Category: News | Published: 2025-11-04
Announced At Connected Britain 2025
BT’s announcement came during Connected Britain 2025 (a UK telecoms and connectivity conference), where the company’s chief security and networks officer Howard Watson confirmed that its mobile division EE is targeting 99 per cent population coverage for what it now brands “5G+” by 2030. The goal, Watson said, puts EE at least four years ahead of rival networks.
_“To make the benefits of this technology clearer for customers, we’ll use the term 5G+ rather than the technical industry shorthand 5G SA or 5G Standalone,”_ he wrote in a company blog published the same week. _“It’s the same game-changing network, but in language that’s simple and relatable.”_
Aligns With Government’s Ambition
The commitment aligns with a UK government ambition, first outlined in 2023, for Standalone 5G in all populated areas by 2030. However, BT made clear that achieving this level of nationwide service would depend on cooperation from ministers to speed planning decisions, reduce costs, and improve access to spectrum.