U.K. carrier EE, owned by BT Group, announced the launch of its 5G Standalone (5G SA) network across 15 major cities across the U.K. The new 5G SA network is available in Bath, Belfast, Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Hull, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, London, Manchester and Sheffield. EE also noted that the new network is available across a range of handsets and plans.
Marc Allera, CEO of EE, commented: “5G Standalone is a new mobile network giving enhanced performance to customers from day one and unlocks game-changing new services of the future. It’s been built to handle the growing range of AI-powered devices, from smartphones to laptops, tablets and more.”
EE said its 5G SA uses the latest AI technology to support automation and machine learning, improving reliability and reducing energy demand by putting mobile cells into a sleep mode when not being used. EE also noted it is also exploring ways the new technology will overhaul how customers experience connectivity in the future.
The carrier introduced a new network feature that will help improve performance in busy areas. The feature, dubbed ‘Network Boost’ will enhance performance to certain customers when the network is busy, by allocating more capacity to a customer.
In addition, EE partnered with Qualcomm Technologies to launch the new WiFi 7 Smart Hub Pro and Smart WiFi Pro powered by Qualcomm’s Networking Platforms. EE Full Fiber customers will be among the first in the world to experience WiFi 7, specifically designed to meet the growing demands of a connected home, meaning better cloud gaming, AR/VR and 4K/8K video streaming. “Wi-Fi 7 for the home is another first for EE customers, giving households higher speeds and better capacity to support devices in every corner of their home,” said Allera.
Last month, EE announced that it had already deployed over 1,000 small cells across the country, with 400 new deployments over the last 12 months, including its first 5G sites recently installed in Croydon, London. These small cells are being installed on everyday street infrastructure including BT’s iconic red phone kiosks and digital street hubs, as well as lampposts and other furniture.
Source: https://www.rcrwireless.com/20240906/5g/ee-launches-5g-sa-network-15-major-uk-cities