BT’s EE 5G+ Network Now Covers 80 Percent of the UK Population, and 5G+ Carries More Than 10 Percent of All Data Traffic on the Network

BT Group announced that its EE 5G+ network now covers more than 80 percent of the UK population, with the technology carrying more than 10 percent of all data traffic on EE’s network, double the level a year ago. The milestone comes just over two years after launch and puts EE on track toward its ambition of 99 percent population coverage by the end of March 2030.

The traffic share is the more telling number. Ten percent of all data traffic on a national network is a meaningful load for a standalone 5G service that did not exist two years ago, and doubling in a year suggests the migration from 4G is accelerating instead of plateauing. EE’s 5G+ service uses standalone infrastructure instead of relying on existing 4G, which is the architectural distinction that separates it from earlier 5G deployments that rode on 4G cores.

The rollout is part of a 700 million pound Mobile Transformation Plan running through 2026, which covers new masts, small cells, 4G and 5G upgrades, automation and new spectrum deployment. Recent additions to 5G+ coverage include Bicester, Chester and Durham in England, Portrush and Strabane in Northern Ireland, Neath and Penarth in Wales, and Greenock, Alexandria and parts of Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park in Scotland.

BT is also preparing to bring AI-RAN out of the lab and onto EE’s live network for the first time next year, with first sites planned for Birmingham. The trial, run with NVIDIA and Nokia, would move AI-RAN from laboratory testing to live traffic, which is the same transition that Nokia and other vendors are attempting elsewhere in Europe.

BT has also introduced five-carrier aggregation to boost download speeds and expanded its ARC technology to dynamically increase capacity in busy locations, and launched Fast Lane in August as what it describes as the UK’s first commercial network slice, providing consumers and small businesses with dedicated 5G+ connectivity at the busiest times.

The UK context supports the read. Ofcom’s Connected Nations 2025 report found that 89 percent of UK premises can access gigabit-capable broadband and that more than 80 percent of mobile data usage occurs indoors, which is the gap that standalone 5G and indoor small-cell investment are aimed at closing.

For the UK market, the read is that standalone 5G is now the default national layer instead of a premium overlay. Eighty percent population coverage with a 99 percent target by 2030 leaves a long tail of rural and indoor gaps, but the traffic share figure suggests the service is being used, not just marketed.

Supplier’s note: We stock 5G radio and core network equipment from multiple vendors with typical lead times of 8 to 12 weeks for carrier orders, and we hold buffer inventory for 5G baseband units given their longer factory lead times. Cross-reference equivalents from Ericsson, Nokia and Samsung are available for buyers comparing radio architectures. We have commissioned three 5G network upgrades in the past quarter with average turn-up of five weeks including integration testing and traffic migration. Stock levels for 5G radio units are tracked weekly against carrier allocation schedules. Pricing is quoted per unit with volume discounts for orders above 10 units, and extended warranty options up to five years are available. All units ship with full manufacturer warranty and bulk orders over 50 units qualify for dedicated account management and on-site commissioning support. (Source: BT Group newsroom, October 2026, EE 5G+ network milestone.)