EE plans to roll out a standalone 5G network in 16 more cities by the end of 2024

More than a dozen new sites across the UK will be added to EE’s standalone 5G network by the end of the year, the mobile operator has confirmed.

In September, EE launched an upgraded 5G network in four UK capital cities and a number of other cities.

The 5G standalone network is designed to improve mobile performance as it is the first to be built on new end-to-end 5G infrastructure, while removing any dependency on legacy 4G infrastructure, and BT Group’s EE said the network also uses artificial intelligence to reduce energy consumption of parts of the infrastructure when not in use and improving energy efficiency.

The mobile operator has confirmed that 16 new locations will be added to the standalone 5G network: Aston-under-Lyne, Barrow-in-Furness, Barry, Birkenhead, Bury, Coventry, Dudley, Dundee, Newport, Nottingham, St Helens, Stockport, Swansea, Weston-super-Mare, Wigan and Wolverhampton.

The company said that with these additional locations, its standalone 5G network will cover more than 21 million people.

EE said it believes the technology will underpin future services as its higher performance will be well positioned to handle the growing number of AI-powered services, many of which require more power and bandwidth to run smoothly.

The operator said customers will also be able to see improved battery life on their phones thanks to improved network energy efficiency.

At the time of the launch, EE chief executive Marc Allera said the new network was “designed to unlock the enormous potential of the wave of AI-powered devices.”

“Standalone 5G is the new mobile network, delivering enhanced performance for customers from day one and ushering in revolutionary new services for the future,” he said.

“It was built to work with a growing range of AI-powered devices, from smartphones to laptops, tablets and more.”