- BT Group extends its 5G -standard tone -Infrastructure for more coverage
- A rebrand from 5G SA to 5G+ will communicate the benefits of customers
- EE -customers have already seen a lift this summer
BT Group has declared its commitment to delivering Standalone 5G, as it is Branding 5G+, to 99% of the British population by the end of his financial year in 2030 – four years ahead of every rival’s goal.
With Standalone 5G, BT will upgrade its core infrastructure instead of simply adding 5G radios to 4G networks, which will increase performance everywhere.
Formally known as 5G Standalone (SA), BT plans to redirect the technology ‘5G+’ to make the benefits clearer for customers. Two units are already live in Leeds, with hundreds more planned before 2030.
BT commits to wider 5G SA -EXTENDING
Ericsson radios are responsible for the improvements with up to 4x major uplink capacity. The upgrades will also result in EE’s network being able to handle up to 100x more capacity than 4G, enabling better reliability in areas with high demand such as cities and larger events.
BT Group Chief Security and Networks Officer Howard Watson also noted that 1,500 small cells are also operating throughout the UK to increase coverage, with 500 being added over the past 12 months.
Watson cited a recent group report that “continuous improvements to the quality of mobile networks could lock up to £ 230 billion in economic growth for the United Kingdom,” but the business leader acknowledged that expanding 5G SA itself will not solve all questions.
“Targeted interventions will still be required to tackle specific problems, such as improving connection along railways,” he added.
Earlier in 2025, BT Group claimed that 34 million British customers would have access to EE’s 5G SA (now 5G+) network at the end of August 2025, with 45 new locations added during the summer. In the spring of 2026, it hoped that 41 million people would have access to EE’s 5G+.
“Whether you are video calls from a crowded train station, live streaming on social media from a sold -out concert, or simply staying with your family and friends during the summer holidays, 5G Standalone added to your experience smoother, faster and more secure,” added BT Group Chief Networks Officer Greg McCall.
The news comes as BT Group ranks among the worst mobile user experiences across Europe due to poor 5G implementation.
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