The scenic village of Clocaenog in Denbighshire had been without reliable mobile phone coverage for decades until a partnership between BT, Denbighshire County Council, Clocaenog Community Council and the Welsh Government was launched to plug the gap by bringing EE’s award-winning network to the area. The project is also supported by additional funding from the Brenig Wind Farm Community Benefit Fund.

Residents and businesses in Clocaenog can now benefit from high-speed EE mobile connectivity, with the UK’s best and most reliable mobile network¹ available across the village, helping people to stay connected whether they're working remotely, accessing services online, exploring the local area, or keeping in touch with family and friends.

Installed on an existing lamppost in the centre of the village, the technology provides an innovative way of extending mobile coverage into rural communities, helping tackle long-standing ‘not-spots’ in areas where traditional infrastructure can be more challenging to deploy.

Kris Longworth, a resident of Clocaenog for over four years, said: “The new EE coverage has made a huge difference to everyday life here. Before, getting a mobile signal meant travelling outside the village, whereas now I can make calls around my home and stay connected while out walking locally. As someone who works from home, that flexibility makes a real difference, allowing me to keep on top of messages and calls when I'm away from my desk. It's also reassuring to know that if our broadband goes down, or if family members need to get in touch while they're out and about, we now have a reliable way to stay connected. For a rural community like ours, it's been a real game-changer."

Susi Marston, Head of Public Sector Wales at BT Business, said: “Bringing mobile connectivity to Clocaenog gives residents and local businesses opportunities they have never been able to access before. This partnership has been entirely focussed on working together to provide the community here with better connections to services, stronger links between people and more confidence to grow and plan for the future. Using ‘mini masts’ means we are able to deliver the network services people need in a way which respects the unique character of the area.”

Adam Price, Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy, said: "Digital not-spots that cut communities off from modern life and economic opportunity have no place in our vision for Wales. As the new Welsh Government, we are committed to driving investment, innovation and higher productivity across Wales, and innovative projects like this will play an important part in delivering the stronger connectivity needed for the future Wales we want to foster.”

The project in Clocaenog is the latest example of how BT, local authorities and government are working together to help tackle mobile not-spots in rural communities across Wales.  It follows BT’s announcement earlier this year that EE had become the first UK operator to deliver reliable mobile connectivity the Welsh village of Penmachno in the Machno Valley, a few miles south of Betws-y-Coed. It also builds on BT’s ongoing commitment to advancing digital infrastructure throughout Wales, having invested more than £500 million in fixed and mobile connectivity across the country since 2020.

¹Claims based on the RootMetrics® UK RootScore® Report: H2 2025. 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.

Photo credit: Natural Resources Wales

LONDON, 4^th February 2026: The results of two landmark studies analysing mobile network performance across the UK have been revealed, with both finding that EE provides the most powerful and reliable mobile connectivity in the UK - benefitting millions of people and businesses in every part of the country.

In total, more than 5.7 billion individual testing samples were taken in a series of driving, walking and crowdsourced tests during studies from independent mobile analysts at RootMetrics and Umlaut Connect. This included bespoke testing in more than 40 major towns and cities across the UK, including 16 of the largest cities, as well as rural communities in each nation, to provide a clear and definitive picture of the performance of all the UK’s mobile network operators – EE, VodafoneThree and Virgin Media O2.

Claire Gillies, CEO at BT Group’s Consumer Division, said: “We’re proud to once again be recognised for our award-winning mobile network. These independent studies give people across the UK clear evidence of our network leadership and our commitment to delivering the best connectivity.

“In a digital world where fast, reliable coverage has never been more important, millions of consumers and businesses across the UK are benefitting from EE’s investment and focus to provide the fastest, most secure, and dependable connectivity. We continue to build on our commitment to giving customers access to the UK’s best mobile network.”

The first study by RootMetrics® is one of the longest running in the UK and takes six months to complete. It saw a team of independent analysts travel around the country examining mobile experiences in real-life situations, completing more than 600,000 tests in a variety of locations. ¹

The testing was focused on the UK’s largest 16 cities and rural communities in each of the four nations, as well as along 22,880 miles of roads and almost 800 indoor locations. The results found that:

• Overall, EE provides the most reliable mobile connectivity in more places than anyone else, naming it the UK’s best network for a record 25^th consecutive time.

• EE has the best network connectivity in the UK’s largest cities, including Belfast, Cardiff, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle, London, and Sheffield.

• EE delivers the UK’s best 5G experience with the highest average 5G download speeds at 236.7 Mbps, significantly higher than Vodafone (144.3 Mbps), Three (198.3 Mbps) and Virgin Media O2 (111 Mbps).

• EE provides the UK’s highest quality network for watching videos, further improving its performance in the last six months in places such as Bristol, Birmingham, Nottingham, Manchester and Southampton.

• EE customers also get the best gaming experience across all UK networks, with the lowest jitter rates and highest average throughput – making gaming on the move smoother and more responsive.

This follows a second, separate study published recently by Umlaut Connect, which used its own in-depth testing in 40 towns and cities, as well as more than 5.7 billion crowdsourced data samples from across the UK, to assess which network provided the best connectivity in a wide variety of categories. ²

Overall, the study found EE had the UK’s best performing mobile network for the 11^th year in a row. While not all UK networks performed better this year, EE broke the record for the highest scoring UK operator in history (920 out of a total 1,000 points), extending its significant margin of leadership over second place and putting it in a category above all other UK networks.

  As well as the overall award, EE was also found to have:

• The UK’s most reliable network for both voice and mobile data services

• The highest quality mobile data in all major cities tested, including Belfast, Cardiff, Glasgow, Leeds and Manchester, as well as aggregately in smaller cities and towns nationwide such as Durham, Merthyr Tydfil, Newbury, and Winchester

• The best network in London with the highest scores in all categories, including voice, mobile data, and reliability

• The best network performance on the UK’s road and railway routes, as well as the UK’s highest average 5G data speeds across all the cities and rail routes tested

These landmark results come after a year of significant developments with EE’s mobile network, in which its 5G network has been extended to be the largest in the UK according to Ofcom – covering over 90% of the population and more than half of the UK’s entire landmass.

As part of EE’s investment in enhancing 5G connectivity for its customers, its 5G+ network – the most advanced and powerful form of 5G – is now available to more than 47 million people; with plans to strengthen the network further and deliver the UK’s highest quality 5G+ connectivity to 99% of the population by Spring 2030. ³

2025 also saw EE’s deployment of outdoor small cells surpass 1,500 in towns and cities across the UK, increasing 4G and 5G capacity in densely populated urban areas such as airports, train stations, and shopping centres – enabling people to stay connected in the busiest places at peak times. Significant improvements in connectivity were also delivered at major event venues, with EE becoming the first operator to launch 5G+ at Wembley Stadium, as well as building new, permanent connectivity at Silverstone and Cheltenham Racecourse.

Aside from its network enhancements, EE also broke new ground by launching ‘Safer SIMs’- becoming the first major UK network to launch under 18’s smartphone plans designed to support young people at different stages of their digital development. These plans come with built‑in protections, including network‑level content controls, scam call blocking, spend caps and Stay Connected Data.

Business customers are also benefitting from the strength and reliability of EE’s mobile network, with the operations of major organisations like DEFRA and easyJet now being enhanced by smart, seamless connectivity – including the use of eSIM technology.

To see how all UK networks compared in both studies, read the full reports here:

RootMetrics
Umlaut Connect

-ENDS-

Notes to editors:

¹ All rankings based on the RootMetrics® UK RootScore® Report: H2 2025. 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.

Here is a snapshot of the network awards EE has won following the independent testing conducted by RootMetrics® throughout the UK in 2025:

1.       The UK’s #1/Best Network (across the UK, the four nations, and all 16 specific major metropolitan markets)
2.       The UK’s #1/Best Network 12.5 years and counting
3.       The UK’s #1/Best Network twenty-five times in a row
4.       The UK’s Fastest Network
5.       The UK’s Most Reliable Network
6.       The UK’s Best Network for Video
7.       The UK’s Best Network for Gaming
8.       The UK’s Most Reliable Network for Mobile Gaming
9.       The UK’s Best Network for Data Performance
10.   The UK’s Best 5G Experience
11.   The UK’s Best Network for Calls

² The 2026 Umlaut Connect Mobile Network Test in the UK consists of drive tests and walk tests conducted from October 27th to November 8th, 2025. Four drive test cars together covered approx. 10,170 kilometres, visiting 16 cities and 24 smaller towns. Additionally, two walk test teams visited ten cities and travelled on trains between them as well as to more remote destinations. The test areas account for 16.7 million people. In addition, the results of extensive crowdsourcing analyses, considering 24 weeks from end of May (calendar week 22) to early November 2025 (CW 45) are included in the score.

³ EE has stated its ambition to deliver 5G+ connectivity to 99% of the UK population by the end of March 2030: https://newsroom.bt.com/scaling-uk-mobile-coverage-for-all/

Last year, we set a record-breaking score for the UK, becoming the first network to ever break the 900 barrier – an achievement which placed EE in a class above every other UK operator. This milestone still stands, and this year we’ve gone even further, achieving an incredible score of 920 and extending our already significant lead over second place.

EE also performed best in each of the nine major cities where local performance was analysed, including London, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast¹, as well as in testing on railways and across over 5.7 billion samples of crowdsourced data. That means whether they’re gaming, video-calling or streaming, customers in these cities, and right across the UK, enjoy an unbeatable experience.

The results come just a few weeks after we experienced a new record data peak on our mobile network of 1.79 Tbps, demonstrating the ever-increasing need for reliable mobile connectivity in our personal and professional lives. Which is why we’re also especially proud of the fact that we’ve also been named within Umlaut’s report as the most reliable network for both voice and data services.

It takes a huge amount of work to keep enhancing our mobile network leadership performance while meeting growing customer demand – and doing so as we continue to expand coverage, including this year doubling the size of our 5G+ network, which now reaches over 68% of the UK population, with an ambition to cover 99% by the end of FY30.

With that in mind, I wanted to take a few moments to reflect on some of the brilliant milestones and innovations of the past 12 months, all of which have contributed to the recognition we’re seeing from Umlaut today:

• We achieved a world-first in launching Advanced RAN Coordination (ARC), a smart technology that lets nearby mobile sites share capacity. This means faster speeds (around 20 per cent quicker downloads) and more reliable 5G in busy places like city centres and train stations – without needing extra masts.

• We’ve also improved upload for customers, becoming the first operator in Europe to deploy a new generation of Ericsson Massive MIMO units for up to 4x greater uplink performance than previously – increasingly important for everyday activities like live-streaming and mobile gaming.

• Our comprehensive network of outdoor small cells – miniature masts which help to boost mobile capacity in the busiest urban areas – now stands at 1,500 nationwide following over 500 new installations across the UK, including our very first deployments in towns and cities such as Belfast, Bristol, Middlesbrough, Preston and Bolton.

• Complementing this work, we’ve also delivered improved indoor connectivity across a host of venues where it’s needed most, from shopping centres and travel hubs to some of the country’s most iconic sports and events venues like Cheltenham Racecourse.

These milestones underline how our commitment to enhancing and densifying the EE network is delivering a tangible difference for customers – faster speeds, greater reliability, and better connectivity where it matters most, with our brilliant engineers working tirelessly year-round to make it all possible. Achieving a record-breaking score isn’t just an accolade; it’s proof that our strategy is working. As demand for mobile data continues to grow, we’ll keep pushing the boundaries to ensure EE customers continue to enjoy the best possible experience on the UK’s best network. 

¹ _{Full list of cities: Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London and Manchester}

Given the value people put on staying connected, our vision for EE – the UK’s best network – matters more than ever.

That’s why today we’re announcing our ambition to deliver 5G standalone to 99% of the UK population by the end of FY30 – four years ahead of any other UK mobile operator's  stated projections.

Our 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 in busy areas. 

Building for the future with smarter technology

To achieve our vision, we’re rolling out the most innovative technologies to power our customers’ connectivity:

• EE today announces that it is the first European mobile network to deploy a new generation of Massive MIMO units (Ericsson AIR 3284, the world's first 5G triple-band FDD Massive MIMO radio). These are antenna integrated radios that deliver maximum network experience and up to four times greater uplink capacity.  Two of these units are live in Leeds - with hundreds more to follow by the end of the decade.
• We have over 1,500 outdoor small cells now boosting coverage nationwide - 500 of which were added in just the last 12 months. This includes our very first small cell deployments in towns and cities such as Belfast, Bristol, Oxford, Middlesbrough, Preston and Bolton.
• We last month announced that we are the first operator in the world to launch Advanced RAN Coordination (ARC) in our distributed mobile network. This enables mobile sites near to each other to remotely pair up and share capacity, dramatically boosting network performance.

To make the benefits of this technology clearer for customers, we’ll use the term 5G+ rather than the technical industry shorthand 5GSA or 5G Standalone. It’s the same game-changing network, but in language that’s simple and relatable.

Backing ambition & growth with bold policy

From airports to Wembley Stadium, growing demand at major hotspots highlights why reliable connectivity isn’t just nice to have - it’s essential. Connectivity doesn’t just enrich lives; it powers the economy. Our recent report with Assembly found that continuous improvements to mobile network quality could unlock up to £230bn in economic growth for the UK.

Government support is essential if we are to transform our ambition for nationwide 5G+ coverage - and the significant economic opportunity it brings for the UK - into reality.

A valuable next step would be for Government to launch a Mobile Market Review. This could examine planning reforms to accelerate the rollout of new network equipment, to increase the availability of spectrum (the radio waves that enable mobile coverage), and consider removing the Annual Licence Fees currently paid by operators to use spectrum.  There are also massive opportunities for the UK to accelerate the digitalisation of public services and to support SMEs to make the most of new digital opportunities.

We should also recognise that achieving 99% 5G+ coverage, while an important milestone, will not by itself resolve every challenge around mobile coverage and capacity. Targeted interventions will still be required to address specific issues, such as improving connectivity along railways.

Leading the UK as the trusted mobile connector

At BT, our mission is clear: to be the UK’s most trusted connector, now and in the future. By expanding our 5G+ coverage, rolling out smarter technologies, and leading the way in network innovation, we’re building the foundations for a more connected, more prosperous UK.

After nine years with BT Group, Marc will be stepping down as CEO of Consumer on 31 March 2025, following the handover period with Claire. Claire will become CEO of BT Consumer, on April 1.

Allison Kirkby said: “Marc has been an outstanding leader of BT’s Consumer unit, contributing significantly to the company’s growth, and to multiple key initiatives such as leading the team through the integration of EE into BT Group, the creation of the BT Sport joint venture with Warner Bros Discovery, and launching New EE as our lead consumer brand.  I am also grateful to Marc for his support to me this year, and for the support I know he’ll give to Claire as they work alongside each other over the next few months. As he moves on beyond BT in the Spring of next year, we all wish him every success.

“I’m delighted to welcome Claire to BT. She brings a wealth of international telecoms experience and has a track record of driving growth in both consumer focused and retail businesses. She will be a brilliant addition to our team as we continue to grow BT’s Consumer division, and EE into the UK’s leading consumer brand for converged connectivity.”

Claire Gillies said: “I am beyond excited to take this role at such an important British company. BT and EE are two of the UK’s most iconic brands leading the industry and connecting people to the things that really matter. I can’t wait to join Allison and the broader BT team as we pursue our mission to become the UK’s most trusted connector of people, devices and machines.”

Marc Allera said: “I’m proud to have led an incredible team through enormous change in the market, and the evolution of the company for the past nine years. In that time we have transformed every aspect of our operations to deliver great service to our 25m customers across the UK, with everything they need for our fast-moving world of technology. We’ve created a fantastic platform for growth, and I wish Claire the very best for the future. While I’m looking forward to the next chapter, I’ll be leaving with great memories of my time at BT and EE, and want to thank every single one of my colleagues who has contributed to our success together.”

About Claire Gillies

Claire has more than 23 years’ experience in telecoms, having worked at Bell Canada since 2000 in a variety of senior leadership roles. Most recently, she was President of Bell Canada’s Wireless and Consumer Divisions where she ran a business generating CA$14bn (c.£8bn) in revenues with more than 8,000 colleagues and over 20 million customer subscriptions. 

Claire also ran The Source, Canada’s largest consumer electronics retailer and has a BSC and MBA. She was the winner of the Top Executive award by the Globe and Mail, in addition to Alumni of the Year for McMaster’s DeGroote School of Business. She is a member of the International Women’s Forum Fellow’s Program and proud vice chair of Kids Help Phone, a youth mental health charity. She is also co-chair of their Feel Out Loud Campaign.

Through careful planning and by prioritising investment in expanding our 4G and 5G networks, with a particular focus on rural communities, we have been able to responsibly begin our 3G retirement process in north Wales this month - a significant milestone in the evolution of Britain’s mobile infrastructure.

I have previously written about enhancements we have made to the radio technology used in our mobile network to give customers a better day-to-day experience once 3G has been retired. With those in place, we adopted the same approach we took for our successful pilot in Warrington last year and were able to smoothly decommission the 3G network across the north of Wales.

Those 3G customers who had no desire or need for 4G mobile data continued to seamlessly use our 2G network for calls and texts. As anticipated, this resulted in a small natural rise in 2G voice traffic (c. 10%) in the region when compared to the week immediately prior to the switch off. This uplift has had no detrimental impact on call setup success rate or network accessibility. In fact, there have been no related performance or congestion issues on our 2G, 4G, or 5G networks in the region post switch-off.

Importantly, our customer care teams have been on hand to support those who needed advice. While only a handful of customers called our support centre, most of those who did already have a 4G-compatible phone but simply had 4G Calling turned off in their settings. As a reminder, any EE customer unsure if their phone is 4G-compatible can text HANDSET to 150 for free to find out.

A welcome boost for Wales

The fact our 4G and 5G connectivity is so widespread has enabled most of our customers to easily transition away from outdated 3G technology. It has also meant the north of Wales is the first area to take an important step towards all the benefits modern mobile networks provide.

This is welcome news for local business leaders in the region, including those at M-SParc, a leading science park and innovation hub for the north of Wales, located in Gaerwen on Anglesey. It opened in 2018 with support from a range of partners, including Bangor University.

Speaking about the importance of mobile connectivity, Pryderi ap Rhisiart, Managing Director at M-SParc, said: “4G and 5G, and the next generation of mobile technology, will continue to transform the way we live and work. It is vital for business growth that companies and innovation hubs like ours have access to these latest generation mobile networks. That goes for whether you are in a busy city centre or in a rural location.

“The big tech developments, from artificial intelligence and autonomous vehicles, to connected IoT devices and data analytics, are all going to rely on fast, reliable connectivity. At M-SParc, we are working on a range of new innovations which require the bandwidth modern networks provide, including an Augmented Reality experience on site where users can learn about M-SParc as they walk around the park. The latest mobile networks and technology will open new opportunities for sectors like agriculture, healthcare, and autonomous vehicles. It is very important therefore that we're connected to the latest networks to keep innovating and pushing the boundaries.”

Dawn of a new era

One of the major benefits of retiring outdated 3G technology that fewer people are using, is that we can reuse the network spectrum – which is a finite resource – to enhance our 4G and 5G performance across the UK, making the everyday mobile experience for our customers even more reliable, sustainable, secure, and much faster. Our aim is to enable a 5G ‘on demand’ connection anywhere beyond our permanent network in the UK by 2028.

So, while retiring 3G may be a small, but significant step forward for all those in the north of Wales, it is the start of a giant leap forward for our customers, the environment, and wider economy as the UK fully embraces the power of modern mobile technologies.

If you or a family member would like more information or advice on 3G retirement, including the dedicated support we have put in place (which includes free 4G-ready mobile phones for vulnerable 3G customers), please visit www.ee.co.uk/3g-switch-off, call 150, or head to your nearest EE store today.

We want to be a personal guide – helping our customers navigate the complex world of technology, devices, platforms, subscriptions and services.

We’re also walking hand in hand with some of the most exciting tech companies in the world to bring our customers the best experiences possible and connect them to new products and services. Today, we’ve unveiled the latest example of that: our partnership with NVIDIA on its cloud gaming service, GeForce NOW.

With the cloud gaming bundles that our teams have worked so hard to put together, we’re able to not only provide customers with membership for one of the best streaming platforms – but also offer them the hardware and data too, helping to make high-level gaming even more accessible and affordable to customers across the UK.

It’s another part of EE’s ongoing ambition to become the number 1 destination for gamers in the UK. But that’s just one piece of the puzzle, and what we’re doing with New EE that we’re bringing to life this summer.

Reinventing retail with our new stores

The networks, platforms and partnerships – such as the one we have with NVIDIA – mean we are pioneers in so many technologies. As a business, we invest billions in technology every year. But we also know that millions of customers still value that personal touch. That’s what our brand is all about. We want EE to be a personal brand that makes sense of the world of technology for our customers.

So, we’re big believers in retail.

Our new EE Studio store in London’s White City is another glimpse into the world of New EE we're building. The space that we've created really says something about our new brand, what it stands for and how we will play a much bigger role in our customers' lives.

Our Studio store brings to life what we’re doing with New EE. It’s designed to help customers build their connected life and home with trusted advice from our guides, and also features one of the UK’s largest dedicated community gaming hubs and a Digital Spa to support digital wellbeing. We’re even selling smart fridges there!

It’s also a hub for the local community to work, learn and play. And I can’t wait to see what our teams have built for the communities in our Experience stores we'll soon be launching in Cardiff, Manchester and Bluewater.

A new standard for home broadband

On the same day we told the world about our new store last month, we also revealed our plans to launch a Full Fibre 1.6Gbps service and a new range of in-home hardware – featuring back-up from EE’s award-winning mobile network. This will be supported by best-in-class Wi-Fi controls designed to help improve experiences in and around the home.

Our new supercharged home broadband services will set the standard for broadband for years to come. The new speeds, hardware and controls have been developed using the experience and expertise of the world-leading BT R&D teams at Adastral Park, and are designed to help customers manage their increasingly busy households.

This will see us bring customers not just the UK’s best mobile network, but the best in-home connectivity too, and marks the next step by EE as lead consumer brand for the BT Group.

A new cloud gaming partnership, new stores and the best Full Fibre home broadband. This is just the start of the new products, services and experiences we will bring our customers. And it really shows how momentum is building for the New EE that we’re creating as we become a new brand and service that does more.

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @marcallera

June 2023

EE has now successfully deployed over 600 street-level mobile sites, known as small cells, across the UK, delivering on its commitment to add hundreds of new sites to the 200 announced just over one year ago.

A further 411 small cell installations are now delivering enhanced capacity in high demand areas, including in major cities such as Birmingham, Brighton and Sheffield, ensuring customers can take advantage of download speeds of up to 300Mbps even at the busiest of times.

Other new locations to benefit from EE’s ongoing small cells deployment include the cities of Swansea, Leicester, Coventry, Wolverhampton, Southampton and York. Meanwhile a host of seasonal hotspots have also received a timely connectivity boost ahead of the Summer, including Newquay, Paignton, Salcombe, Southend-on-Sea and Clacton-on-Sea.

Small cells take advantage of existing street assets, such as BT’s iconic red telephone boxes, to help enhance street-level mobile coverage in busy areas where it’s impractical to build larger sites, such as city-centres and transport hubs. As well as being located on phone boxes, lamp posts and CCTV columns, EE has installed approximately 60 small cells on BT’s innovative new digital Street Hubs, further maximising the benefit of these assets to communities.

EE’s 611 small cell sites currently carry 20TB of data traffic every day – the equivalent of streaming 8,000 hours of HD video or 280,000 hours of music – demonstrating the substantial value they offer to customers in high demand areas, as well as the importance of EE’s strategy to build prior to the arrival of any congestion whenever possible.

Sites are identified via advanced network analytics, which highlights specific locations that would most benefit from the performance boost enabled by a small cell. Then, working alongside Nokia, EE deploys a 4G small cell solution which couples its licenced 1800MHz and 2600Mhz spectrum with unlicenced 5GHz spectrum to deliver standout speed and capacity.

James Hope, Director of Mobile Radio Access Networks, EE: “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, and 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.”

Mark Atkinson, SVP, Radio Access Networks PLM at Nokia: “Nokia has an extensive portfolio of high-capacity outdoor and indoor small cells that deliver premium 4G and 5G network performance in dense urban and in-building environments. This latest deployment will ensure that EE’s customers benefit from seamless connectivity particularly in congested or high-demand areas at multiple cities across the UK. We are delighted to continue our partnership with EE and support their ambition to deliver the country’s best network.”

EE’s continued network investment will see hundreds more small cells deployed in the coming months, both in existing and new towns and cities. EE is also trialling the extension of small cells to accommodate its 5G network, with Nokia’s AirScale portfolio able to seamlessly upgrade to 5G.

Last year, EE announced its first such small cell deployments, which brought additional 4G capacity to cities including Leeds, London, Manchester, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool, Nottingham and Scarborough.

In Newcastle, EE has worked with the City Council to deploy over 20 small cells so far, making use of existing street furniture to boost capacity in busy locations including the city centre, Newcastle University, and in proximity to St James’ Park stadium.

Cllr Alex Hay, Newcastle City Council cabinet member for a Resilient City: “We’re really pleased to be working with EE to improve infrastructure and increase digital connectivity across the city. Matchdays see more than 50,000 people concentrated in a small area, and anyone who has attended football matches and other large events will know it can be difficult to obtain a mobile signal in those environments. By enabling the use of our assets for EE to deploy small cells, we’re boosting connectivity and giving residents and visitors alike an improved experience in our city. We’re proud of our reputation as a leading smart, modern city and are always willing to work with others to further develop local infrastructure.”

*Rankings based on RootMetrics® UK and metro RootScore® reports: H2 2022. Tested with 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. Reports at RootMetrics.co.uk. Visit ee.co.uk/claims for more details.

BT today switched on its IoT National Roaming SIMs for businesses across the UK, allowing them to keep smart devices connected wherever they are.

IoT national roaming SIMs allow smart devices to connect to mobile networks ensuring they stay connected while on the move or in remote locations. BT’s IoT national roaming SIMs will connect devices to the UK’s best and largest network, EE, meaning data is quickly and reliably relayed where it’s needed most. As well as a primary connection to EE, part of BT Group, the SIM can connect to multiple other major UK networks, helping to keep smart devices online.

The rollout of BT’s new service is set to benefit courier and delivery companies in particular by giving them reliable, fast network access no matter where they are - whether in cities, rural areas, or by the coast. Just last week EE announced the arrival of 5G to over 500 new, predominantly rural locations, bringing the total number of UK cities, towns and villages where customers can access the service to over 1,000. At the same time, EE’s leading 4G network coverage is on track to reach 90% of the UK’s geographic landmass by the mid-2020s.

The new IoT service will help end users such as drivers and delivery workers improve accuracy and efficiency by giving them access to important information in real-time. An example of this would be providing visibility of fuel efficiency, changes to a delivery schedule and cold chain management so temperatures can be constantly monitored on a refrigerated vehicle.

IoT national roaming ensures that devices can continue performing to a high standard even in the harshest remote conditions thanks to the enterprise-grade IoT sims, offering reliable, fast connectivity. BT is also offering the product at the same competitive price as its existing pay-as-you-use IoT SIM service, meaning businesses only pay for the data they use rather than risking underutilising data on a fixed rate.

Marc Overton, Managing Director, Division X at BT, said: “Businesses across the UK are increasingly understanding the benefits of using IoT devices in running their operations. And now, with the unveiling of our IoT national roaming SIMs, we're making sure those connections stay strong no matter where business takes you. Whether in the heart of a bustling city or out in the countryside, our solution ensures data is transmitted quickly and reliably. We're excited to help both our existing and new customers fully harness the power of their smart devices with lightning-fast mobile connectivity.”

In addition to the improved connectivity, BT's IoT national roaming service will offer a secure management portal with full security measures to protect important data and help businesses keep track of all their smart devices. The added security helps to ensure the safe and efficient use of devices, allowing companies to focus on their core operations without worrying about data breaches or device mismanagement.

The launch of BT’s IoT offering is poised to shake up the B2B IoT market thanks to its connectivity capabilities, powered by the UK's largest and most reliable network, EE. The added benefit of being able to switch to other operator networks, when necessary, also offers greater simplicity for businesses with many currently negotiating separate deals with mobile network operators depending on where they have operations in the country.

To find out more about how you can utilise BT’s IoT national roaming SIMs, please visit here.

ENDS

Notes to editors

*EE is the UK’s best network as shown by RootMetrics, offering the best coverage, fastest speeds and most reliable connection – as well as 5G in more cities than any other network

*The IoT National Roaming SIM can operate via 2G, 3G (EE’s 3G network will be retired in early 2024), 4G, 5G as well as LPWAN

9 February 2023, London: EE today announces new details of its nationwide investment to connect the UK to 5G, with the technology reaching hundreds of rural communities across the UK for the first time. A series of new innovations that will boost the range, resilience and energy efficiency of mobile connectivity in the years ahead have also been unveiled.

5G rollout windfall for rural communities

EE’s 5G network, which already reaches nearly every major UK town and city as well as over 60% of the population, is now expanding into more rural populations. Nearly 500 smaller communities, including Church Stretton and Birkenshaw in England, Llandeilo and Pen-y-banc (Carmarthenshire) in Wales and Tayport and Ratho in Scotland, now have their first 5G signal from EE, bringing the total number of UK cities, towns and villages where customers can access EE 5G to over 1,000.

As part of the rollout, EE’s 5G is also reaching National Parks and popular rural tourist destinations. Among seasonal hotspots seeing a 5G boost are Berwick-upon-Tweed and Windermere in England, Brecon (Aberhonddu), Dolgellau (Gwynedd) and Narberth (Pembrokeshire) in Wales, and Fort William in Scotland. The Brecon Beacons, Pembrokeshire Coast and The Broads are also named as the first National Parks to be getting the technology, which will deliver better performance and connectivity for residents, businesses and visitors. The investment in rural coverage is part of a commitment to deliver an EE 5G solution anywhere in the UK by 2028.

Technological innovation drives network improvements

BT Group has announced it is testing a range of innovative technologies to boost the range, reliability and energy efficiency of its networks. These include:

• UK’s first 4G sent over low earth orbit satellite: BT Group has partnered with OneWeb to achieve the first transmission of 4G data using a low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite link to connect an EE mast to the mobile core network, instead of a traditional line of sight microwave or fibre connection. This paves the way for connecting small ultra-remote communities, emergency responders and disaster recovery units and other temporary deployments like festivals, events or construction sites.
• Mobile coverage in harder to reach areas: In collaboration with Stratospheric Platforms Ltd (SPL), BT Group is running a trial that aims to deliver mobile coverage from the air using a ‘High Altitude Platform’ (HAPS) system being tested at BT’s Global innovation centre (Adastral Park). This has the potential to unlock connectivity for the most remote areas.
• Self-powering sites: EE is weeks away from launching its first self-powering mast using sustainable energy, in Wales’ Elan Valley. Initial assessments demonstrate that local sourced renewable energy (wind and solar) can contribute up to 90% of the site’s requirements.
• Biofuels phase-in: Trials are commencing to test the use of biofuels like Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), Biogas and Hydrogen in network generators to support wider resilience. EE will initially implement the solutions as a trial across 20 physical sites.

Underlying 4G leadership the key to a quicker rollout

EE has also revealed that its 4G network is on track to pass 90% of the UK’s geographic landmass by the mid-2020s thanks in part to the huge investment made in network infrastructure in line with its commitment to the Shared Rural Network (SRN). EE’s founding 4G network stretches more than 2,500 square miles further than the nearest challenger, with new 4G coverage added to nearly 50 locations every single month over the past three years. The network expects its landmark 1,500^th upgrade under the SRN as early as next month.

Wi-Fi coverage boost to mobile signal

EE’s Wi-Fi coverage boost, which launched last year, offers customers access to more than 150,000 Wi-Fi hotspots, all based in rural or indoor locations. Customers have already downloaded more than 350TB of accumulative data using the new feature – equivalent to streaming HD television continuously for 13 years - in areas where it wasn’t previously achievable.

Howard Watson, Chief Security and Networks officer, BT Group, said: “The network rollout progress announced today is a critical step toward meeting our goal of enabling a 5G connection anywhere in the UK by 2028. The strength of our underlying 4G network, thanks in part to improvements made under the Shared Rural Network, has put us in the best position to make widespread 5G coverage improvements outside of big cities. Speaking as a technologist, I’m proud of the way BT Group is applying new innovations to reduce the digital divide.”

About EE

EE runs the UK's biggest and fastest mobile network, offering superfast connections in more places than any other operator. EE brought the first 4G network to the UK in October 2012 and launched the UK’s first 5G network in May 2019.

EE has received extensive independent recognition, including being named the UK’s no.1 5G network and the UK's best network every year since 2014 by RootMetrics®. In 2022 EE was named best network at the Mobile Industry Awards.

As well as offering mobile services to consumers and small and medium businesses, EE also provides home and business broadband using both 4G and fixed line connections.

EE is committed to being number one for service in the industry and has nearly 600 shops across the UK. EE remains the only mobile provider to answer 100% of customer calls in the UK and Ireland and was recognised as the UK’s Best Large Contact Centre by the UK Customer Experience Awards 2018 and Welsh Contact Centre Awards 2019. EE was awarded The Sunday Times’ Best 100 Companies to Work for in 2018 and 2019, as well as being named Best Employer 2018 by the European Contact Centre & Customer Service awards.

EE is part of BT’s Consumer business unit which provides products and services to all of BT’s consumer customers in the UK. Follow us on:

Facebook at: www.facebook.com/ee
Twitter at: www.twitter.com/ee
YouTube at: www.youtube.com/ee
LinkedIn at: www.linkedin.com/company/ee-uk

February 2023

EE customers are now able to enjoy 5G connectivity on the London Underground, with the network’s high-speed coverage live at three stations – Archway and Tufnell Park on the Northern line, as well as Notting Hill Gate on the Central line.

In addition to continuous 5G coverage from ticket hall to platform at all three stations, 5G is also live within the tunnel segment at Notting Hill Gate and the same will be true for Archway and Tufnell Park shortly. This will enable passengers to communicate with friends and colleagues or stream content uninterrupted.

In December 2022 these three stations were amongst the first beyond the eastern half of the Jubilee Line to benefit from EE’s 4G coverage, and the arrival of London’s best 5G Network* is the next significant step in the operator’s plans to roll-out mobile coverage across the entirety of the London Underground network, as well as the Elizabeth line, by the end of 2024.

5G will be extended to the tunnels surrounding each of the stations in the near future as part of EE and BAI’s ongoing rollout, which will also see both 4G and 5G arrive at a host of new stations throughout 2023 and beyond.

5G not only delivers faster speeds for customers but also greater capacity when layered on top of the concurrent deployment of 4G, which will prove invaluable – particularly during busy periods such as the morning and evening rush hour.

BAI’s innovative multi-carrier network connects London Underground’s stations and tunnels both with each other and with the outside world. EE’s mobile network then connects to the BAI infrastructure via basestations from Nokia’s AirScale radio access portfolio, ensuring immediate and continuous mobile coverage to customers. Nokia is supplying and installing the equipment, activating and validating the infrastructure for EE’s mobile services.

With compact and easy to deploy form factors, AirScale radios and baseband units are designed to meet various deployment needs. The basestation equipment powered by Nokia’s unique ReefShark System-on-Chip (SoC) enables high performance 5G services.

Greg McCall, Chief Networks Officer, BT, said: “We’re proud to bring 5G coverage to the London Underground for the first time, maintaining our position at the forefront of what is a hugely important and transformative project for the city. It’s also a further demonstration of our ambition to deliver 5G connectivity anywhere in the UK by 2028, as we continue to make great progress in our efforts to build an unbeatable 5G network.”

Theo Blackwell MBE, London's Chief Digital Officer, said: "It’s great to see super high-speed 5G mobile connectivity now available at a number of Tube stations, proving that the state-of-the-art technology being installed across the network is already future-proofed and adaptable for the next generation of mobile signal. The Mayor committed to Londoners that we would deliver 4G throughout the Tube network as part of his determination to build a better London for everyone and today marks the latest step forward as we work to improve digital connectivity at home, in our high streets, public spaces and across the transport network."

Phil Siveter CEO UK&I, Nokia, said: “We are delighted to be selected as EE’s primary network provider for this important project that will provide premium 5G connectivity to commuters on the world-famous London Underground. We have worked hand-in-hand with BT for over a quarter of a century and are proud to be their largest equipment and services provider. The scope of this project will include providing coverage across tunnels, platforms and stations and is another important step forward in the digitalisation of the UK economy.”

*Rankings based on RootMetrics® UK and metro RootScore® reports: H2 2022. Tested with 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. Reports at RootMetrics.co.uk. Visit ee.co.uk/claims for more details.

December 2022

EE’s high-speed 4G mobile coverage is now available to customers across a new wave of London Underground stations for the first time, adding to the already-live eastern half of the Jubilee Line.

In partnership with BAI Communications, EE is delivering the UK’s best mobile network* to six new stations across the world’s oldest underground network, covering parts of both the Central and Northern lines.

This means customers can now stay in touch with friends, stream their favourite shows or catch-up on their social media feeds, completely uninterrupted. Meanwhile businesses will also benefit from expanded high-speed coverage below ground, ensuring less calls are dropped and helping give the city’s productivity a boost.

Initially coverage will be live at and between Holland Park, Notting Hill Gate and Queensway on the Central line, as well as Archway, Tufnell Park and Kentish Town on the Northern line. In the coming weeks, following further testing over the Christmas period, this will be extended to additional stations - including Camden Town, Tottenham Court Road and Oxford Circus in the new year.

The connectivity is achieved by taking advantage of BAI’s innovative multi-carrier network, which links the tunnels and stations of the London Underground both with each other and, crucially, with the outside world. EE’s mobile network immediately connects to BAI’s infrastructure, subsequently delivering continuous mobile coverage to customers whether they’re in the ticket hall, waiting on the platform, or travelling on a train midway between stations.

BAI’s infrastructure will also be 5G-ready, allowing for seamless ongoing upgrades in the future, and in many cases both 4G and 5G will be rolled out concurrently.

Working closely with BAI, EE intends to rollout to a host of additional stations throughout 2023 and, by the end of 2024, customers will be able to enjoy access to 4G across the entirety of the London Underground, as well as the Elizabeth line, with 5G at the vast majority of locations.

Greg McCall, Chief Networks Officer, BT, said: “We’re delighted to be at the forefront of such a transformative project, supporting BAI in delivering what will ultimately be the largest and most advanced network of its type anywhere in the world, and one which aligns with our ongoing mission to digitise the UK through major investment in, and enhancement of, our mobile and fibre networks. It’s also yet another milestone in our ambition to deliver high-speed 4G and 5G EE mobile connectivity to as much of the UK as possible, including previously unreachable locations.”

The Deputy Mayor for Transport, Seb Dance, said: “Today marks a great step forward in the delivery of mobile connectivity on the Tube, as Londoners will now have increased access to high-speed mobile coverage when travelling through more Tube stations. The Mayor pledged to Londoners that he would deliver 4G throughout the Tube network as part of his commitment to building a better London for everyone - and I have no doubt that this expansion of coverage will help transform journeys for millions of passengers."

Background:

BT Group is also playing a crucial role in enabling BAI to deliver its host multi-carrier infrastructure, with BT Wholesale providing the company with premium data centre space in London, along with high-bandwidth connectivity, while using 100 per cent renewable power for all sites. All UK mobile operators are able to co-locate their equipment within these data centres, with BT Wholesale operating and managing the sites as a neutral party on behalf of EE and all other UK mobile operators.

*Rankings based on RootMetrics UK and metro RootScore® reports: From H2 2013 to H1 2022. Tested with 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. Reports at RootMetrics.co.uk. Visit ee.co.uk/claims for more details.

15 December 2022, London, EE has built or upgraded over 500 4G sites across the UK since December 2021, as part of the Shared Rural Network (SRN) initiative to extend coverage in rural areas across the UK.

The investment constitutes the latest expansion of EE’s 4G coverage across remote parts of the UK. In total, EE has upgraded 1362 sites since the SRN deal was signed in March 2020, bringing improved connectivity to each UK nation.

EE plans to deliver around 900 more upgrades to rural areas of the UK by 2024, with each home nation receiving additional coverage.

Philip Jansen, Chief Executive of BT Group, said: “BT is committed to ensuring that even the most remote areas of the country are connected. Despite a challenging economic environment, we’re continuing to invest in rural infrastructure to achieve that. EE’s 4G has expanded by 500 square miles over the past year and we continue to be the sole provider of mobile services in many areas of the UK.”

Driving Home for Christmas

Many of the upgrades have helped improved coverage throughout the UK’s road network, a key benefit of the Shared Rural Network programme. Whether using the motorway network, or driving along key local roads, those travelling to see loved ones over Christmas will find the widest 4G coverage yet, helping to keep kids entertained with streaming movies and festive hits. Roads getting better coverage from EE under the programme include the M1, M4 and M6 in England, A487, A489 and A4212 in Wales, A838, A85 and A90 in Scotland and A1 and A24 in Northern Ireland.

About EE

EE runs the UK's biggest and fastest mobile network, offering superfast connections in more places than any other operator. EE brought the first 4G network to the UK in October 2012 and launched the UK’s first 5G network in May 2019.

EE has received extensive independent recognition, including being named the UK’s no.1 5G network by RootMetrics® in 2020 and being named the UK's best network every year since 2014 for the following awards: The Mobile Choice Awards, The Mobile Industry Awards and by RootMetrics®.

As well as offering mobile services to consumers and small and medium businesses, EE also provides home and business broadband using both 4G and fixed line connections.

EE is committed to being number one for service in the industry and has nearly 600 shops across the UK. EE remains the only mobile provider to answer 100% of customer calls in the UK and Ireland and was recognised as the UK’s Best Large Contact Centre by the UK Customer Experience Awards 2018 and Welsh Contact Centre Awards 2019. EE was awarded The Sunday Times’ Best 100 Companies to Work for in 2018 and 2019, as well as being named Best Employer 2018 by the European Contact Centre & Customer Service awards.

EE is part of BT’s Consumer business unit which provides products and services to all of BT’s consumer customers in the UK. Follow us on:

Facebook at: www.facebook.com/ee
Twitter at: www.twitter.com/ee
YouTube at: www.youtube.com/ee
LinkedIn at: www.linkedin.com/company/ee-uk

EE and BT Sport are teaming up to search for a duo to provide British Sign Language (BSL) commentary around a range of BT Sport programming in 2023, including the UEFA Champions League Final.

Launching today, New Signing will provide two BSL commentators or presenters with a first-of-its-kind opportunity to train up with BT Sport so that they can sign at some of the biggest BT Sport football games next season, including the FA Disability Cup 2023.

New Signing is open to anyone to apply who would like the opportunity to enhance BT Sport’s football coverage through BSL – the two people selected will have the opportunity to add their own BSL commentary to some key footballing moments on BT Sport, whilst documenting their journey across BT Sport and online next year.

Anyone interested in entering and to find out more can visit https://www.bt.com/sport/bt-sport-united/new-signing

New Signing is the latest EE initiative, as part of its long-term partnerships with each of the four Home Nations Football Associations, to support the growth of disability football on and off the pitch, ensuring the game is as inclusive as possible for fans and spectators with disabilities. This includes Para Football Adventures - a documentary series fronted by Alex Brooker and Chelcee Grimes shining a floodlight on para and disability football and meeting some of the inspirational people that make up the game. Meanwhile EE and The FA recently opened two multi-purpose sensory rooms at Wembley Stadium to better accommodate neuro-divergent guests and their families.

For BT Sport, New Signing continues its work to make its broadcasts as accessible as possible for all of its viewers. Over the past two years, BT Sport has broadcast The FA Disability Cup exclusively live with enhanced Audio Description, BSL, and, sub-titles. This season, BT Sport is also increasing the amount of subtitled sports content that it provides viewers by more than 100 hours per month, and, later this season will launch a new series with BSL that focuses on the issues facing deaf and hard of hearing sports fans.

Pete Jeavons, Marketing Communications Director, BT & EE said: “As lead partner of The FA, EE is committed to enhance access to football for everyone. Our New Signing partnership with BT Sport will not only make key BT Sport programming more accessible, but provide a unique opportunity for two BSL experts to develop their careers in sport broadcast.”

Jamie Hindhaugh, Head of BT Sport said: “BT Sport is committed to providing the best possible experience for anyone who loves watching football on TV. We are working hard to make our programming as accessible as possible and we have a range of exciting initiatives planned for the season ahead. It’s fantastic to be able to work with EE to create more BSL content for our viewers.”

England international deaf footballer Will Palmer said: “It’s massive that EE and BT Sport are providing this opportunity for BSL signers to feature so prominently in their football coverage. This will be a big step for the deaf football community and I am really excited to see the New Signing pundits in position over the coming months.

“During the making of the New Signing advert it was a great experience to meet the England senior players and to teach them some BSL words and terms. We spoke about the importance of communication and inclusion within football, and I am proud that we have been able to launch the New Signing initiative together.”

Rebecca Mansell, Chief Executive of the British Deaf Association said: “EE and BT Sport have set a brilliant example of what it means to successfully collaborate effectively with the Deaf community to produce an outstanding and inclusive campaign. Ever since the British Deaf Association was established in 1890, it has been our mission to ensure a world in which the language, culture, community, diversity and heritage of Deaf people in the UK is respected and fully protected.

“Earlier this year, our decades of campaigning paid off when Parliament passed the BSL Act 2022, giving legal recognition to British Sign Language as a language of Great Britain for the first time. We look forward to collaborating further with EE and BT Sport to protect, preserve and promote British Sign Language for generations to come."

Amanda Casson Webb, Joint Chief Executive, Royal Association for Deaf (RAD) people, said: “RAD’s vision is a future of opportunity, achievement and equality for deaf people. We are passionate about collaborating with organisations that share our aspiration - and are proud to have partnered BT Sport on ‘New Signing’, a project that we welcome as a real step-change for the Deaf Community. We look forward to seeing more deaf talent and BSL commentary on mainstream TV.”

Teri Devine, Associate Director for Inclusion at RNID, said: “We applaud BT Sport and EE for their ‘New Signing’ initiative. British Sign Language (BSL) is the first language of 87,000 Deaf people in the UK and they have a right to enjoy football games as much as anyone. Representation matters, and we are thrilled that this opportunity will lead to thousands of Deaf football fans being able to watch and engage with the ‘beautiful game’.  For support or information, please visit RNID.org.uk.”

ENDS

About BT Sport

Launched in 2013, BT Sport broadcasts in the UK and Republic of Ireland. BT Sport offers five linear TV channels BT Sport 1, BT Sport 2, BT Sport 3, BT Sport ESPN, BT Sport Ultimate, six interactive BT Sport Extra channels and is available on BT TV, Sky, Virgin Media and Talk Talk. BT Sport is also available online and via the App on mobile and large screen devices and operates pay per view channel, BT Sport Box Office.

BT Sport has a track record of innovation, operating from one of industry’s most sophisticated sports TV studios, and delivering world-firsts around Virtual Reality, Dolby Atmos, 4K UHD and remote production. Its achievements have been recognized with awards from IBC, Promax, Music Week and more.

As well as the sole UK rights holder for the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League, BT Sport offers live sport programming including the Premier League, boxing, UFC, WWE, Gallagher Premiership Rugby, Heineken Champions Cup and MotoGP.

About EE

EE runs the UK's biggest and fastest mobile network, offering superfast connections in more places than any other operator. EE brought the first 4G network to the UK in October 2012, and launched the UK’s first 5G network in May 2019.

EE has received extensive independent recognition, including being named the UK’s no.1 5G network by RootMetrics® in 2020 and 2021, and the UK's best network every year since 2014 for the following awards: The Mobile Choice Awards, The Mobile Industry Awards and by RootMetrics®.

As well as delivering mobile services to consumers, small and medium businesses, corporate customers and Government programmes, EE also provides home and business broadband using both 4G and fixed line connections.

EE is committed to being number one for service in the industry, and has nearly 600 shops across the UK. EE remains the only mobile provider to answer 100% of customer calls in the UK and Ireland and was recognised as the UK’s Best Large Contact Centre by the UK Customer Experience Awards 2018 and Welsh Contact Centre Awards 2019. EE was awarded The Sunday Times’ Best 100 Companies to Work for in 2018 and 2019, as well as being named Best Employer 2018 by the European Contact Centre & Customer Service awards.

27 October 2022

EE, part of the BT Group, is deploying Ericsson’s latest ultra-lightweight radio technology to deliver improved 5G energy efficiency and network performance across the UK’s leading mobile network.

Massive MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) technology delivers 5G over more antennas from a single site, improving capacity and coverage. With up to 40 per cent less weight (14kg) and volume (25 litres) than the previous generation of radio equipment, Ericsson’s AIR 3268 is the lightest and smallest Massive MIMO radio equipment in the industry and is also the most energy efficient radio equipment of this type deployed in Europe. Field measurements in active deployment have shown a reduction of up to 40 per cent in energy usage, helping deliver immediate energy savings during a difficult time as well as contributing to BT Group’s wider sustainability goals.

Operating within EE’s 3.4GHz and 3.6GHz spectrum bands, the new radio kit will initially be deployed on more than 1,000 sites. It will not only offer substantial energy efficiencies, but also improve capacity, coverage and speed to deliver a better mobile experience for customers. The reduced size and weight of the equipment, initially developed in partnership between the companies last year, has additional benefits. Accelerated 5G upgrades will now be possible in some areas previously constrained by building regulations or planning law, because older technology would have required an increase in mast height or load bearing.

EE’s first deployments of the equipment are in London, with sites in Manchester, Leeds, Edinburgh, and Belfast to follow this year. The improved technology will be expanded to more urban and suburban areas in the future, where Ericsson is a key partner for EE.

Greg McCall, Chief Networks Officer, BT Group, said: “We’ve already made significant progress in making EE a more efficient network, delivering vast quantities of additional data without equivalent energy increases. Our partnership with Ericsson is a further milestone in this journey, enabling us not only to accelerate our 5G rollout in city centres, but to do so in a more sustainable way. That’s good for us, but also incredibly important to our customers and the planet.”

Björn Odenhammar, CTO, Networks and Managed Services, Ericsson UK and Ireland, said: “It is incredibly exciting to see our partnership with BT Group succeed with such fantastic results. This is a great step forward for the deployment of 5G in the UK and gives a much-needed boost in both 5G coverage and mid-band performance. Together we are not only leading the delivery of next-generation connectivity across the country, but also reducing energy consumption to build a more sustainable mobile network of the future.”

Background:

The deployment of AIR 3268 has been the result of a long-term development partnership between BT Group and Ericsson to address 5G deployment challenges. First announced in September last year, the ultra-lightweight radio equipment has been designed for 5G mid-band Massive MIMO performance to deliver the benefits of spectrum efficiency, deployment flexibility and improved energy efficiency.

As part of the collaboration with Ericsson, EE is also testing more advanced equipment in the future, including a new software feature called ‘deep sleep’ which can save energy by consuming up to 70 per cent less power per radio during low traffic hours. The two companies are committed to continually evolving the network in the most sustainable way possible

BT Group and Ericsson are both founding companies of the 1.5°C Supply Chain Leaders initiative. The 1.5°C Supply Chain Leaders work together to drive climate action throughout global supply chains and support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through the SME Climate Hub, understanding the need to work with and support suppliers to halve emissions before 2030 and achieve net zero emissions before 2050.

-Ends-

About Ericsson

Ericsson enables communications service providers and enterprises to capture the full value of connectivity. The company’s portfolio spans the following business areas: Networks, Cloud Software and Services, Enterprise Wireless Solutions, Global Communications Platform, and Technologies and New Businesses. It is designed to help our customers go digital, increase efficiency and find new revenue streams. 

Ericsson’s innovation investments have delivered the benefits of mobility and mobile broadband to billions of people globally. Ericsson stock is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm and on Nasdaq New York. www.ericsson.com

Combining the latest devices with the UK’s best mobile network and an array of new digital tools, EE’s new Connected Laptop for small businesses product is packed with features to help firms which are just starting out or which are looking to grow.

Available now, EE’s Connected Laptop for small businesses combines the best of both EE and BT’s industry leading products and services and includes the following in one easy-to-use, great value package:

• Extensive choice of laptops from Samsung, Lenovo and Acer, complete with a built-in 4G/5G SIM and flexible mobile data plan to keep small firms connected when on-the-go.
• A choice of Smart Benefits for work and play. Customers can choose from one additional Smart Benefit when taking a Business Smart plan, such as access to the Microsoft Office 365 business collaboration tool; entertainment benefits like Apple Music and BT Sport; or EE’s Roam Abroad Pass.
• Free Digital Marketing Hub campaign for first time customers – an exclusive offer on the new all-in-one advertising platform which gives small firms all the tools and support they need to reach potential new customers.¹
• A free Square digital payment reader – a simple and affordable way for small firms to accept contactless payments, with the first £1000 worth of card transactions provided free from fees.²

Caroline Southall, Director of SoHo (Small office/Home office) said: “EE Connected Laptop combines the best of EE and BT – the UK’s fastest and most reliable mobile network, the best business devices, new digital tools, and entertainment services.

“It’s the latest example of how we’re going the extra mile for sole traders and micro-businesses, by constantly innovating to launch new feature-rich products which are great value, easy to use and save our customers’ time.

“The last few years have shown us that people can work from anywhere. This neat package gives the UK’s smallest firms the speed, reliability, and flexibility they need to get up and running fast, wherever their location. What’s more, they can boost their sales and reach by gaining access to smart business tools like digital marketing and contactless payments.”

EE’s Connected Laptop range offers small businesses a device for any budget and includes the Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 5G which is available from £42 per month, available on 24 month and 36 month plans.

Customers also benefit from a Stay Connected Guarantee, Next Day Device Replacement and an Annual Device MOT – all underpinned by access to the UK’s most reliable mobile network.

The launch of EE’s new range of Connected Laptop’s for small businesses sees BT’s Enterprise business follow through on the latest commitment contained within its recently launched Enterprise Customer Charter. This is a new set of initiatives aimed at boosting the growth of UK businesses and public sector bodies, with the company committing to pioneering a new suite of smart business tools for small firms. These will combine the best of both BT and EE’s industry leading capabilities to help the UK’s smallest businesses thrive and free up time.

Ends

¹ Please refer to Digital Marketing Hub | Your first digital marketing campaign is free (bt.com) for more information and offer T&Cs.

² Please refer to page 59 in the EE Price Guide for Small Business for Square offer T&Cs

• New research from BT reveals that 71% of older people say sharing videos and pictures with family helps tackle isolation but only 17% actually do this regularly
• Research comes as BT customer service advisor Ricky teams up with football legend Sir Geoff Hurst to make lifelong fan’s dream come true whilst teaching him a  new digital skill
• BT has pledged to equip 25 million people with new digital skills by 2026, including the older generation

Monday 26th September 2022 New research from BT reveals more than nearly half¹ of over 70s don’t feel fully confident using their mobile phones beyond simple calls. Despite this, almost three quarters believe phones improve connections with their family and friends

The research also shows nearly three quarters of older people using their mobile device to connect with important services like doctors say it has improved their independence. Lifelong learning is key as 80% of over-65s want to be even more proficient when it comes to the digital world and 60% want to learn a new skill, according to the research.

To help improve digital skills for older people BT has teamed up with football legend Sir Geoff Hurst and building on the connections made through its Care Home Companions scheme. Born out of a project set-up by a group of BT employees in 2020 to help tackle loneliness in the UK, Care Home Companions sees customer service advisors using their personal  and local communication skills to chat with residents who might not have anyone else to talk to on a regular basis.

Care Home resident Bill suffered isolation and loneliness during lockdown and was paired with Ricky through the scheme. With the help of Sir Geoff, Ricky has made Bill’s, a lifelong football fan’s dream come true, by recreating the most famous goal in England’s history whilst teaching him a digital skill.

Sir Geoff, 80, helped footie fan Bill Oliphant, 72, commentate his hat-trick goal from the 1966 World Cup Final, with the famous line “They think it’s all over… it is now”. Ricky and Sir Geoff guided Bill to share the moment through a video call with friends at his care home.

Ricky and Bill first struck up a friendship in 2020 and continued having weekly phone calls ever since. The pair forged a bond over their love of football and Bill’s passion for commentating.

BT and EE contact centre teams take great pride in their unique role of connecting people. The employee-led initiative, Care Home Companions gives back to local communities and continues to support the most vulnerable.

BT’s digital skills programme teaches vital digital skills, so everyone can benefit from staying connected, such as making video calls and sending texts. BT have committed to reach 25 million people with help to make the most of life in the digital world by 2026 and have so far upskilled 14.7 million people.

Sir Geoff Hurst said: “What BT are doing to get older people to connect with technology is fantastic.

“At my age, I meet a lot of people who are on their own and suffer with loneliness. I am fortunate that I’m in regular contact with my immediate family including a WhatsApp group called ‘Family Bants’.

“But there are people such as Bill who have very little family around them or at all so it’s a great thing to connect them - through technology - so they can speak to their mates or people they have lost contact with years ago.”

Bill, from Ashington, Northumberland, said: “Meeting Sir Geoff was a dream come true - I’m a huge football fan and being able to commentate ‘that’ moment was incredible. Even more so because we were able to share it with my friend too.

“I don’t get many visitors at the home anyway and when Covid hit, the number dropped to almost none.

“I did feel really lonely and one of the few people I spoke to regularly was Ricky - we bonded over our love of football - and he’s really given me the confidence to try out new technology that makes things easier for me.

“I’m not very good on electronics so I’m very grateful to Ricky for teaching me, every bit of advice I get is really appreciated.”

Ricky, Customer Care Advisor at BT said: “This scheme really resonated with me because my Nana and Grandad live in a rural area and don't have people around them. Luckily, just before COVID I taught them how to make video calls, and upgraded my Grandad to a smartphone and taught him how to use it.

“But I’ve seen first-hand what difference that makes to them just to see each other face-to-face. So, I thought it would be nice to do that with someone else as well.  

"When I was introduced to Bill, we quickly bonded over Newcastle United, and I learnt that he's a huge supporter. Bill told me all about when he was younger, that he used to go to all the games - he still commentates over old football games with me. And he is actually a really good commentator, and it's great to listen to.”

Tania Caporaso, BT’s Director of Customer Care, said: “Personal connections are at the heart of everything we do, whether that’s helping families and friends stay in touch by phone, emails, texts or the small interactions our advisors make with customers everyday as we help solve their issues.

“So, when our customer service advisors suggested using their professional skills and to volunteer to help lonely care home residents back in 2020 – I couldn’t think of a better way to help older people in our local communities.

“This wonderful moment between Ricky and Bill shows what a big impact a weekly call can have and seeing them meet for the first time shows the power of that connection. Starting with a simple phone call Ricky is now helping Bill to learn new digital skills to stay connected in different ways.”

-ENDS-

Notes to editors

*Survey of 2,001 UK consumers aged 50 and above carried out in March and April 2022 by Sapio Research, on behalf of EE.

About Care Home Companions

In line with BT’s mission to Connect for Good, Care Home Companions was born out of an existing project set-up by a group of BT employees in 2020 to help tackle loneliness in the UK. BT, EE and Plusnet contact centre colleagues volunteer to regularly chat with care home residents to keep them company - volunteers work with the care home managers to find a companion with similar interests and find a suitable time to help get the budding friendships off to the best start.

The scheme’s launch was hugely successful, with around 140 volunteers making over 1600 calls to care homes in the North East during 2020, so in 2021 it was expanded to over 300 care homes nationwide with their partner HC-One.

BT colleagues use their personable and local communication skills they’ve learnt as customer service advisors to chat with residents who might not have anyone else to talk to on a regular basis.

About EE

EE runs the UK's biggest and fastest mobile network, offering superfast connections in more places than any other operator. EE brought the first 4G network to the UK in October 2012, and launched the UK’s first 5G network in May 2019.

EE has received extensive independent recognition, including being named the UK’s no.1 5G network by RootMetrics® in 2020 and 2021, and the UK’s best network by RootMetrics® every year since 2014, as well as being named Network of the Year at the 2022 Mobile Industry Awards.

As well as delivering mobile services to consumers, small and medium businesses, corporate customers and Government programmes, EE also provides home and business broadband using both 4G and fixed line connections.

EE is committed to being number one for service in the industry, and has nearly 600 shops across the UK. EE remains the only mobile provider to answer 100% of customer calls in the UK and Ireland and was recognised as the UK’s Best Large Contact Centre by the UK Customer Experience Awards 2018 and Welsh Contact Centre Awards 2019. EE was awarded The Sunday Times’ Best 100 Companies to Work for in 2018 and 2019, as well as being named Best Employer 2018 by the European Contact Centre & Customer Service awards.

EE is part of BT’s Consumer business unit which provides products and services to all of BT’s consumer customers in the UK.

Follow us on…

Facebook at: www.facebook.com/ee

Twitter at: www.twitter.com/ee

YouTube at: www.youtube.com/ee

LinkedIn at: www.linkedin.com/company/ee-uk

¹ 41% of over 70s asked in Survey of 2,001 UK consumers aged 50 and above carried out in March and April 2022 by Sapio Research, on behalf of EE.

6^th May 2022: Today BT announces the next evolution of its hybrid broadband brand campaign, Broadband Nightmares, demonstrating the power of its Halo 3+ Hybrid Broadband and reminding viewers that BT’s broadband, backed by EE’s award-winning mobile network, gives you peace of mind in the event of our broadband service dropping out.

The ad spot dramatises internet outages in the shape of a short horror film, bringing to life a family’s internet nightmares through the perspective of the family’s dad.

The advert opens on the router blinking with an orange light, before showing a family going about their daily connected lives at home – son and dad downloading a film, mum on a Zoom call and daughter on an iPad. All of a sudden, the room plunges into darkness, revealing a new nightmare-like version of the family’s reality. The Wi-Fi is down.

The iPad displays the dreaded ‘wheel of death’, and the TV screen shows a warped downloading page. The dad has been struck by a broadband nightmare and shouts out in despair.

 The moment is punctured by a BT router and EE router appearing next to each other; “Together BT and EE bring you Unbreakable WiFi. Only BT’s hybrid broadband is backed up by EE the UK’s best mobile network”, restoring the family’s status quo.

Pete Jeavons, Marketing Communications Director at BT and EE comments: “We are spending more time at home, especially due to the increase in hybrid working. That’s why it is so important to have a network you can rely on. Our new and refreshed campaign highlights our unbreakable Halo 3+ hybrid broadband and reminds our customers and viewers that BT and EE provide the enviable connection needed to get on with the day.”

This follows the successful Broadband Rage campaign, created by Saatchi & Saatchi last year, which dramatised the unbreakable connection of BT’s hybrid broadband, the UK’s first unbreakable home Wi-Fi.

The 30-second TV advert, developed by BT’s advertising agency, Saatchi & Saatchi, goes live with a nationwide TV campaign tonight, 6^th May, during Channel 4’s Gogglebox. The campaign will also run across out of home (OOH) and video on demand (VOD), with edits and content developed specifically for a range of digital and social channels.

For more information on BT’s hybrid broadband, backed up by EE; checking your speed, and picking a plan, customers can visit https://www.bt.com/exp/halo

ENDS

For more information, please contact: ee@mcsaatchi.com

CREDITS

CAMPAIGN TITLE: BT Broadband Nightmares

CLIENT: BT

ADVERTISING AGENCY:  Saatchi & Saatchi

CCO: Guillermo Vega

EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR: William John

COPYWRITER: Henrik Ridderheim

ART DIRECTOR: Rodrigo Castellari

PLANNER: Ophelia Stimpson

BUSINESS LEAD: Charlotte Elwig

SENIOR ACCOUNT DIRECTOR: Rebecca Colman         

AGENCY TV PRODUCER:  Alex Pemberton

AGENCY CREATIVE PRODUCER: Abigael Wilson

MEDIA BUYING AGENCY: Essence

MEDIA PLANNER:  Rachel Cowley

PRODUCTION COMPANY: Riff Raff

DIRECTOR:  The Sacred Egg

PRODUCER: Jay Lovelock

EDITOR: Sam Bould @ Final Cut

POST-PRODUCTION COMPANY: The Mill

EXEC PRODUCER: Ryan Hancocks

PRODUCER: Saskia Delius

3D LEAD: William Laban

2D LEAD: Guy Lubin

COLOUR: Matthieu Toullet

AUDIO: Mark Hills @ Factory

AUDIO PRODUCER: Ciara Wakley

I’ve long been reflecting on the need for us to find a deeper relationship with the customers we serve.

We take great pride in our history and unique role in connecting people. From the very first phone calls with BT, to EE launching the UK’s first 4G and 5G networks in the UK - we have been at the heart of the UK’s communication and technology industry as well as creating some of the country’s most iconic brands.

Our strong foundations are built upon the best networks, brands and customer service, in fact BT and EE now have some of the best service scores in the industry on every measure.

It’s an exciting place to be but the world is changing fast.

In the near future we see an explosion in the number of devices needing a connection to the internet. Our customer’s digital lives are becoming more complex with multiple networks, services, platforms, and hardware needing to be joined together in easier ways for them.

EVOLVING OUR BUSINESS

So, like any business, we need to keep evolving to be successful.

That’s why today, I have shared with our teams the next chapter in our transformation journey.

We are focusing on two areas.  

First - Introducing new products and services – including ones that go beyond the connectivity we provide today - in order to evolve the relationship with our customers.  This will be a big change for us and won’t happen overnight, but we will begin to expand our brand and relevance with consumers beyond networks.

Second - A change in the way we take our brands to market. We have to be more focused and more efficient. We are evolving from today’s approach in the consumer market where BT and EE both take centre stage, to one where a flagship brand will lead our approach to future innovation, convergence, and services beyond connectivity. Having both BT and EE in an already crowded consumer market means we must have two of everything, and that makes life harder for our customers and our people - two accounts, two apps, two product roadmaps, and multiple systems. You get the picture.  We need to simplify things, for everyone.

A NEW CHAPTER BEGINS

This is where our new chapter begins. From today, we’re starting the preparations to make the EE brand our flagship brand for Consumer customers focusing on convergence and future services.

While retaining much of the identity that is instantly recognisable to millions today, the new EE will evolve and stretch into new areas and be focused on convergence of networks, devices and new services beyond connectivity.

Why EE? Well – our customers tell us that EE is synonymous with the best mobile connectivity and its popularity in the broadband market is growing steadily as we’ve driven awareness that EE’s fibre network is powered by BT.    

While EE’s rural mobile coverage spreads further than any other operator, EE is also favoured by customers in our towns and cities – which is where there is an overwhelming demand for multiple services beyond fixed lines. 

Since EE launched in 2012, it has captured the hearts of customers across all demographics – topping the service charts, with a strong brand that can stretch into new areas beyond connectivity as well as offering the best network and service.

We will share more about our launch plans later this year.

The BT brand will still play an important but more focused role for Consumer customers on standalone broadband and landline services. BT Sport will continue to broadcast the best in sport, as it prepares for its own new journey, in a joint venture with Warner Bros. Discovery. And Plusnet, our value brand, will continue to serve customers with basic no-frills broadband and landline.

Nothing will change for our BT customers. We will continue to serve and support them through our unrivalled nationwide sales and service with local presence all over the UK, just as we do today.

For our Enterprise and Global units BT will be the flagship brand, continuing its pivotal role in helping businesses of all sizes, public sector organisations and wholesale customers unlock their potential through embracing digital technologies. The BT brand is the clear market leader in the B2B segment on brand consideration, reliability, and trust across a wide range of fixed and digital connectivity services.   You can find out more about what this means for BT’s business customers.

This exciting transformation won’t happen overnight. I’ll be sharing more with you over the coming months, but the journey starts today to create a new EE, one that will start to play a more meaningful role in our customers’ lives and create the most personal, customer-focused technology brand in the UK.

EE and BT Sport are unveiling pioneering uses of 5G which re-imagine the experience of watching and performing sports, dance, music and theatre through virtual, augmented and mixed reality applications.

Using everyday devices such as smartphones, tablets and TVs, as well as the latest augmented reality (AR) headsets, the new prototypes enable users to take control and engage in an event from any angle of their choosing.

For example, rugby fans can take the experience of being at a match or event to previously unmatched levels with real-time, data-rich AR insights such as ball trajectories and kick distances. Boxing fans can bring fight nights into their own living room with highly immersive holographic videos which puts them up close to the boxers as they fight.  Meanwhile, dancers, musicians and other artists can remotely demonstrate, teach and engage with students and fans using EE’s 5G network to provide real-time interactive experiences.

The prototypes are the first outputs from an EE and BT Sport-led project, 5G Edge-XR, which demonstrates how the potential of EE’s 5G network, paired with cloud graphics processing units, can enable consumers to view events in a range of new, highly immersive ways. 5G Edge-XR is supported by The Department of Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS), The Grid Factory, Condense Reality, DanceEast, Salsa Sound and The University of Bristol. Other high-end XR services being explored by the project address the needs of industries as diverse as construction, health and retail.

Lisa Perkins, Research Realisation Director, BT, said: “Our work at Adastral Park alongside world-class innovators including BT Sport and our 5G Edge-XR partners demonstrates how EE’s 5G network can support services that deliver uncompromised audio and visuals. We’re excited to be unveiling experiences that could transform sports, culture, and the arts as well as demonstrating the benefits 5G can bring to people and businesses.”

Jamie Hindhaugh, chief operating officer, BT Sport, said: “EE and BT are again demonstrating the powerful creative and operational benefits that 5G technology can bring to sports and broadcast. These new experiences, which capitalise on the breadth of broadcast and mobile expertise across BT and EE, re-affirm the important role that 5G will play in re-imagining how sport is watched both at stadia and via television.”

At the home of Saracens rugby in London, EE and BT unveiled the following new experiences, aspects of which are being further developed by BT Sport for launch in the future.  The demonstrations were supported by BT Media & Broadcast’s TV OB service.

Rugby: Providing fans who are at the game with never-before-seen match insight and companion experiences, the application provides real-time mixed reality overlays on smartphones, tablets and AR headsets. Features include game data overlaid onto players, ball trajectories, gain-line visuals, kick distances, possession data and alternative camera viewpoints. Additional features under consideration include alternative partisan commentaries, localised stadium advertising and route-finding info to the stadium.

Boxing: A first-of-its-kind immersive sports-viewing experience, bringing live fights from the ring into the front room. It provides a real-time volumetric video to create so-called ‘holographic boxers’ who are synchronised with the live TV broadcast. The volumetric video can placed for example on a viewer’s coffee table while they watch the live fight on their TV. Replays can be watched in slow-motion from any angle during breaks, together with fight data. Additionally, a Hype Mode feature provides an entertaining broadcast experience with fun, action-themed on-screen descriptions for key moments and punch tracers lined with graphics such as blazes of fire.

MotoGP: The ultimate augmented reality motorsport fan experience. The prototype provides an immersive race presentation through a virtual multi-screen viewing suite offering 17 different video panels. In addition, viewers can access an at-scale circuit map showing the position of riders throughout the race, together with a Parc Ferme area offering full-size 3D renderings of team motorbikes with spatial audio. Content viewable on the 17 live video panels includes: race helicopter view, bike-cams on up to seven different bikes, replays, timing panel showing individual racer timings, and, interactive leader board showing the position of riders in the race.

Dance / Music / Theatre: experience how 5G and AR can be used to transform the way we watch live and recorded performances of dance, music and theatre. The experience showcases live-streamed AR dance classes, led by a remote dance artist who is presented as a volumetric hologram mixed into the real-world using AR glasses.

Football: Offers a fully immersive ‘like being there’ experience for football fans. It provides an immersive experience utilising the BT Sport App’s existing 360-degree service combined with spatial audio and dynamic graphics to provide 8K 360-degree multi camera viewpoints, screens showing the live TV match feed, team sheets and match info, embedded match information graphics showing teams score, clock, and an interactive timeline that enables users to directly jump to key events within the match. In addition, it provides spatial audio specific to the camera location and orientation of the user.

The new outputs are the latest industry-first collaboration around the use of world-class 5G networks between EE, BT Sport, BT Applied Research and BT Media & Broadcast:

• In October 2020, EE teamed up with BT Sport to launched Matchday Experience on the BT Sport App, offering fans the most immersive sports viewing experience anywhere in the UK, including Watch Together - the only service in the UK allowing fans to watch, see and chat with three other friends, alongside any BT Sport broadcast, thanks to a split-screen interface.
• In 2019, BT Sport collaborated with BT’s Media & Broadcast arm to broadcast the world’s first live 8K test broadcast, into the IBC exhibition in Amsterdam.
• In 2018 BT Sport and EE carried out the world’s first live broadcast over 5G using remote production, delivering a two-way transmission from Wembley Stadium to London’s ExCeL exhibition centre.

Emergency service personnel are rightly regarded as national heroes and they play a vital role in our country, responding to critical incidents and helping to keep us safe.

To support this crucial work, our police, fire and rescue, ambulance services and other first responders, need ultra-reliable connectivity to provide secure and mission-critical communications that they can also trust to keep them safe too.  Whether it’s ambulances sending vital patient data to hospitals so staff can prepare for a patient’s arrival; police officers controlling a volatile crowd calling for urgent back-up; or fire and rescue crews assessing burning buildings, based on digital blueprints on tablets and live helicopter camera footage; all these scenarios depend on a network that’s fast, safe, and reliable.

It’s a major reason why, as the UK’s biggest 4G network, EE was entrusted by the Home Office to build the new critical Emergency Services Network (ESN).  We continue to make our network bigger and increase its performance and reliability.

So far, we’ve:

• Completed upgrades to all our EE network estate to be ESN-capable. This includes over 19,500 masts across England, Scotland, and Wales, including many thousands of sites that provide unique road coverage for ESN.
• Installed coverage on challenging road and rail tunnels and stations for more than 71 upgrade and development schemes, including operational areas specifically required for the emergency services, such as the Glasgow SPT Subway and Nexus Metro, major road tunnels across Wales and the South of England like the Severn Tunnel, and high-speed rail routes including HS1 tunnels.
• Delivered ESN connectivity across more than 540,000km of roads.
• Delivered upgrades and system improvements to ensure high availability service levels are met.
• Built over 650 brand new 4G sites: also delivering vital broadband connectivity to many communities for the very first time.
• Established our fleet of Rapid Response Vehicles, including trailer-based versions, known as cells-on-wheels, to provide emergency and temporary coverage within hours. Indeed, they have been used to support many incidents such as fires and floods.

In addition to these key milestones, a full suite of ESN-certified Coverage-as-a-Service solutions are now available from EE to support the Home Office and ESN users to expand and enhance coverage into their critical areas such as operational headquarters, training centres and strategic buildings. This also includes supporting them through surveys and site assessments right through to design, build and operation.

As an added benefit to the public, the network we’re building enables us to offer neutral host solutions where required, or, in other words, opening up the connectivity for any major mobile network operator. This includes locations such as rail stations and public buildings, and these services are also available to potential customers such as property developers and landowners who need to ensure there is ESN coverage in their facilities.

I’m proud of the work our teams have achieved on delivering coverage for ESN. It’s a vital project that will transform our emergency services for the better and giving them cutting-edge communication technology to respond quickly to incidents, even in the most rural and remote areas and help to improve public safety.

But, as pleased as I am with our progress, it’s important to stress that our work continues to keep delivering more resilient coverage for, and in partnership with, our emergency services.

For more information about ESN visit EE 4G & ESN | Emergency Services Network | EE Business

The technology and telecoms firm is also using its own assets, including phone boxes and its Street Hub 2.0 digital units, so its mobile arm EE can house hundreds of small cells to boost capacity in high demand areas. Small cells are mobile radio cells that help to provide better coverage for customers at street level, where it’s often impractical to install larger mobile masts or where an offloading capability is required.

The programme will allow EE customers to experience uninterrupted data speeds of up to 300Mbps in areas including Croydon, Leeds, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Nottingham. The infrastructure will be delivered over the next 18 months and can also support 5G network coverage in the future. In addition to enabling small cell deployment by EE, BT is also working with other UK mobile network operators to deploy small cells around the UK to help extend and densify their high-speed mobile network coverage.

Brian More O’Ferrall, Director, Mobile Operators in BT’s Enterprise business, said: “Around 200 of the small cells are already live and are helping to boost 4G coverage for EE customers in towns and cities across the UK.

“We have worked closely with our local authority partners to utilise their street furniture, as well as our own assets, to improve connectivity in these areas.

“Ensuring good digital infrastructure is a priority for many councils, especially with the rise in mobile device ownership and growth in demand for data and connectivity, and they have seen the benefits that such partnerships can provide.

“Not only does it mean that average download speeds can often double in some areas, but it’s also more efficient and means there is a reduced need for new cell masts in the localities.

“We’re pleased to be working with EE and other mobile network operators to deliver this coverage boost.”

The small cells will be deployed across the UK including the following areas:

• Birmingham
• Croydon
• Edinburgh
• Glasgow
• Leeds
• Greater London (including numerous London boroughs)
• Greater Manchester
• Newcastle
• Nottingham
• Leicester
• Cardiff

Councillor Muhammad Ali, Croydon Council’s cabinet member for sustainable Croydon, said: “Demands for digital connectivity are set to grow even more over the next few years and this partnership with BT means we are able to ensure better mobile coverage for our residents, visitors and businesses.

“With 12 EE small cells already installed and an additional 20 to follow over the next 18 months, it’s fantastic that our existing street furniture, together with BT assets, can provide a simple and efficient solution to fast-track mobile network infrastructure in our borough.”

BT is using its new Street Hub 2.0 units to site small cells and further boost connectivity, which comes after a recent survey by the company found that two thirds of small firms agree that mobile connectivity could be improved in their area. The new units have already been rolled out in Glasgow, Nottingham and London. Subject to local planning processes, BT is aiming to roll out around 300 Street Hub 2.0 units across the UK this year, working closely with local councils and communities.

Today’s announcement also comes after the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport recently launched its new Digital Connectivity Infrastructure Accelerator (DCIA) scheme to enable telecoms firms to get easier access to public buildings and street lights, bus shelters and traffic lights to mount small cell equipment for 4G and 5G networks.

Through the pilots managed by DCIA, BT will be working closely with DCMS and local authority partners to further accelerate small cell deployment across the UK.

• Following a hugely successful pilot during lockdown, with over 140 volunteers and 1,600 calls made, BT is expanding Care Home Companions to over 300 care homes nationwide

• 140 BT, EE and Plusnet colleagues from across the UK have now volunteered, with ambition to make 15,000 weekly calls over the next year

BT is announcing the national rollout of its employee led initiative, Care Home Companions to over 300 care homes across the UK. Since 2020, BT, EE and Plusnet contact centre colleagues have been volunteering to regularly chat with care home residents to keep their spirits up during the pandemic. Following a successful launch in the North East, BT is expanding Care Home Companions to over 300 care homes nationwide with their partner HC-One, with the ambition to have 1,600 volunteers making 15,000 calls to care home residents over the next year.

BT colleagues are using their personable and local communication skills they’ve learnt as customer service advisors to chat with residents who might not have anyone else to talk to on a regular basis. During lockdown, the Office for National Statistics found that those who are "always or often" lonely reached 8 per cent* of UK adults. Care Home Companions is helping to tackle the loneliness epidemic by giving volunteers from nearby UK based BT, EE and Plusnet contact centres the opportunity to give back to their local communities. Call centres taking part in this initiative include Darlington, Sheffield, Leeds and Doxford Park, and will be expanding to a total of 30 centres, with additions including Accrington, Blackburn, Lancaster, Liverpool and Warrington throughout the year.

In line with BT’s mission to Connect for Good, the original idea for Care Home Companions was born out of an existing project set-up by a group of BT employees in 2020 to help tackle loneliness in the UK. The scheme was hugely successful, with around 140 volunteers making over 1600 calls to care homes in the North East during 2020. The series of lockdown restrictions and social distancing measures has had a devastating impact for residents in care homes, and now in 2021, BT volunteers together with HC-One are taking the project one step further to help even more residents across the country to combat loneliness for this vulnerable part of society.

Nick Lane, MD of service, BT’s Consumer division said: “Giving back to local communities is so important, so when we heard there was a group of people who’d appreciate a chat, our volunteers jumped at the chance to help. I couldn’t be prouder of them. Being local and personal is such a big part of who we are now, meaning that we’re uniquely placed to be making these calls to those in our communities who need it most. The feedback from the residents, carers and care homes has just been overwhelmingly positive and our people love it too.”

Colleagues who volunteer to take part are given full training on top of their professional customer service skills on how to help their care home companions feel more connected. Matching companions in the same area means volunteers can bring in their own personal and local experience to build friendships and help residents feel comfortable and supported.

Robi Roccella, Head of Quality of Life at HC-One on how the weekly calls help as part of their overall activities: “Our wellbeing programme aims to enhance the quality of life of the People we care for, by providing a range of meaningful activities that can stimulate their physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. During the coronavirus pandemic we've had to adapt the way we do things, and for the People we care for, their relationships with the outside world and community links have become even more important. We are grateful to be working with BT and EE, for not only the time their volunteers have given to help the People we care for to stay connected, but also helping them through their weekly calls to lead active and fulfilling lives. This programme is also promoting the use technology which is also key to enable People to be stimulated and engaged.”

Jay Routledge, a volunteer from North Tyneside said: “Speaking to one or two individuals on a weekly basis means I leave that call with a buzz, knowing I’ve made somebody’s day. It’s knowing I’ve had that lovely conversation with somebody for half an hour and I’ve been able to get to know them a little bit and they’ve got to know me as well.”

Georgie Pouton, Wellbeing Coordinator from HC-One’s Redesdale Court care home in North Shields said: “It wasn’t real at first when COVID-19 hit. We got a phone call asking if we would take part in a pilot [of Care Home Companions]. At first we were like ‘ooh how’s this going to work?’ but I’d say the first few days after we got the calls we were starting to see signs of positivity in the residents.”

Bev Wilson from BT’s Gosforth contact centre, who initially helped to set up the scheme, and has spent her time speaking with George, a resident at Kirkwood Court care home, Kenton, Newcastle said: “Speaking to George is like speaking to family. Whenever I’m feeling a little bit down, I think about my calls to lift my spirits up. We now share a picture and a bit about our interests to residents before we start our calls as a friendly introduction. I shared a picture of me cycling and stories about my pet dogs, which really helped our relationship flourish as it brought back memories of George cycling into Newcastle each day, and his own lovely dog. He loves the calls that we have together, and he says that it is a release speaking to someone new. George’s wife is also in the same home and he doesn’t have any other family. Some residents don’t have any visitors, and so in some cases we offer multiple calls a week.

“Even though lockdown restrictions are lifting, it’s still important to keep in touch with those who may be feeling lonely, sometimes doing this can help and inspire you too. Another resident that I speak to is a poet, whose work has been read out on the radio and published in newspapers. I’m lucky enough to have been able to hear her work over the phone, as she speaks about her local area, including mining and politics. I’ve been incredibly inspired as she recalls all her poems from memory as she is blind. It fills her with pride to be able to continue sharing her beautiful poems.”

Lauren Proctor, Wellbeing Coordinator from HC-One’s Kirkwood Court care home in Newcastle said: “We cannot thank the BT volunteers enough and everyone who has used their free time to chat. Our residents look forward to the calls and enjoy telling stories about their past. They love getting to know the volunteers’ and learning more about the people they’re talking to - one resident said, “It’s lovely to match a face to the voice”. 

“Our ambition is to help combat loneliness and this initiative is definitely helping. From the numerous calls we’ve had, one little chat makes a resident’s day. For example, George, looks forward to his call every week and enjoys talking about his life, his family and especially history. BT sent George The Magnificent 7 DVD and sweets as a birthday present, as he mentioned when his birthday was on a call once – it made his year.”

“BT’s Care Home Companion’s has been brilliant for both residents and our colleagues. For ‘National Carers Week’ all the Care Home Companion’s sent personal cards colleagues at Kirkwood Court to say thank you and to keep up the good work. We were overwhelmed with their kindness, it made them feel appreciated. I’d recommend this programme to everyone.”

Notes to Editors

To celebrate the news, BT and HC-One came together to showcase the positive impact the pilot has had in a moving short film released today by BT to mark National Loneliness Awareness Week.

• Shot at HC-One’s Redesdale Court care home in North Shields and with BT volunteers from the North Tyneside contact centre, it shows how the pandemic left many residents feeling lonely and isolated as most social activities and outside visits stopped. The video brings to life the changes the care home made to create activities to help with wellbeing, and the positive impact a weekly call from volunteers can have on residents. Growing bonds have been formed over common interests with residents, who in some instances may not have any regular contact with those outside the home.

*Statistic sourced from the Office for National Statistics – Opinions and Lifestyle Survey

• Adults aged 16 and over across Great Britain were asked how often they felt lonely, where the options were "often/always" / "some of the time" / "occasionally" / "hardly ever" / "never". Those reporting feeling lonely often / always is used as the indicator.

About HC-One

• HC-One is ‘The Kind Care Company’
• The locations of all HC-One homes can be viewed online at: https://www.hc-one.co.uk/Carehomes.aspx
• HC-One was founded in 2011 and has continued to grow and flourish since its inception.
• Our aim is to be the first choice care home in each of our communities for Residents, Relatives, Colleagues and Commissioners.
• HC-One’s c.22,000 Colleagues provide kind care to c.14,000 Residents across 327 care homes in the UK.
• HC-One stands for ‘Health’ and ‘Care’ and symbolises the focus on the “one” – you, the Resident, are the one that matters; you, the staff member, are the one that can make a difference. We are one team, working with Colleagues, Residents and Relatives as we strive to provide the kindest care.

Following the principal stage of Ofcom’s 5G auction, EE has secured new 700MHz and 3.6-3.8 GHz spectrum.

Marc Allera, CEO Consumer said: “EE has secured vital new spectrum in this auction which, when rolled out into the network, will allow us to grow our position as the UK’s number one 5G network. EE was first to launch 4G and 5G, and this auction outcome is great news for our network, our customers and BT.”

Low band 700MHz spectrum is widely seen as crucial for reach and indoor coverage, providing a wider and better customer experience. Mid-range 3.6GHz spectrum will help deliver greater capacity and speed, both vital elements for the growing use cases associated with 5G technologies.

The Spectrum Auction now moves to a second stage, to work out where the acquired spectrum will be assigned within the band. The full commercial terms will only be finalised at the end of this assignment stage of the auction.

Full details of the spectrum EE has won are shown in the table below:

_{¹FDD – Frequency division duplex
²SDL – Supplemental downlink}

Providing our BT, EE and Plusnet customers with the best service has never been so important in what has been an extraordinary 12 months. With 100% of our frontline people based across many sites in the UK and Ireland, we have been able to maintain resilience in the face of the Coronavirus crisis where others have not. And that has helped us keep our customers connected when they need it most to employment, education, entertainment – all of which drove a surge in demand for connectivity triggered by the first lockdown last March – and, most importantly, to each other.

So, what has that enabled us to do over the past year? 

From Dundee to Plymouth, Sheffield to Glasgow, and Merthyr to Enniskillen we employ more than 11,000 customer service advisors. Between them, they have answered 34 million calls in the past 12 months alone. That’s down from 38 million the previous year because we are better placed to help our customers when they first call, reducing the number of times they need to pick up the phone to get in touch.

And they haven’t stopped there. Colleagues up and down the country have taken the opportunity to get involved their local communities to make a difference and support those who have been worst hit by effects of the pandemic. Our Care Home Companion initiative was born out of our contact centre in Darlington, with my colleagues using their professional communication skills and volunteering time to have regular conversations care home residents isolated by the pandemic feel less lonely. 

We are now rolling Care Home Companion out across the country, with calls happening in Gosforth, Darlington, North Tyneside, Sheffield and Leeds. Our people have already made 2,000 calls – each one an important social lifeline to a member of their community. And new partnerships are underway in Middlesbrough, South Shields and Enniskillen, with 600 colleagues volunteering to get involved. 

We have also made huge improvements in the way we handle issues when things go wrong*. We have reduced the number of Ofcom complaints so that we are consistently below industry average. And all while customer usage has doubled on our fixed network. A great example of that is the average household using more than 50% more data YoY to 15GB across Christmas and Boxing Day in 2020 – enough to stream 5,000 films on Netflix. They are there when you need them most. On Christmas Day last year, for example, my BT and EE call centre colleagues helped nearly 9,000 customers.

We have come a long way in a short time. We know our customers value speaking to someone who understands their issue down to the regional differences that make us so great as a country, whether that’s expert help with tech or chat about the local football team. Now our customers can be called ‘Duck’ in Sheffield, ‘La’ in Liverpool and ‘Pet’ in Newcastle.

This level of personal and local support is important for every customer but no more so than the many vulnerable customers and their carers that we serve. And that brings me back to what a lifeline our people have been for our customers during the pandemic.

Coronavirus continuity

When the world changed for us all last spring, we were able to meet the enormous technical, logistical, and regulatory challenges that arise in giving such a large number of our people the option of home working. We could only do that because 100% of our frontline people are based across many sites in the UK and Ireland, not only keeping our people safe, but also enabling us to maintain our customer service continuity.Our people showed amazing resilience and we completed a massive logistical challenge to equip every colleague who wanted to work from home with the technology, security and equipment to do so. I couldn’t be prouder of how my colleagues rose to this challenge, keeping our customers connected with the help they need so they don’t have to leave their homes.They are all walking, talking examples of BT’s ambition to connect for good. 

Marc Allera, CEO, BT’s Consumer brands

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram at @marcallera

*Complaint handling complaints have reduced from 1,168 per 100k to 922 per 100k

BT has announced it will increase support for families learning from home by adding zero rating of Oak National Academy content to its ‘Lockdown Learning’ support scheme by the end of January. The content will be free for all EE, BT Mobile, and Plusnet Mobile customers, while face to face teaching is paused.

The partnership follows hot on the heels of BT’s announcement last week that it will zero rate BBC Bitesize content. By the end of the month customers of EE, BT Mobile and Plusnet Mobile accessing online lessons in Oak National Academy’s virtual classroom or on BBC Bitesize, can watch as many online lessons as they need, even if they have run out of data.

Marc Allera, CEO BT Group’s Consumer division said: “We’re rapidly boosting our ‘Lockdown Learning’ support scheme by zero rating access to BBC Bitesize and now Oak National Academy for all our mobile customers.

“Our inclusive support package means families that need it most can get help to keep learning, with unlimited data, free access to our 5 million WiFi hotspots and now free access to the two most popular educational resources.

And to make sure that we are keeping children across the whole of the UK connected, we’re also asking Ministers in Wales, Scotland and NI to work with us on offering Unlimited data for eligible customers, as well as potential zero rating of other regionalised educational resources.”

BT is doing all it can to help support the nation during lockdown. Last week it unveiled its ‘Lockdown Learning’ support scheme, working with the Department for Education to ensure school children can continue to learn online while face to face learning is paused. BT will be giving those children who need it most unlimited mobile data as well as handing out thousands of free WiFi vouchers to schools and charity partners to distribute to families without an internet connection. The vouchers give access to the internet via BT’s five million WiFi Hotspots across the UK.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

Zero Rating of Oak National Academy :

Available to all contract and pay as you go customers of EE, BT Mobile and Plusnet in the UK, and commencing end of January (to allow thorough testing of the product), BT will remove all data charges for access to Oak National Academy website while all schools are closed across the nation. There is no registration required.

The scheme will end as schools reopen across the UK.

BT’s ‘Lockdown Learning’ support scheme includes:

• Zero Rating of Oak National Academy and BBC Bitesize : BT has also invited the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish administrations to each suggest one online resource for school children which we will also seek to zero rate, to support their curriculums which differ from English schools.

• Unlimited Data:   Starting at the end of January and available until the end of this academic year (July 2021), the free unlimited data for EE and BT Mobile customers is accessed through children’s schools and allows eligible families to access whichever educational resources are needed whilst face to face teaching is paused. The DfE’s programme is only currently available for families in England.

• Free WiFi Vouchers:   BT was the first telecoms operator to have an offer for families who needed help with home learning, offering BT WiFi vouchers for free access available since June. BT will shortly be offering these directly to schools and our charity partners and increasing the vouchers available. Our estimates suggest around 20 - 30% of homes across the UK are in range of a BT WiFi hotspot, coverage varies. BT distributed some vouchers direct in the summer and had an active user rate of around 10% of vouchers distributed.

• BT also offers a social tariff for low income families - BT Basic, a £10 per month fixed broadband and phone line service. With priority connection, this long term solution offers low income families a sustainable option that meets their data needs. More information here:   https://www.bt.com/help/landline/getting-set-up/help-people-with-impairments-or-with-particular-needs/how-do-i-find-out-more-about-bt-basic-

• Following the successful launch of free home learning resources last year, BT and Computing at School (CAS) have continued to update its Barefoot computing resources to accommodate the shift to home schooling and adapted dozens of activities to support families with their children’s digital skills.   https://www.barefootcomputing.org/homelearning

We’ve created it to ensure the people who need it most can access connectivity support across both our fixed and mobile networks. We're extending our partnership with the Department for Education so that eligible BT and EE customers will benefit from unlimited mobile data. Plus we’re giving thousands of free WiFi vouchers to schools and our charity partners to distribute so anyone can access the widest range of online educational resources via one of our five million WiFi Hotspots across the UK.

We’re also aiming to zero-rate some of the most popular dedicated online learning portals to ensure critical learning can continue even when data access runs out. We’ll confirm more on this in the coming week, but we know this will make a difference for those trying to connect to these sites with limited mobile data.

Eligible families without fixed connectivity at home can apply for their unlimited free data via their school or local authority, as part of BT’s partnership with the Department for Education. It will cover them for the rest of the academic year, running until July 2021. We’ve been working closely with the DfE since the start of the pandemic to help get kids connected, and we’re now stepping up our partnership to offer unlimited data, as well as working harder on getting free WiFi passes into the hands of those families and kids who need them. You can read more about our partnership with the DfE here. 

Here’s a summary of what BT’s Lockdown Learning Support Scheme will provide:

• Unlimited mobile data for EE and BT Mobile customers without a fixed connection in partnership with DfE

• Free WiFi vouchers for schools and charity partners to distribute to those who need it most, so that disadvantaged kids and those without a network connection can access home learning resources

• Zero-rating two of the most popular educational websites

It's a continuation of the work we have been doing since the first lockdown was introduced in March last year. We were the first telecoms operator to support families who needed help with connecting for home learning, making BT WiFi vouchers available to those who needed them in June. BT will now distribute WiFi vouchers directly to schools and charity partners, enabling those families and carers with little or no connection to access the five million BT WiFi Hotspots available across the UK. While it might not reach everyone, we feel even getting one more kid able to home school is worth the effort.

BT also offers a social tariff for low income families - BT Basic, a £10 per month fixed broadband and phone line service. With priority connection, this long-term solution offers low income families a sustainable option that meets their data needs.

Talking long-term, we want to give school children the digital skills they need for a brighter future with our Skills for Tomorrow programme. To that end, through our Barefoot Computing programme in partnership with Computing at School, BT has made a series of educational and fun activities available to support home learning. Designed with teachers and aligned to the national curriculum, these interactive learning games and simple offline activities introduce children aged 4-11 years to key computing concepts and problem-solving skills that will help them thrive in a digital world. To access the free resources visit www.barefootcomputing.org/homelearning

We don't want anyone to be left behind as digital connectivity becomes more and more important. Our Skills for Tomorrow portal is full of free courses to help anyone, any age, feel more confident and develop their digital skills. You can find out more here.

Marc Allera, CEO, BT’s Consumer brands

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @MarcAllera

BT, the UK’s leading telecommunications provider, is increasing its effort to enable school kids to better connect with teachers and online learning, while schools remain closed, with the launch of its ‘Lockdown Learning’ support scheme.

Unlimited free mobile data will be made available to those EE and BT Mobile customers eligible for the Department for Education’s Get Help with Technology programme, rather than the 20GB previously announced. BT is also offering free BT WiFi vouchers to schools and charity partners to pass on to parents and carers of children lacking the connectivity they need to access home schooling digital resources.

Marc Allera, CEO of BT Group’s Consumer division said: “As a national champion, we want to ensure no one is left behind while face-to-face teaching is on hold.

“That's why we’re launching our ‘Lockdown Learning’ support scheme, which offers a number of different ways for disadvantaged school children to get connectivity support, across both our fixed and mobile networks.

“We’ve been working closely with the DfE since the start of the pandemic, to help get kids connected, and we’re now stepping up our partnership to offer unlimited data, as well as working harder on getting free WiFi passes into the hands of those families and kids that need them.

“We’re also aiming to zero rate some of the most popular learning portals this month, to ensure critical learning can continue even when data access runs out. We’ll reveal more on this in the coming week.”

‘Lockdown Learning’ support scheme

1. Unlimited data: To help ensure no one is left behind while face-to-face teaching is on hold, BT’s ‘Lockdown Learning’ package extends BT and EE’s partnership with the Department for Education’s Get Help with Technology programme to provide unlimited mobile data for EE and BT customers who need it to support a child’s education. The data can be accessed by applying through their school, and will enable children access to any online educational resources they need. For more details and teacher application portal, here: https://get-help-with-tech.education.gov.uk/

2. Free WiFi vouchers: BT has also pledged to distribute WiFi vouchers directly to schools, and our charity partners, allowing those families and carers with little or no connection to access the 5 million BT WiFi Hotspots available across the UK. For further information click here: https://www.businessdirect.bt.com/learning-in-lockdown

3. Zero rating educational websites: We will also aim to remove all mobile data charges, for some of the most popular educational websites before the end of this month, while schools remain closed. More details to follow in the coming week.

4. Keeping kids safe, learning and entertained online: Launched in 2019, BT Skills for Tomorrow provides free support, information and advice on key digital skills for 10 million school children, families, jobseekers and businesses across the UK. These include a series of educational and fun activities to support home learning for children aged 4-11 years. https://www.bt.com/skillsfortomorrow/families

ENDS

Notes to Editors

BT’s ‘Lockdown Learning’ support scheme will help customers across BT and EE brands:

• Unlimited Data: Starting at the end of January and available until the end of this academic year (July 2021), the free unlimited data for EE and BT Mobile customers is accessed through children’s schools and allows eligible families to access whichever educational resources are needed whilst face to face teaching is paused. The DfE’s programme is only currently available for families in England. We are working with DfE to explore whether this can be extended to schools in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

• Free WiFi Vouchers: BT was the first telecoms operator to have an offer for families who needed help with home learning, offering BT WiFi vouchers for free access available since June. BT will shortly be offering these directly to schools and our charity partners and increasing the vouchers available. Our estimates suggest around 20 - 30% of homes across the UK are in range of a BT WiFi hotspot, coverage varies. BT distributed some vouchers direct in the summer and had an active user rate of around 10% of vouchers distributed.

• BT also offers a social tariff for low income families - BT Basic, a £10 per month fixed broadband and phone line service. With priority connection, this long term solution offers low income families a sustainable option that meets their data needs. More information here: https://www.bt.com/help/landline/getting-set-up/help-people-with-impairments-or-with-particular-needs/how-do-i-find-out-more-about-bt-basic-

• Following the successful launch of free home learning resources last year, BT and Computing at School (CAS) have continued to update its Barefoot computing resources to accommodate the shift to home schooling and adapted dozens of activities to support parents with their children’s digital skills. https://www.barefootcomputing.org/homelearning 

As the UK reaches 100 days of lockdown, BT reveals how the nation has embraced technology to overcome the changes to daily life. Over half of Brits are now using technology more than ever to work from home, beat boredom, stay fit and keep connected with friends and family. As lockdown begins to lift and the nation looks to the future, research and data from BT tells the story of Britain in lockdown and finds the majority of the UK believe that some new habits are here to stay.

Marc Allera, CEO of BT’s Consumer division: “The past 100 days have completely changed how we live and interact with each other. We’ve all had to adapt how we go about our daily lives, from the ways we learn, work, shop, keep active to how we connect with each other. Technology has been key to navigating this new world and as a nation we’ve been embracing its potential with over a third of us developing new skills.

It’s clear that the service we provide has never been more important to our customers. From keeping connected to staying educated and entertained, I’m proud that we’ve served the nation. Across our brands we have introduced over 20 new initiatives to help the country adapt during these tough times and continue to help as we return to a new normality.”

March - Keeping connected as lockdown begins

When the UK entered lockdown on 23rd March, the nation embraced new, and old ways to keep connected. Zoom users on EE’s network increased fivefold during lockdown compared to earlier in the year. But most of the nation reached for the phone to keep in touch with loved ones, with over half of Brits dialing to stay connected. BT’s data shows that they had a lot to talk about, with a huge 90% increase in calls lasting over 5 minutes compared to February. Those not dialing were typing, with text messaging the second preferred communication method followed by video–calling.

Lockdown meant we couldn’t see our family and friends, but for those directly affected by coronavirus being connected was more important than ever - BT supported the new Nightingale field hospitals to get connected quickly. The ExCeL Nightingale hospital was installed with 1,000 digital phones and handsets as well as high-speed Wi-Fi connectivity in just 48 hours. Over 260,000 NHS staff received the EE & BT unlimited mobile data offer launched in April, and EE donated 8,000 rechargeable power banks to the NHS.

April - Upskilling the UK through tech

With more time spent at home, the country found new ways to put their time to good use. Four in five Brits claimed they managed to stay productive and one in six found new ways to learn online. To help upskill the nation, BT launched Top Tips on Tech with ITV – a two week long daily series of how-to-guides during prime-time TV demonstrating digital skills like WhatsApp calls and booking online GP appointments. It wasn’t just individuals who suddenly needed to adapt their skills during lockdown, BT reached over 40,000 business owners and employees with digital skills training too.

With children at home and many parents becoming teachers overnight, BT’s Barefoot platform supported parents and teachers with home-schooling. Since it went live in 2014, the programme has reached over 2.8 million pupils across UK primary schools, with the ‘Learn at Home’ page seeing a 1,100% spike in traffic during lockdown.

May – Discovering a Work / Life balance

All bets were off in May as the suspension of live sports and events meant many found new ways to feel a sense of community through live fitness sessions, online gaming, and online concerts. In a show of support to the nation crisis, BT Sport customers donated a total of £1m to the NHS through paused subscription payments.

For singletons and couples living apart, dating also went virtual. 16 - 24-year olds were the most willing to try their hand at virtual dating, with one in ten using video calls for dating in lockdown. EE’s network usage reveals dating apps including Tinder, Bumble, Match, Hinge and Grindr saw over 70% more users compared to the beginning of lockdown.

As working from home became the norm, BT undertook one of the UK’s biggest office to home working migration, with nearly 10,000 Consumer call centre staff from BT, EE and Plusnet becoming virtual contact centres. Commutes drastically reduced and became a matter of travelling downstairs, BT data showed workdays start later, with the spike in Wi-Fi calls shifting from 8am to 9am, whilst 11am remaining the peak call time.

With the home now also becoming an office and a school, the nation adapted to achieve a work-life balance. Half of those surveyed claim they’ve improved their habits in the past 100 days, and this includes being more active. One fifth of adults explored their local area by exercising outside during lockdown and seven in ten said they used fitness technology, including virtual workout programmes, at home during lockdown.

June - Looking to the future

Half of Brits claimed they changed their habits for the better during lockdown and looking to the future, BT research shows the nation is assessing the changes they will keep in place. Four out of 10 agree that they have discovered new digital skills they plan to keep using after lockdown including booking virtual appointments, mobile banking, and online GP services.

With the majority of schools not set to re-open until September, BT will provide in-need families with six months free access to the UK’s largest Wi-Fi network which extends to 5.5 million Wi-Fi hotspots around the country to help keep children learning.

Almost a third of Brits will continue to shop online for non-essentials, yet over a quarter admitted they can’t wait to get back to the high street. An overwhelming 89% of survey respondents said they’re in favour of shops having virtual booking systems rather than physical queues.