UPDATED · News · 28 Apr 2026 · MTW News Desk
EE 5G+ got a sizeable UK coverage boost on April 28, with the operator saying its next-generation mobile network now reaches more than 50 million people across more than 610 towns and cities. For phone buyers, the useful question is not whether the branding sounds faster. It is whether your device, plan and location can actually use it.
Table of contents
TL;DR
- EE says 5G+ now covers more than 50 million people across the UK.
- The rollout has expanded across more than 610 towns and cities.
- EE says monthly customer usage on 5G+ has risen 54% over the last six months.
- Recent upgrades include 2.1GHz spectrum reallocation, five carrier aggregation and ARC network coordination.
- EE’s help page says customers still need a compatible plan, SIM or eSIM, device and coverage area.
What actually changed
The headline number is coverage: EE says 5G+ now reaches more than 50 million people, beating its previous spring target. The operator also says it has extended 5G+ across more than 610 towns and cities, with recent additions including places such as Aberystwyth, Barnsley, Chichester, Preston and St Austell.
The more technical changes are worth separating from the marketing. EE says it has reallocated 2.1GHz spectrum across more than 4,000 mobile sites to improve capacity, indoor coverage and upload speeds. It also says five carrier aggregation on 5G+ enabled sites is delivering 10% faster average downloads for compatible devices.
The bit phone owners should check
Not every 5G phone automatically gets the better experience. EE’s own 5G+ help page says customers need an eligible plan, a compatible SIM or eSIM, a compatible device and a 5G+ coverage area. The list includes recent iPhones, Pixel phones, Samsung Galaxy S and Z models, some Nothing devices, selected Motorola phones and several tablets and laptops.
- Check your postcode on EE’s coverage tools.
- Confirm your plan is eligible, especially if it predates EE’s 5G+ requirements.
- Check the compatible-device list, not just the 5G logo on your phone box.
- Make sure 5G Standalone / 5G+ settings are enabled where your phone exposes them.
ARC and crowded places
EE is also expanding Advanced RAN Coordination, or ARC. The company says ARC lets nearby mobile sites dynamically share capacity in real time, with a claimed 20% network performance boost without adding extra masts. The important use case is not an empty street. It is a train station, high street, city centre or event space where mobile networks usually struggle.
EE says ARC is now live on its 5G+ network in London after earlier launches in Manchester and Edinburgh. Belfast, Cardiff, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle and Sheffield are listed for availability by the end of May 2026.
MTW take
This is meaningful news, but only if people treat it as a compatibility story as much as a coverage story. Better mobile capacity in busy places matters more than another peak-speed boast, especially for video calls, maps, streaming and hotspot use. The catch is that 5G+ is still a stack of requirements: network, site, spectrum, plan, SIM and phone all have to line up.
For UK buyers, the practical advice is simple. If you are buying a phone or renewing an EE contract in 2026, check the 5G+ support list before signing. If your current 5G phone and plan already qualify, the April 28 expansion should make busy-location performance more reliable in more places.
FAQ
Is EE 5G+ the same as normal 5G?
No. EE uses 5G+ to describe its more advanced 5G Standalone experience, with benefits such as stronger performance in crowded areas, improved upload speeds and lower reliance on older 4G network layers.
Do all 5G phones support EE 5G+?
No. EE says customers need a compatible device, eligible plan, compatible SIM or eSIM and a 5G+ coverage area.
Will this improve every speed test?
Not necessarily. The bigger gain should be reliability and performance in busy places, rather than a guaranteed speed jump every time you run a test.
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Use this as the final check before ordering a phone, changing network or trusting a headline monthly price.
