CMLink 5G coverage checker

Last updated 17th July, 2023

CMLink (run by China Mobile) is a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) that uses EE’s infrastructure, meaning that it has 5G coverage in all the same places as EE.

At the time of writing, that means parts of over 1,000 UK towns and cities – though the amount of coverage will vary.

Below we’ll look more in depth at how CMLink stands up as a 5G network, and how it compares to rival UK networks.

CMLink 5G Summary

How does CMLink's 5G coverage compare to others?

We keep track of which networks offer 5G coverage across 120 major UK towns and cities, so you can see at a glance how they compare in key locations.

CMLink has the same number of locations as EE below:

• O2 has launched 5G in 88 of the 120 locations below. 
• Three has launched 5G in 108 of the 120 locations below. 
• EE has launched 5G in 111 of the 120 locations below. 
• Vodafone has launched 5G in 82 of the 120 locations below. 

That full list of 120 locations can be seen in the chart below. If a network has 5G coverage in a location then there will be a tick next to its name in that network’s column, so you can see at a glance where 5G is available.

Note however that while a tick means a network reports offering 5G in a location, in some cases the coverage will be very patchy, so don’t count on getting 5G across the entire town or city. However, the situation will improve over time.

Latest locations to get CMLink 5G

CMLink relies on EE for expanded 5G coverage, and the most recent places that network (and therefore CMLink) expanded to (as of July 2023) include Darlington, Dorchester, Dumfries and Galloway, and Galashiels.

CMLink coverage checker

CMLink doesn’t have a coverage checker of its own, but as it uses EE’s coverage, you can simply use that network’s coverage checker instead.

Just enter your postcode and the device you’ll be using to get a clear picture of indoor and outdoor coverage across 5G, 4G and 3G.

Check CMLink coverage (using EEs coverage checker)

4G coverage

You don’t need 5G coverage to use CMLink – you can still access 4G or even 3G coverage when speedier options aren’t available. And CMLink has widespread 4G coverage, as the chart below shows.

5G roaming abroad

CMLink doesn’t currently let you roam using 5G, but that may change over time.

For now, you can roam at no extra cost using 4G or 3G in the EU and other selected destinations, including notably mainland China and Hong Kong.

5G network speeds

While data is light on CMLink itself, we have plenty of information on EE’s 5G network speeds, and the two are likely to be similar given that they use the same spectrum and infrastructure.

The chart above shows the key takeaways for EE then, with a lot of the data coming from a Point Topic study from September 2020.

This found that EE’s average 5G download speed was 149.9Mbps, its median was 130Mbps, and its peak 5G download speed was 753Mbps.

More recently, an Opensignal report from April 2023 found that EE’s average 5G download speed was actually lower than Point Topic found, at 122.3Mbps.

Similarly, RootMetrics in the second half of 2022 found EE’s median 5G download speed to be 141.6Mbps. It also found EE’s 95th percentile 5G download speed (which should be close to the highest they recorded) was 380Mbps, and that its 5th percentile 5G download speed (which should be close to the lowest) was 20.1Mbps.

We also have some data from Ookla, collected in the first half of 2021, which found that EE’s median 5G download speed was 151Mbps.

These are very solid speeds all round, putting EE and its MVNOs likely ahead of all rivals other than Three and its MVNOs for average speeds, and possibly having the lead against even Three for peak speeds.

Latency

As with speeds, we’re reliant on tests of EE’s network to establish CMLink’s likely latency.

EE then has a median 5G latency of 29ms (milliseconds) according to a 2021 report from Ookla. Prior to that, it was found to have a latency of 45ms in central London according to a late 2020 RootMetrics report.

Neither of those results are super recent, but the difference also shows that latency might vary a lot depending on where you are. Ultimately though 5G latency should get a lot lower, potentially dropping to around 1ms eventually.

CMLink’s 5G frequency allocation

CMLink presumably uses all the same network frequencies as EE, which means the ones in the chart above.

So for 5G that includes 700MHz, 3.4GHz, and 3.6GHz. Those last two are widely used for 5G, as they’re high frequency, which tends to mean a greater capacity is available, allowing for higher speeds and more simultaneous connections – two things that 5G is supposed to empower.

However, lower frequency bands like the 700Mhz one can travel further (making them a good fit in rural locations) and penetrate walls better (so they’re also good for inside buildings). As such, a robust 5G network needs both high and low frequency spectrum.

At the time of writing, EE has access to 40MHz of 3.4GHz spectrum, 40MHz of 3.6GHz spectrum and 40MHz of 700MHz spectrum, so 120MHz of 5G spectrum overall.

That’s a decent chunk, and will benefit CMLink too. For reference, if you include low frequency 700Mhz spectrum (which could also be used for 4G, but in EE’s case is known to be used for 5G) then O2 has 100MHz of 5G spectrum, Three has 160MHz, and Vodafone has 90MHz.

Every network may one day have more 5G spectrum though, as it’s likely that there will be additional 5G spectrum auctions.