Latest news with #BT-owned
The Irish Sun
22-07-2025
- Business
- The Irish Sun
UK's biggest mobile provider dishes out free data boost to 41 million customers – find out if you qualify
MORE than 34 million people will receive a big boost to their mobile service this summer at no extra cost. And it should cut down on dreaded poor connection when your phone says it has 5G. 3 Customers can expect better connections in certain areas Credit: Alamy 3 Company aims to make better form of 5G available to 41million by spring 2026 Credit: Alamy EE is unleashing the best version of 5G, known as When connected to 5G standalone you essentially receive the best form of 5G there is. At the moment, a lot of the 5G your phone gets is actually non-standalone, which is some 4G tech mixed in with 5G upgrades, therefore connections aren't at their full speed potential. But the BT-owned company has been making progress on replacing its kit to the full whack 5G standalone standard. By the end of August, the firm says its 5G standalone network will be available to more than half of the UK population. It claims this will make EE the UK's biggest 5G standalone network less than a year on from launch. Some areas that have recently had the tech switched on include Carlisle, Chesterfield, Hemel Hempstead, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Gosport, Slough, Stoke-on-Trent, Sutton Coldfield and York. But this summer, the following 38 areas will notice more reliable, speedy 5G too. Most read in Tech Aberdeen Beverley Blyth Boston Canterbury Chippenham Cleethorpes Crawley Derby Exmouth Great Malvern Grimsby Halifax Harlow Havant Inverness Ipswich Leyland Lichfield Loughborough Norwich Paignton Peterborough Royal Leamington Spa Salisbury Shrewsbury St Albans St Neots Sutton in Ashfield Trowbridge Wellingborough Whitley Bay Windsor Winsford Wishaw Wokingham Wrexham Yeovil EE says it is also rolling out voice over 5G standalone (Vo5G), a feature that improves voice calls with faster setup times, reducing the delay between dialling a number and the phone starting to ring. "Whether you are video calling from a crowded train station, livestreaming on social media from a sold-out concert, or simply staying in touch with your family and friends over the summer holidays, 5G standalone on EE makes your experience smoother, faster and more secure," explained Greg McCall, Chief Networks Officer at BT Group. "Delivering a high-quality mobile experience every day for millions of people is what matters to us, it's what has driven us to build the UK's most reliable network and why we're now delivering 5G standalone to more people in more places across the UK." EE's aims to make 5G standalone available to more than 41million people by spring 2026. 3 Calls will also connect faster thanks to the new tech Credit: Getty
Scottish Sun
22-07-2025
- Scottish Sun
UK's biggest mobile provider dishes out free data boost to 41 million customers – find out if you qualify
5-GEE! UK's biggest mobile provider dishes out free data boost to 41 million customers – find out if you qualify MORE than 34 million people will receive a big boost to their mobile service this summer at no extra cost. And it should cut down on dreaded poor connection when your phone says it has 5G. Advertisement 3 Customers can expect better connections in certain areas Credit: Alamy 3 Company aims to make better form of 5G available to 41million by spring 2026 Credit: Alamy EE is unleashing the best version of 5G, known as 5G standalone, to more users across the UK. When connected to 5G standalone you essentially receive the best form of 5G there is. At the moment, a lot of the 5G your phone gets is actually non-standalone, which is some 4G tech mixed in with 5G upgrades, therefore connections aren't at their full speed potential. But the BT-owned company has been making progress on replacing its kit to the full whack 5G standalone standard. Advertisement By the end of August, the firm says its 5G standalone network will be available to more than half of the UK population. It claims this will make EE the UK's biggest 5G standalone network less than a year on from launch. Some areas that have recently had the tech switched on include Carlisle, Chesterfield, Hemel Hempstead, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Gosport, Slough, Stoke-on-Trent, Sutton Coldfield and York. But this summer, the following 38 areas will notice more reliable, speedy 5G too. Advertisement Aberdeen Beverley Blyth Boston Canterbury Chippenham Cleethorpes Crawley Derby Exmouth Great Malvern Grimsby Halifax Harlow Havant Inverness Ipswich Leyland Lichfield Loughborough Norwich Paignton Peterborough Royal Leamington Spa Salisbury Shrewsbury St Albans St Neots Sutton in Ashfield Trowbridge Wellingborough Whitley Bay Windsor Winsford Wishaw Wokingham Wrexham Yeovil EE says it is also rolling out voice over 5G standalone (Vo5G), a feature that improves voice calls with faster setup times, reducing the delay between dialling a number and the phone starting to ring. "Whether you are video calling from a crowded train station, livestreaming on social media from a sold-out concert, or simply staying in touch with your family and friends over the summer holidays, 5G standalone on EE makes your experience smoother, faster and more secure," explained Greg McCall, Chief Networks Officer at BT Group. "Delivering a high-quality mobile experience every day for millions of people is what matters to us, it's what has driven us to build the UK's most reliable network and why we're now delivering 5G standalone to more people in more places across the UK." EE's aims to make 5G standalone available to more than 41million people by spring 2026. Advertisement
Daily Mirror
20-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
UK's 'best' broadband is not BT, Sky or Virgin
The latest stats are in and there's a surprise winner of the best UK broadband. The UK's broadband has been put through its paces once again, and there's a surprise winner. The team at Broadband Genie have just dished out their yearly gongs, and the top prize hasn't gone to the big three providers. Instead of BT, Sky or Virgin Media filling their trophy cabinet, the winner of the 'best' broadband service is Plusnet. The BT-owned platform beat all of its rivals to be crowned the winner and that's not all as the Internet Service Provider also won Most Reliable Provider and Most User Friendly as well. Speaking about the result, Alex Tofts, Strategist at Broadband Genie said: "You won't find any fancy frills with Plusnet, such as TV or phone bundles. "And while flashy rewards for new switches are few and far between, its straightforward 'broadband only ' deals are a real win. No set-up costs, no line rental, great support, and the peace of mind that comes with good customer service if anything goes wrong. Take to the podium, Plusnet!' Plusnet isn't the only winner. Broadband Genie also handed out a swathe of other gongs, including Best Value for Money, Fastest Widely Available Provider and Best Customer Service. ISPs picking up those prizes include NOW, Three Vodafone and Virgin. Here is the full list of Broadband Genie winners Best Provider: Plusnet Fastest Widely Available Provider: Virgin Media Fastest Wireless Provider: Three Best Value for Money: Vodafone Most Reliable Provider: Plusnet Best Customer Service: NOW Broadband Best Social Tariff: Vodafone Best Provider for Home Working: Virgin Media Best Provider for Online Gaming: Virgin Media Best Provider for Streaming: Virgin Media Most User Friendly: Plusnet Along with announcing those big broadband winners, the latest survey has also revealed the providers and areas where improvements need to be made. According to Broadband Genie, customers were least satisfied with customer service. This category has the lowest scores of any, with providers Direct Save (58%) and Zen Internet (64%) significantly below the average in this area. Value for money was also an issue with this category having the second-lowest average score. Virgin Media (64%), BT (64%), TalkTalk (67%) and Sky Broadband (68%) which form the majority of the broadband market were well off the pace of the front-runners. 'It's no surprise that in a year when customers are once again having to swallow hefty mid-contract price rises that they feel they're not getting value for money," added Tofts. "This is more evidence and only affirms our stance that Ofcom needs to ban mid-contract price rises.'
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Elon Musk's Starlink to get bigger slice of UK broadband network
Elon Musk's Starlink is set to be handed a bigger slice of Britain's broadband network amid surging demand for satellite internet services. Ofcom has outlined proposals to grant new temporary spectrum licences to Starlink for three of its gateway Earth stations. The stations, which are located at Starlink's existing sites in Hampshire, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire, help to connect broadband users by transmitting data between satellites and infrastructure on the ground. Ofcom said the new licences, which would boost the frequencies that could be used by Starlink, would expand network capacity as demand grows for satellite broadband services. The regulator is consulting on providing Starlink with temporary access to E band spectrum that would expire at the end of 2028. The licences would be subject to technical conditions to protect other internet and satellite services. Ofcom said: 'We consider that granting these licences would enable Starlink to increase the capacity of its services, benefiting people and businesses who use these services in the UK. 'This should encourage investment, foster innovation and bolster growth of satellite services in the UK.' Starlink, a subsidiary of Mr Musk's SpaceX, is one of a number of companies vying to tackle patchy internet coverage in remote rural areas. It operates a constellation of thousands of low-Earth orbit satellites, which beam down signals to earth in areas that are either too difficult or expensive to reach with traditional infrastructure. Starlink's technology has proved popular with businesses and consumers in remote areas, while the company has also won public sector contracts including providing internet services to rural NHS GPs and location tracking for ambulance services. However, Starlink has recently come under scrutiny due to Mr Musk's links to Donald Trump's White House. The billionaire has courted controversy by suggesting he could turn off Starlink services in Ukraine, which has become heavily reliant on the company to keep it connected to the internet during the war with Russia. Mr Musk's dominance is facing a further threat from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who is preparing to launch his own satellite broadband service – Project Kuiper – in the UK. In addition to home broadband, mobile network operators are exploring how to deploy satellite technology to address signal 'not spots' in rural areas amid growing political frustration over poor coverage across the UK. BT-owned EE and Virgin Media O2 are already trialling Starlink's technology to improve their networks, while T-Mobile is testing services from Mr Musk's company in the US. Meanwhile Vodafone, which is poised to complete its £15bn merger with Three, has launched its own satellite venture with Texas-based AST SpaceMobile. Satellite services typically require a receiver that allows the user to connect to the internet. However, Ofcom has cleared the way for mobile companies to sign deals for an upgraded service that allows smartphones to connect directly with satellites. Any satellite connectivity will augment rather than replace traditional phone networks, while operators are expected to charge extra for the service, similar to roaming fees when travelling abroad. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Elon Musk's Starlink to get bigger slice of UK broadband network
Elon Musk's Starlink is set to be handed a bigger slice of Britain's broadband network amid surging demand for satellite internet services. Ofcom has outlined proposals to grant new temporary spectrum licences to Starlink for three of its gateway Earth stations. The stations, which are located at Starlink's existing sites in Hampshire, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire, help to connect broadband users by transmitting data between satellites and infrastructure on the ground. Ofcom said the new licences, which would boost the frequencies that could be used by Starlink, would expand network capacity as demand grows for satellite broadband services. The regulator is consulting on providing Starlink with temporary access to E band spectrum that would expire at the end of 2028. The licences would be subject to technical conditions to protect other internet and satellite services. Ofcom said: 'We consider that granting these licences would enable Starlink to increase the capacity of its services, benefiting people and businesses who use these services in the UK. 'This should encourage investment, foster innovation and bolster growth of satellite services in the UK.' Starlink, a subsidiary of Mr Musk's SpaceX, is one of a number of companies vying to tackle patchy internet coverage in remote rural areas. It operates a constellation of thousands of low-Earth orbit satellites, which beam down signals to earth in areas that are either too difficult or expensive to reach with traditional infrastructure. Starlink's technology has proved popular with businesses and consumers in remote areas, while the company has also won public sector contracts including providing internet services to rural NHS GPs and location tracking for ambulance services. However, Starlink has recently come under scrutiny due to Mr Musk's links to Donald Trump's White House. The billionaire has courted controversy by suggesting he could turn off Starlink services in Ukraine, which has become heavily reliant on the company to keep it connected to the internet during the war with Russia. Mr Musk's dominance is facing a further threat from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who is preparing to launch his own satellite broadband service – Project Kuiper – in the UK. In addition to home broadband, mobile network operators are exploring how to deploy satellite technology to address signal 'not spots' in rural areas amid growing political frustration over poor coverage across the UK. BT-owned EE and Virgin Media O2 are already trialling Starlink's technology to improve their networks, while T-Mobile is testing services from Mr Musk's company in the US. Meanwhile Vodafone, which is poised to complete its £15bn merger with Three, has launched its own satellite venture with Texas-based AST SpaceMobile. Satellite services typically require a receiver that allows the user to connect to the internet. However, Ofcom has cleared the way for mobile companies to sign deals for an upgraded service that allows smartphones to connect directly with satellites. Any satellite connectivity will augment rather than replace traditional phone networks, while operators are expected to charge extra for the service, similar to roaming fees when travelling abroad. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
