EE has rolled out 5G to 19 more places, and topped the charts for performance

EE almost always does well in independent tests, and the latest RootMetrics results are no exception, as EE has been named the UK’s number one network. Remarkably, that’s the 19th time in a row it’s taken that title.

These results cover the second half of 2022, and see EE offer median download speeds that are over twice as fast as those achieved by Three, Vodafone or O2, at almost 60Mbps – note however that this is using a combination of technologies, not just 5G.

As most users will find themselves switching between 5G and 4G – and even sometimes 3G – when moving around, a combined score is likely to better reflect their typical experiences than just looking at 5G.

That said, when we do look just at 5G it’s Three that leads, with a median download speed of 202.8Mbps and a top speed of 739.4Mbps – both of which beat any rival.

Still, EE’s results were enough to see it take the awards for overall network performance and reliability. Of the 16 tested areas across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, it was rated the best overall network in 14.

The 5G roll out continues

So these are impressive results for EE, and this isn’t the only good news for the network, as it’s used to occasion to reveal updates on its coverage, with EE now reaching 60% of the UK’s population with 5G, and having recently switched the service on in the following 19 new locations:

Abergavenny / Y Fenni, Banbury, Basildon, Beverley, Chepstow / Cas-Gwent, Coatbridge, Corby, Cwmbran, Immingham, Llanelli, Margate, Preston, Reading, Shrewsbury, Slough, Tewkesbury, Warrington, Windsor, and Wishaw.

By our count that brings its total number of 5G towns and cities up to at least 369, but the actual number is likely far higher, as the network hasn’t revealed an up to date total.

In any case, this is all good news for EE’s customers, and you can expect 5G coverage to keep growing quickly, as EE plans to make 5G available across 90% of the UK landmass by 2028.

Still, with Three seemingly offering better 5G performance, it will be interesting to see whether EE keeps winning in these tests once people and networks become less reliant on 4G.