Telecoms provider extends 5G coverage across the North West
Two more North West towns have been switched on to 5G today (March 12).
Telecoms group EE has switched on 5G in 21 new towns and cities across the UK, including Birkenhead and Bury.
Birkenhead becomes the second place in Merseyside to receive 5G on EE’s network, following the first sites going live in Liverpool last year.
There are now six towns in Greater Manchester that have got 5G on EE’s network, plus the city of Manchester which was among the initial UK launch cities in May 2019.
EE has now brought the improved mobile experience to a total of 71 locations, and 5G to more places in the UK than any other operator, it says.
The company, part of BT Group, was the first operator to launch 5G coverage in the UK in May 2019, and has been expanding its network daily.
As well as switching on the first 5G sites in new cities and large towns, EE has also brought 5G to more high footfall places, including Bath’s Royal Crescent and Pulteney Bridge, London Bridge and London’s Thornton Heath railway station.
Marc Allera, CEO of BT’s consumer division, said: “We have 5G coverage in more places than any other operator, and remain focused on connecting even more towns and cities in 2020 and beyond to keep our customers connected in the busiest places.”
Liz Needleman, BT Group regional lead for the North of England, said: “EE has rolled out 5G in Birkenhead, meaning even more people and businesses in the area can benefit from the latest mobile technology.
“As well as providing faster speeds and more capacity, the future potential for 5G is incredible.”
Asif Hamid, chair of the Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “Good digital infrastructure is a critical and essential requirement for future-focused businesses, so I’m delighted that 5G is coming to Birkenhead.
“This will make a significant difference in helping local businesses boost their productivity and grow.
“We’re already working to enable ultra-fast digital infrastructure in all six boroughs in the Liverpool City Region, so having 5G in Birkenhead will help us continue to drive economic growth.
“I’m very excited by the prospect of businesses in our region becoming some of the first to benefit from the latest mobile network technology.”
Cllr Elise Wilson, Greater Manchester’s lead member for Digital City Region said: “It’s fantastic to hear EE is bringing 5G to Bury, with the company having already rolled this out in Oldham, Manchester, Rochdale, Salford and parts of Tameside.
“All 10 of our local authorities are now 5G-enabled, one of the first city regions to do so.
“The investment puts the foundations in place to improve mobile speeds and get more people online, accessing public services within their community and becoming confident internet users.”
According to independent 5G testing by RootMetrics, EE’s 5G network achieved the highest average download speed and highest 5G availability in London, Birmingham and Cardiff.
