EE has just rolled out a UK-first dubbed Fast Lane, which is a dedicated slice of the company’s 5G+ (5G Standalone) network that it will seamlessly move customers to in busy and congested areas, such as stadiums or transport hubs.
That means you’ll be able to keep using data at full speed, rather than falling victims to the sluggish speeds or complete data failures that can occur when thousands of other nearby people are also trying to get online.
Claire Gillies, CEO of BT’s Consumer Division, said: “Powered by our advanced 5G+ network, Fast Lane gives our customers access to a dedicated 5G+ lane at the busiest times.
“Whether they’re live streaming a special moment from a sell-out gig or processing mobile payments and ticketing at a festival, Fast Lane helps keep customers connected even when thousands of people around them are trying to connect at the same time. This innovation builds on years of investment in EE’s 5G+ network and real-world network slicing trials, marking another milestone for the UK’s best network.”
Only available on premium plans
Of course, EE can’t shift everyone to the Fast Lane or it would be no different to the ordinary network, so to get access to Fast Lane you need a Full Works Plus plan. This is a whole new plan type the network is launching, and right now you can only get it alongside premium pay monthly handsets — so in other words the highest-end smartphones.
These new plans cost £5 more than the network’s existing Full Works plans, and other than the addition of Fast Lane they’re exactly the same, complete with uncapped data speeds, inclusive global roaming, and the choice of an Inclusive Extra such as Netflix Premium or Apple One, among others.
Full Works (and Full Works Plus) plans also come with unlimited smartwatch data, family data gifting, the ability to upgrade anytime, and Network Boost. That last feature serves a similar purpose to Fast Lane, as it gives your connection priority when the network is congested – but it doesn’t move your connection to a dedicated Fast Lane slice of the network.
So Fast Lane could be of real benefit if you often use your phone in busy places, but it doesn’t come cheap, and EE is already a pricey network, so consider how much you need it before signing up for a Full Works Plus plan.
