The agreement introduces two key 5G Standalone (SA) functions – the Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF) and the Network Exposure Function (NEF). Together, these capabilities support BT’s strategy to build a more flexible, programmable, and performance‑aware network that can provide more predictable performance for critical applications, faster innovation through secure APIs, and the ability to tailor connectivity to operational needs.

Enabling dynamic network slicing

NSSF will enhance BT’s ability to manage and orchestrate network slices by selecting the optimal network slice for each user based on factors including time, location, subscription type, current network load, and application requirements. 

Crucially, NSSF can dynamically adjust slice assignments in real-time based on network conditions and analytics, meaning that if one network slice becomes congested traffic can be intelligently redistributed to deliver consistent performance even under changing conditions.

By introducing NSSF into its core, BT is laying the foundation for fully dynamic, application‑aware slicing which can give business customers more predictable performance and new connectivity options tailored to their operational needs. For example, a hospital could run its connected ambulances, patient monitoring systems and staff mobile devices on separate slices – ensuring that mission-critical applications are prioritised, even during peak network usage.

Faster innovation through secure, standardised network APIs

NEF enables customers, developers and partners to integrate selected network capabilities directly into their applications and workflows thanks to secure, standardised APIs. This evolves BT’s network from a connectivity layer into a programmable platform which can support new services, partnerships and consumption-based models.

Demand for network programmability is increasing as UK businesses and developers look to integrate network features more closely with their digital services. BT has already demonstrated the value of securely exposing network capabilities through its work within the GSMA’s Open Gateway initiative, delivering CAMARA-certified APIs including SIM-Swap and Know Your Customer to help organisations strengthen fraud prevention.

NEF could also provide developers access to capabilities such as quality‑of‑service controls and device authentication, allowing them service differentiation through intuitive, standardised APIs which eliminate complexity and the need for specialised network expertise. For example, in logistics, a fleet management app could request dedicated low latency connectivity for vehicles in a specific area, or a bank could use real-time device authentication to strengthen fraud checks during mobile transactions.

Greg McCall, Chief Security and Networks Officer, BT Group, said: “Our renewed partnership with Ericsson reinforces our ambition to evolve BT’s network into a more flexible and intelligent platform for our customers. Capabilities like NSSF and NEF are important building blocks that will allow us to respond to customer needs in new ways as the wider ecosystem matures. This is about putting the right foundations in place today so we can unlock more advanced connectivity opportunities in the future.”

Luca Orsini, Head of Ericsson North Europe, said: “By continuing to evolve our 5G Core partnership, we are laying important foundations to build a more intelligent, programmable network that can meet the growing needs of UK businesses and developers. Differentiated services enabled by Network APIs represent a significant and fast-growing market opportunity, and this evolution positions BT to capitalise on that demand by opening up network capabilities in new and innovative ways. We look forward to working with BT to commercialise these capabilities and deliver real value for UK businesses and the wider digital economy.

The agreement builds on a BT’s long‑standing relationship with Ericsson across both its core network and RAN, which includes recent milestones such as the world-first deployment of Advanced RAN Coordination (ARC) and European-first rollout of next-generation Massive MIMO units, boosting network capacity in busy areas.

The expanded deployment of the dual‑mode 5G Core solution will continue to run on BT’s Network Cloud with advanced orchestration and automation capabilities, while integration with Ericsson Expert Analytics provides deep visibility into network and service performance to help BT proactively maintain service quality.

LONDON, 9^th September:  Millions of people across the UK are getting a significant boost to their 5G connectivity after EE unveiled two major upgrades – including becoming the first operator in the world to launch ARC in its distributed mobile network.

Advanced RAN Coordination (ARC) is a ground-breaking technology¹ that allows mobile sites near to each other to remotely pair up and share capacity, dramatically boosting network performance – especially in busy areas at peak times – without the need for additional masts.

Already live on EE’s network in major cities including Manchester and Edinburgh, ARC is delivering faster and more reliable 5G connectivity for customers in busy locations like train stations, high streets and city centres – including improved video streaming and 20 percent faster download speeds on average.

Throughout the next year EE plans to deploy the technology across some of the UK’s busiest cities, boosting 5G performance for customers in London, Leeds, Glasgow, Liverpool, Belfast, Cardiff, Newcastle, Sheffield and Sunderland. Customers in these places using the latest 5G standalone (5GSA) compatible devices – on both iOS and Android – will see the biggest performance gains.

With global brands like Apple, Samsung, Google, Honor, Lenovo and Microsoft continuing to launch new devices with 5G standalone access - including smartphones, tablets and laptops - EE is innovating its network to give people across the UK the best mobile experiences on the devices they use every day. ²

“EE customers are the first in the world to benefit from this technology, with millions of them getting a huge boost to the 5G connectivity they rely on every day. By increasing capacity in this way, our customers will get faster speeds and an even more reliable experience instantly. It is a real game-changer and yet another example of how the nation gets a better network experience on EE,” said Greg McCall, Chief Networks Officer at BT Group.

To enable more customers to benefit from the best mobile connectivity available to them, EE is continuing to rapidly rollout 5G standalone to a further 17 new towns and cities by the end of December 2025.

EE’s ambition is to make 5G standalone available to more than 41 million people by spring 2026. The new locations set to benefit next include:

1. Basildon
2. Bolton
3. Brighton and Hove
4. Colchester
5. Gloucester
6. Lincoln
7. Maidstone
8. Newcastle-upon-Tyne
9. Northampton
10. Oxford
11. Plymouth
12. Poole
13. Portsmouth
14. Reading
15. Southampton
16. Southend-on-Sea
17. Telford

“We are building our 5G standalone network at an unprecedented pace to connect customers, communities, and the country to the most reliable and powerful mobile experiences. For those people wanting to get the most out of the newest 5GSA-enabled smartphones, they need the UK’s best 5G network to match and that’s exactly what EE delivers,” added McCall. ³

For more information on how to access 5G standalone on EE, please visit:  ee.co.uk/why-ee/5g-on-ee

-ENDS-

Notes to editors:

¹ BT Group has partnered with Ericsson to deploy Advanced RAN Coordination (ARC) technology into its live mobile network. To learn more about the rollout and its positive impact on EE customers, read our blog. 
² Full list of smartphones, tablets, laptops and devices which are compatible with EE’s 5G standalone network can be found here.
³ The UK’s best 5G network claim based on the RootMetrics® UK RootScore® Report: H1 2025. Tested at locations across the UK with the best commercially available smartphones on all national mobile networks across all available network types. The RootMetrics award is not an endorsement of EE. Visit ee.co.uk/claims for more details.​

EE’s 5G standalone network is already available to over 34 million people (more than half the UK population) in places including:  Aberdeen, Altrincham, Ashton-Under-Lyne, Barrow-in-Furness, Barry, Bath, Belfast, Beverley, Birkenhead, Birmingham, Blackburn, Blyth, Boston, Bradford, Bridgend, Bristol, Bury, Caerphilly, Canterbury, Cardiff, Carlisle, Chesterfield, Chippenham, Cleethorpes, Corby, Coventry, Crawley, Cwmbran, Derby, Doncaster, Dudley, Dundee, Edinburgh, Exeter, Exmouth, Glasgow, Gosport, Great Malvern, Grimsby, Halifax, Harlow, Havant, Hemel Hempstead, Huddersfield, Hull, Hyde, Inverness, Ipswich, Leeds, Leicester, Leyland, Lichfield, Liverpool, London, Loughborough, Manchester, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Newport, Norwich, Nottingham, Paignton, Peterborough, Port Talbot, Rotherham, Royal Leamington Spa, Sale, Salisbury, Sheffield, Shrewsbury, Slough, St Albans, St Helens, St Neots, Stockport, Stoke-on-Trent, Sunderland, Sutton Coldfield, Sutton in Ashfield, Swansea, Trowbridge, Wakefield, Walkden, Wellingborough, Weston Super Mare, Whitley Bay, Wigan, Wilmslow, Windsor, Winsford, Wishaw, Wokingham, Wolverhampton, Wrexham, Yeovil, York.

More than 34 million people will be able to access the UK’s most advanced and reliable mobile technology this summer, as the nationwide rollout of EE’s new 5G standalone network hits a major milestone.

By the end of August, EE’s 5G standalone network will be available to more than half of the UK population, including major cities, tourist hotspots and major sport and entertainment venues – which would make it the UK’s biggest 5G standalone network less than a year on from launch. ¹

EE’s ambition is to make 5G standalone available to more than 41 million people by spring 2026.

Several towns and cities across the UK have already had their mobile connectivity boosted in recent weeks, with EE making 5G standalone live in Carlisle, Chesterfield, Hemel Hempstead, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Gosport, Slough, Stoke-on-Trent, Sutton Coldfield and York among others.

In the next month, customers in a further 38 locations will also benefit from a boost to their network performance. These include Aberdeen, Beverley, Blyth, Boston, Canterbury, Chippenham, Cleethorpes, Crawley, Derby, Exmouth, Great Malvern, Grimsby, Halifax, Harlow, Havant, Inverness, Ipswich, Leyland, Lichfield, Loughborough, Norwich, Paignton, Peterborough, Royal Leamington Spa, Salisbury, Shrewsbury, St Albans, St Neots, Sutton in Ashfield, Trowbridge, Wellingborough, Whitley Bay, Windsor, Winsford, Wishaw, Wokingham, Wrexham, Yeovil.

As well as expanding the availability of its 5G standalone network at an unprecedented pace, EE has now also made its Voice over 5G standalone (Vo5G) feature available to iOS and Android users in the UK with 5GSA-compatible devices and plans. These customers are now able to make voice calls in more places, with faster setup times that reduce the delay between dialling a number and the phone starting to ring – keeping them connected to the people they care about most, when it matters. ²

5G standalone is a new type of mobile connectivity built to unleash the true power of 5G for EE customers throughout the UK, delivering smoother livestreaming, faster loading and upload speeds, better indoor connectivity, as well as improved video calls and mobile gaming. The network has been built to deliver up to 100 times more capacity than 4G connectivity, making it significantly better at handling demands from lots of devices at once – delivering more reliable mobile internet for EE customers even in busy areas like train stations and high streets, and during major events at places like Wembley Stadium.

As well as significant improvements for customers, building a nationwide 5G standalone network will also deliver a huge boost to the UK economy, with new research showing it can help unlock up to £230 billion in benefits and productivity enhancements for the nation.

“Whether you are video calling from a crowded train station, livestreaming on social media from a sold-out concert, or simply staying in touch with your family and friends over the summer holidays, 5G standalone on EE makes your experience smoother, faster and more secure,” said Greg McCall, Chief Networks Officer at BT Group.

“Delivering a high-quality mobile experience every day for millions of people is what matters to us, it’s what has driven us to build the UK’s most reliable network and why we’re now delivering 5G standalone to more people in more places across the UK.” ³

The number of smartphones, tablets and laptops that are compatible with 5G standalone has grown significantly, with devices from Apple, Samsung, Google, Honor, Nothing, Lenovo, Sony, TCL and Microsoft all enabled to connect to EE’s most advanced network. ⁴

To access 5G standalone, customers will need to be in a location where 5G standalone is available, have a compatible device and an EE 5GSA-ready SIM card or eSIM as part of their monthly plan.

To ensure more people experience the benefits of the cutting-edge technology, 5G standalone is available on EE to all new and upgrading customers taking any EE pay monthly handset plan.

-ENDS-

Notes to editors:

¹ Based on publicly available information on the reach of 5G standalone networks for UK operators.

² Faster call setup times for 5G standalone customers using Voice over 5G (Vo5G) vs EPS fallback.

³ UK’s most reliable network claim based on the RootMetrics® UK RootScore® Report: H2 2024. 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.

⁴ Full list of smartphones, tablets, laptops and devices which are compatible with EE’s 5G standalone network can be found here.

Locations where EE’s 5G standalone network is already available include: Ashton-Under-Lyne, Altrincham, Barrow-in-Furness, Barry, Bath, Belfast, Birkenhead, Birmingham, Blackburn, Bradford, Bridgend, Bristol, Bury, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Corby, Coventry, Cwmbran, Doncaster, Dudley, Dundee, Edinburgh, Exeter, Glasgow, Huddersfield, Hull, Hyde, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes, Newport, Nottingham, Port Talbot, Rotherham, Sale, Sheffield, St Helens, Stockport, Sunderland, Swansea, Wakefield, Walkden, Weston Super Mare, Wigan, Wilmslow, Wolverhampton.

As official technology supplier for the Portsmouth event, in which 12 national teams compete on the waters of the Solent, BT is working closely with SailGP and Ericsson, the championship’s global technology partner. This will see BT provide two dedicated network slices tailored to the event’s specific requirements, enhancing connectivity and complementing Ericsson’s role in delivering high-capacity, reliable network performance for SailGP.

Network slicing uses 5G Standalone technology to provide a dedicated, protected slice of the mobile network for specific use-cases, ensuring performance isn’t impacted if the public network is congested by users at the event. SailGP marks the first time that BT has delivered multiple concurrent network slices at the same event, showcasing the technology’s ability to keep fans connected to event experiences as well as power the delivery of seamless operations behind the scenes. It has worked with Nokia to deploy network slicing capabilities in several radio mast sites covering the event area around Portsmouth harbour, with the slicing being configured end-to-end.

Powered by EE, the UK’s best and most reliable mobile network¹, BT will provision multiple network slices to provide dedicated capacity for critical use cases including:

• Boat connectivity: To support seamless roaming between the private and public network across all 12 F50s. BT’s network slice ensures always-on connectivity for voice communications, transfer of telemetry data and on-board video.
• Point-of-sale terminals: Enabling a quick payments process in SailGP’s official merchandise shop within the SailGP Race Stadium.
• Broadcast: Working with Sony and its 5G live production products to trial new broadcast capabilities, roaming Full HD cameras will utilise the network slice – optimised for the high-capacity uplink requirements of Sony’s ultra low-latency encoders – to support a SailGP production which is broadcast to 212 countries worldwide.
• Media: Select photographers at the event will benefit from instant and assured connectivity to upload photos in real-time for use by international media. This is being delivered in partnership with Sony’s connected camera solution, consisting of Sony Alpha cameras and PDT-FP1.

Also new to the UK event is SailGP’s 360-degree AR/VR experience, which will allow fans to experience what it’s like to be onboard an F50. This high-quality experience will use new higher capacity 5G radios, being tested in Portsmouth by BT and Ericsson, that will enable ultra low-latency performance and gigabit capacity.

Kerry Small, Chief Operating Officer, Business at BT Group, says: “5G Standalone isn’t just about faster speeds – it’s about unlocking tailor-made capabilities that can transform customer experiences. In partnership with SailGP, we’ve demonstrated this by using network slicing to streamline event operations and bring fans closer to the action than ever before. It’s a powerful example of how we’re evolving the UK’s best network to deliver next-generation connectivity and more immersive experiences.”

Warren Jones, Chief Technology Officer of SailGP, says: “Bringing SailGP back to UK shores after three years is a major milestone, and delivering a world-class, tech-driven event is critical to the success of it. Partnering with BT has allowed us to push the boundaries of what’s possible in sports connectivity. In a first for SailGP, BT’s use of 5G standalone network slicing ensures the global championship can maintain real-time communications, telemetry and live video from the racecourse – this collaboration showcases how cutting-edge connectivity can transform the delivery of global sporting events.”

BT’s latest implementation of network slicing builds on a series of recent deployments, including at Wembley Stadium and Belfast Christmas market. EE’s 5G Standalone network, which launched less than a year ago, is now available to over 30 million people across more than 50 major towns and cities in the UK – covering over 45 per cent of the population.

Limited tickets to the Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix still remain. Don’t miss out on the action – visit SailGP.com/tickets to experience the most exciting racing on water’s return to UK shores on July 19-20. 

ENDS

About SailGP

The most exciting racing on water, the Rolex SailGP Championship is a global championship with national teams battling it out in identical high-tech, high-speed 50-foot foiling catamarans at iconic venues around the world. Racing faster than the wind at speeds exceeding 100 km/h // 60mph, the Rolex SailGP Championship is driven by the sport’s top athletes, with national pride, personal glory, and bonus prize money of US$12 million at stake. Visit SailGP.com to find out more.

¹ Claim based on the RootMetrics® UK RootScore® Report: H2 2024. 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.