EE, the UK’s leading mobile network provider owned by BT, has announced a significant upgrade to its services with the launch of over 400 small cell installations across the country. These mini boosters aim to enhance network performance in congested areas and seasonal hotspots, which experience high traffic during specific times of the year.
The company asserts that this investment will allow more users to achieve download speeds exceeding 280Mbps on their smartphones, a staggering three times faster than the current UK fixed-line broadband average.
Small cells, which amplify street-level mobile coverage, are being deployed in busy areas where constructing larger sites is impractical, such as city centers and transport hubs. EE is leveraging existing street assets, including BT’s iconic red telephone boxes, lamp posts, and CCTV columns, for the installations. Approximately 60 small cells have also been installed on BT’s innovative digital Street Hubs, maximizing the benefits to communities.
The upgrade encompasses areas like Birmingham, Brighton, Sheffield, Swansea, Leicester, Coventry, Wolverhampton, Southampton, York, Newquay, Paignton, Salcombe, Southend-on-Sea, and Clacton-on-Sea. This expansion increases the total number of small cell sites to over 600, following an initial rollout last year.
Users with 4G-powered smartphones will automatically gain access to the improved speeds at no additional cost. However, it’s crucial to note that some of EE’s plans have a maximum download level, so users will only receive speeds up to their plan’s limit.
James Hope, Director of Mobile Radio Access Networks at EE, commented on the upgrade, stating, “As demand for data continues to rise, small cells are becoming an increasingly integral part of our mobile network. Our partnership with Nokia ensures customers continue to benefit from our fastest 4G speeds even at the busiest times and in the most congested of locations. We’re proud to pass another milestone in this project as we continue to invest in improving the UK’s best mobile network up and down the country.”
