EE 5G Phone Deals

Why choose an EE mobile phone contract?

EE was the first UK network to launch a 5G service, so it has a head start on rivals and is in the lead in terms of coverage, with its 5G service now available in more towns and cities across the UK than any other network.

EE sells a significant selection of the latest 5G-ready phones and offers plans with unlimited data, minutes and texts so you can make the most of your high-end handset and superfast data.

Its phone contracts are 24-months long as standard, although one month and 12 months are also available for SIM-only deals. Its focus is on unlimited and big data deals, but EE also offers a range of smaller data deals, meaning there is something for everyone. 

Now owned by BT, the EE network has excellent infrastructure and is well positioned to continue growing and expanding, so you can expect a reliable 5G network that will only get better over time.

How can I keep my number when switching?

In order to keep your existing mobile number when you switch to EE, you will need to request a ‘PAC’ (or Porting Authorisation Code) from your current provider. To do this, just text PAC to 65075 and in return you will receive a nine-digit code that you will need to give to EE. You can do this either at the point of purchase, over the phone to EE or by filling in the number transfer form. The PAC code is valid for 30 days.

EE Mobile added extras 

EE takes the near-unique approach of letting you choose which extras you want, with many of its plans coming with between one and three ‘Smart Benefits’. The benefits you can claim depend on both the plan you choose and also whether you choose an Apple or Android phone. The All Rounder plan comes with one Smart Benefit of your choice, and the Full Works plan comes with a choice of three.

The Smart Benefits on offer are definitely worth having and include free subscriptions to Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, BT Sport, Microsoft 365 Persona (which comes with all the Premium Office apps and a licence for five devices), a Roam Abroad Pass (letting you roam in numerous countries at no extra cost), an Entertainment Data Pass (which allows you to stream video and music from various services, including Netflix, Spotify and Amazon Prime Video without it coming out of your data allowance), an XBox Game Pass and a Netflix subscription.

The Full Works for iPhone plan is the ultimate companion, as this comes with both Roam Abroad and Apple One (which includes subscriptions to Apple Music, Apple TV Plus and Apple Arcade, and 50GB of iCloud Plus storage as standard), and the choice of three Smart Benefits as well.

EE also lets All Rounder and Full Works smartphone plan customers upgrade anytime, making its 5G phone plans remarkably flexible all-round. Select handsets also support Wi-Fi Calling and 4G Calling.

As an added bonus, if you also take out EE home broadband, then you can get a monthly data boost on your mobile plan of up to 20GB.

EE Mobile phone upgrades

EE offers pay monthly customers on certain plans the option to upgrade their phone from as early as 15 days into their contract. Subject to it being in perfect working order, you can swap your phone for a new one. Just bear in mind that upgrade fees may apply depending on the handset you choose.

Customers with fewer than 45 days left on their pay monthly contract can upgrade without being charged a fee to do so. In addition, if you are in the last 100 days of your contract (with roughly three months left), you can get a new phone without having to pay an upgrade fee, as long as you choose a higher (i.e. more expensive) plan.

The EE 4GEE Max plans come with the option of a fee-free annual phone upgrade and you can use the My EE app to check when you are eligible. You will need to have had at least 12 consecutive months on this plan in order to claim your upgrade.

Unlimited data

EE is something of a specialist in unlimited data, and offers customers the choice of either an unlimited data plan with the best download speeds available or an unlimited data plan with maximum download speeds of 100Mbps. There is a small financial saving between the two, with the 100Mbps package costing just a few pounds less per month than the best speeds option.

EE also offers a big data package of 200GB that is just as likely to see you through the month as an unlimited data deal, and which also comes with the same two speed options as the unlimited data deals. Customers looking for more modest data allowances can choose from 25GB, 5GB or even 1GB.

4G and 5G Coverage

EE offers excellent 4G coverage in the UK, at around 99% coverage of the population, meaning you should be able to get a decent signal in most places around the UK. Its 5G coverage is also growing rapidly, with over 200 towns and cities currently connected to the network. This compares favourably with the 5G rollout of the other three networks, who are lagging behind somewhat.

EE’s coverage checker will tell you what coverage is like in the areas relevant to you, but bear in mind that 5G coverage can still be patchy and will also depend on your handset.

EE Mobile 5G speeds

It may surprise you to know that EE does not boast the fastest 5G download speeds; that honour in fact goes to Three with 204.3Mbps, but with EE’s 5G speed still averaging a very respectable 129.2Mbps, there’s little room for concern. In comparison, EE does lead the way with its 4G speeds, which averaged 44Mbps in the latest research by independent analytics group, Opensignal.

Data roaming

EE lets you roam for £2 per day across 48 European destinations, but if you want to roam for free – or in more locations – simply select Roam Abroad as a Smart Benefit to be able to roam for free in most of Europe, as well as the US, Canada, Mexico, Australia, and New Zealand. Roam Abroad is also available separately for £10 per month on a rolling monthly basis so you can cancel any time.

If you’re travelling elsewhere then EE also offers a Travel Data Pass, which gets you an allowance of 500MB of data per day to use in numerous countries, with prices starting at £5.48 per day, rising to a maximum of £6.85 per day. A full list of countries is available on EE’s website.

Tethering

EE allows you to use as much of your monthly data allowance as you want for tethering, so with a high allowance you can comfortably turn your phone into a mobile broadband device and get other devices online.

If you want to use your data for tethering abroad though, be aware that EE imposes a monthly limit of 50GB – you cannot use unlimited data to get other devices online while you are out of the UK. This only applies to tethering abroad, however. If you just want to use your mobile phone, you are free to use as much of your data as you wish.

Although it is useful, tethering uses up data very quickly. This is because both your phone and the device to which it is connected are both using your data allowance. So that 50GB allowance may not last you as long as you think.

EE Mobile customer service

EE Mobile can be contacted on 0800 956 6000 or on 150 between 8am and 9pm Monday to Friday and between 8am and 8pm Saturday and Sunday. There is also an online contact form and a responsive live chat service available if you don’t want to pick up the phone.

According to the latest report on mobile customer service by Ofcom, EE Mobile comes out very well for customer service, averaging 92% customer satisfaction with the service overall (against the average of 91%) and with 55% overall satisfaction with complaint handling (against a sector average of 53%). It also had just 5 complaints per 100,000 customers (against an average of 10), with Virgin Media Mobile suffering the highest number, with 16.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Does EE do SIM-only?

Yes, EE Mobile offers SIM-only deals on one-month, 12-month and 24-month contracts.

Do I need to be an EE broadband customer to get EE Mobile?

No. But if you do take EE broadband as well as EE mobile, you will be eligible for a ten per cent reduction on your monthly broadband bill and up to 20GB of extra data for your mobile plan each month.

Does EE Mobile have wifi calling?

Yes, EE supports wifi calling on any phone that supports it.

How do I join EE Mobile?

SImply browse the selection of handset deals above – you can filter by network, price, contract length and data allowance – and once you have made your choice, click on the red See Deal button which will take you straight to EE, where you can choose your Smart Benefits and complete your order.