signal ffôn symudol newydd yn cael effaith gadarnhaol ar ei gwsmeriaid, y mae llawer ohonynt yn dod i archwilio llwybrau cerdded coedwig a glan yr afon Penmachno, yn ogystal â'i golygfeydd naturiol.

“Nawr bod gennym ni’r mast ffôn symudol, bydd yn gwneud rhedeg ein busnes yn haws. Yn y gorffennol, rydym wedi cael gwesteion yn gadael adolygiadau negyddol oherwydd diffyg gwasanaeth ffôn symudol, ond nawr mae hynny i gyd wedi diflannu. Gall gwesteion gyrraedd, agor eu ffonau pan fyddant yn cyrraedd yma, darganfod ble maen nhw’n aros ar y safle, a chadw mewn cysylltiad â phawb,” meddai.

Cysylltedd y dyfodol, i genedlaethau’r dyfodol

Mae'r mast newydd ym Mhenmachno yn rhan o waith parhaus EE i helpu i gau'r bwlch digidol yn y DU fel y gall cymunedau gwledig ffynnu yn yr oes fodern a denu cenedlaethau'r dyfodol i fyw a gweithio mewn cymunedau cefn gwlad.

Mae Owen Davis yn dad i bedwar o blant ac mae wedi byw ym Mhenmachno ers dros 25 mlynedd. Dywedodd: “Mae cael rhwydwaith symudol yma yn y pentref yn gwneud gwahaniaeth uniongyrchol i bawb sy’n byw yma, gan eu helpu i deimlo bod ganddyn nhw’r un cyfleoedd â lleoedd eraill. Pan fyddaf yn meddwl am fy nheulu ac yn enwedig fy mhlant iau, mae’n galonogol gallu dod o hyd iddyn nhw gan ddefnyddio offer fel Find my iPhone a gwybod ble maen nhw, gan nad ydym am eu cyfyngu pan rydyn ni’n byw mewn ardal mor hyfryd.”

Mae Owen hefyd yn gydlynydd ar gyfer Hwb Cymunedol newydd Penmachno – hen neuadd goffa’r pentref sydd wedi’i hadnewyddu’n ofod cymunedol bywiog a modern sy’n cynnal digwyddiadau, dosbarthiadau ffitrwydd a sesiynau sgiliau i bob oed.

Mae'n credu y bydd y cysylltedd newydd hefyd yn helpu i gefnogi'r economi leol wrth ddod â'r gymuned glos hyd yn oed yn agosach at ei gilydd: “Un o'r cyfleoedd rydyn ni'n eu harchwilio gyda'r Hwb Cymunedol yw cychwyn marchnad gynhyrchwyr lleol misol, i bobl werthu eu hwyau a'u llysiau ffres. Bydd y cyfle i allu defnyddio signal ffôn symudol i gymryd taliadau cerdyn ar-lein yn fanteisiol i ni.”

Mae ymchwil gan ddadansoddwyr yn Farrpoint sy'n archwilio effaith cysylltedd symudol yn Nhrawsfynydd, sydd 30 munud o daith mewn car o Benmachno, yn dangos y gall signal 4G o un mast EE ddarparu hyd at £383,000 mewn gwerth economaidd i gymunedau gwledig Cymru dros ei oes.

Mae buddsoddiad EE wedi ei weld yn ehangu ac yn cryfhau ei rwydwaith mewn mwy na 1,800 o leoliadau gwledig ledled y DU yn ystod y pum mlynedd diwethaf, gan gynnwys rhai o'r cymunedau mwyaf anghysbell ac anodd eu cyrraedd – gan fynd â'i orchudd symudol yng Nghymru i lefelau record, gyda signal dibynadwy bellach yn cwmpasu mwy na 90% o dirfas y wlad.

- DIWEDD-

With more than a million tourists expected to visit mid-Wales this year to enjoy its scenic coastline, hiking routes, and rich heritage, EE has strengthened its 4G connectivity along two of the county’s major roads, the A44 and the A487, as well as in several towns and villages including Aberystwyth, Aberteifi (Cardigan), Llangrannog, and Morfa Borth amongst others. ¹

EE’s mobile connectivity has also been boosted at popular locations such as Aberaeron Beach, Llangrannog Beach, Teifi Estuary, Bwlch Nant yr Arian Forest, Ynyslas National Nature Reserve and along the Wales Coast Path in Cardigan Bay.

These vital upgrades have been welcomed by Ceredigion MP Ben Lake and are part of more than 150 other locations across Wales where EE has expanded its reliable 4G network under the Shared Rural Network (SRN), a £1 billion joint initiative between mobile operators and the UK Government to extend 4G connectivity to more rural communities. ²

Responding to the news, Ben Lake, MP for Ceredigion, said: “Having long pushed for improved mobile connectivity in rural areas, and supported the creation of the Shared Rural Network, I’m pleased to hear about these improvements to coverage in Ceredigion.

“This improved connectivity is vitally important for rural communities like ours. It means more residents, businesses and visitors can make calls and access essential online services while on the go. In rural areas, it can also provide peace of mind that people can make calls in case of emergency.”

To balance the desire for improved mobile connectivity in rural communities with the need to respect the natural landscape, efforts have been made to situate the mobile masts in non-intrusive areas, while providing maximum benefit to the places where people live, work and travel.

These upgrades come at an important time for countryside communities as the UK’s mobile providers retire older generations of mobile networks. 4G connectivity offers rural communities the biggest and most reliable network of any current mobile technology in the UK, which is why EE has expanded its 4G coverage across the UK by more than 10,000 square kilometres in the last five years.

Greg McCall, Chief Networks Officer at BT Group, said: “Ceredigion is famous for its Cardigan Bay coastline and the wild Cambrian Mountains. It is also one of the most sparsely populated parts of Wales. These new 4G upgrades will not only mean residents will be able to stay connected to the people and things they love most, but businesses and community groups can use our network to offer new services and experiences to the many tourists who visit every year.

“Having brought our 4G connectivity to a further 1,600 rural locations across the UK as part of our significant contribution to the Shared Rural Network, we have gone further than anyone to deliver reliable mobile connectivity for rural communities who need it most.”

-ENDS-

EE today released its latest Mobile Network Index report, revealing new insights on how and where 5G is being used, and trends from the festive and new year period.

The insights highlight:

1. The UK’s most popular 5G locations and the growth in 5G usage
2. The increasing popularity of YouTube, Facebook, Netflix and Instagram on EE’s 5G network
3. Behaviour on New Year’s Eve as people saw in 2021 together virtually
4. BT Sport’s most popular festive fixtures, and the busiest day for gaming over the holidays
5. The impact of the return to work in January on EE’s mobile network

Marc Allera, CEO of BT’s Consumer Division, said: “As we roll out the 5G network to more places, it’s clear that customers are starting to use it more and are making the most of its faster speeds and reliable performance. With more 5G devices arriving on the market and the network available in 125 towns and cities across the UK, it’s interesting to see inhabitants of London, Birmingham and Manchester emerging as the most popular users of 5G on our mobile network, with video streaming remaining as popular as ever. With the heightened restrictions over the festive period and New Year’s Eve for many of us, we saw some notable changes in the ways our customers are using our mobile network. The role of providing a brilliant and high performing network continues to grow in importance, and I’m pleased that the EE network is able to play its role in helping deliver a great experience for our customers.”

The Report:

5G insights and most popular locations for usage

New insights from EE show an increased appetite for the latest mobile technology, with 5G traffic growing more than 40% month on month between October and December 2020, and more than doubling across the three months.

YouTube, Facebook, Netflix and Instagram retain the top spots as the most popular apps and services on EE’s 5G network, and month on month have seen traffic grow by at least 30%.

Insights from EE reveal that three of EE’s 5G launch cities – London, Birmingham and Manchester – are the top three for 5G usage on EE’s mobile network in the UK. In Scotland, Glasgow tops the list for 5G usage, and in Wales, Cardiff.

The top 20 locations for 5G traffic on EE’s mobile network are:

1. East London
2. Birmingham
3. South West London
4. South East London
5. North London
6. North West London
7. Manchester
8. West London
9. Nottingham
10. Central London
11. Sheffield
12. Romford
13. Leeds
14. Newcastle-upon-Tyne
15. Bristol
16. Cardiff
17. Glasgow
18. Liverpool
19. Leicester
20. Hull

Top 3 locations for 5G traffic on EE’s mobile network in Scotland:

1. Glasgow
2. Edinburgh
3. Motherwell

Top 3 locations for 5G traffic on EE’s mobile network in Wales and the South West:

1. Bristol
2. Cardiff
3. Bath

Top 3 locations for 5G traffic on EE’s mobile network in the Midlands:

1. Birmingham
2. Nottingham
3. Wolverhampton

Top 3 locations for 5G traffic on EE’s mobile network in the north of England:

1. Manchester
2. Sheffield
3. Leeds

Christmas Day and New Year

With large groups unable to gather over the festive period in many parts of the UK, people took to technology to stay in touch with family and friends, and to connect to the things they enjoy most. On Christmas Day, there was an uplift in Zoom users on EE’s mobile network before and after 2pm, as people wished each other well either side of Christmas dinner.

After a gradual increase in popularity throughout the morning, the number of Strava users on EE’s mobile network peaked at 11:40 as people embraced the great outdoors for a Christmas Day walk, run or bike ride.

With pubs and entertainment venues closed and people encouraged to stay at home to see in 2021, EE’s mobile network witnessed a surge in social media users at midnight. Facebook and WhatsApp users steadily decrease from midday on NYE, before a peak at midnight as friends and families send their well wishes virtually.

On Snapchat, the traffic peak at midnight on 31^st December on EE’s mobile network was four times higher than the average peak in the days leading up to New Year’s Eve.

BT Sport

Despite fans not being allowed to cheer on their favourite football teams in stadiums, the beautiful game kept sports fans entertained over Christmas.

Leicester and Manchester’s 2-2 draw at the King Power Stadium on Boxing Day drove the biggest uplift in BT Sport traffic on EE’s mobile network over the festive period. Other popular fixtures included:

• Manchester City vs Newcastle and Sheffield United vs Everton – 8pm on Boxing Day
• Everton vs West Ham – 5pm on New Year’s Day
• Tottenham vs Leeds – 2:30pm on 2^nd January
• West Bromwich Albion vs Arsenal – 8pm on 2^nd January

Gaming

Over the festive period, the evening of the 28^th December was the most popular time for gaming services on EE’s mobile network. Twitch saw its peak number of users at 7pm, followed by a peak for both PlayStation and Steam two hours later at 9pm.

January and the return to work

As the holiday break grew to a close, January 4^th marked the return to work for lots of people. As inboxes were reopened, Microsoft Outlook traffic on EE’s mobile network was at its highest at 9am that morning – with peak traffic increasing four-fold compared to the same time the week before.

Skype traffic on EE’s mobile network also saw a surge after the festive break, with the peak arriving at 11am on the 5^th January as routines got restarted.

The beginning of January bought news from government on heightened restrictions and school closures in England. When Boris Johnson appeared on the BBC at 8pm on the 4^th January, BBC traffic on EE’s mobile network doubled from the hour before, and the same time a day earlier.

Notes to editors:

For more information, please contact:

ee@nelsonbostock.com

0207 792 7468

About EE

EE runs the UK's biggest and fastest mobile network, offering superfast connections in more places than any other operator. EE brought the first 4G network to the UK in October 2012, and launched the UK’s first 5G network in May 2019.

EE has received extensive independent recognition, including being named the UK’s no.1 5G network by RootMetrics® in 2020 and 2021, and the UK's best network every year since 2014 for the following awards: The Mobile Choice Awards, The Mobile Industry Awards and by RootMetrics®.

As well as delivering mobile services to consumers, small and medium businesses, corporate customers and Government programmes, EE also provides home and business broadband using both 4G and fixed line connections.

EE is committed to being number one for service in the industry, and has nearly 600 shops across the UK. EE remains the only mobile provider to answer 100% of customer calls in the UK and Ireland and was recognised as the UK’s Best Large Contact Centre by the UK Customer Experience Awards 2018 and Welsh Contact Centre Awards 2019. EE was awarded The Sunday Times’ Best 100 Companies to Work for in 2018 and 2019, as well as being named Best Employer 2018 by the European Contact Centre & Customer Service awards.

EE is part of BT’s Consumer business unit which provides products and services to all of BT’s consumer customers in the UK.

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