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Ever struggled to send a text message at a festival, make a call at a football match, or refresh social media in a frenzied city centre? If your mobile signal slows to a crawl in big crowds or rush hour traffic, EE is promising a fix.
The popular network has rolled out its new 5G Fast Lane to users nationwide.
As the name suggests, this is the highest-performance slice of its award-winning network, so that – even when the EE network is at its busiest – smartphones can continue to stream, share, and video call at uninterrupted speeds.
EE says Fast Lane marks the first time network slicing has become available for consumers and small businesses across the UK. For those who don't know, network slicing is a new type of 5G architecture built from the ground up that splits the network infrastructure into multiple virtual, independent, and secure networks.
Each of these so-called slices is tailored to a specific need — prioritising speed, bandwidth, or latency. This lets networks separate bandwidth for emergency services or video calls in congested areas, for example.
EE made its first move towards being able to offer this next-generation connection when it launched its standalone 5G network, stripping out any 4G equipment to bolster speeds and reliability, back in September 2024.
Back then, EE 5G was available to 18 million people across the UK. In contrast, Fast Lane is coming to 54 million people this week, that's an astonishing 78% of the total UK population across hundreds of major UK towns and cities.
You'll know if your smartphone is running on the EE Fast Lane because it's denoted by a 5G+ symbol on your handset. This isn't because you're in a particular area with new network equipment or stronger signal, 5G+ kicks-in when crowds overwhelm the network. To make sure you stay connected, your device will automatically be moved into a dedicated fast lane, so you can keep using your phone as normal.
Imagine you're trying to book a taxi after a concert when everyone is around you is doing exactly the same thing, or you're trying to download your ticket with a QR code outside a packed stadium... in these types of scenario, EE 5G Fast Lane means you won't be left waiting while your phone struggles to connect.
Small businesses get the same benefit, which is particularly handy if you're trying to take card payments at a busy festival or join a video call while travelling.
Here's how it actually works: EE's network spots when congestion is building and shifts you over to a separate dedicated section of the 5G+ network before things get slow. It all happens automatically in the background.
The technology isn't brand new – EE has been testing network slicing for the past two years at major events across the country. They've tried it at Wembley Stadium, Belfast Christmas Market, Sail GP in Portsmouth, this year's BAFTAs, and most recently at the Royal Welsh Show.
At the Belfast Christmas Market and the Welsh show, food and drink vendors used it to keep their card payment terminals running smoothly even when crowds peaked.
Fans at the Great Britain SailGP event got to experience a 360-degree AR and VR experience showing what it's like to be onboard, all powered by the same slicing technology.
EE is ploughing £40 billion into UK network infrastructure this decade, and they're aiming to get 5G+ coverage to 99% of the UK population by the end of March 2030. You'll soon start seeing a 5G+ icon pop up on your phone screen when you're connected to this faster network and can access features like Fast Lane.
The icon is already showing up on new and some Android devices, with other phones getting it later this year.
If you fancy getting Fast Lane for yourself, you'll need to sign up to EE's new Full Works Plus plan. It's a pay-monthly handset deal that costs an extra fiver compared to their standard Full Works package.
You'll need a phone that works with 5G+ networks, but if you've got that sorted, the plan comes with some decent extras beyond just Fast Lane. You'll get unlimited data running at top speeds, worldwide roaming, unlimited data for your smartwatch (if you've got one) and the ability to send an allowance of mobile data to family members on EE.
Discussing the launch of EE 5G+, BT Consumer Division Chief Executive, Claire Gillies, said: "Powered by our advanced 5G+ network, Fast Lane gives our customers access to a dedicated 5G+ lane at the busiest times.
"Whether they’re live streaming a special moment from a sell-out gig or processing mobile payments and ticketing at a festival, Fast Lane helps keep customers connected even when thousands of people around them are trying to connect at the same time. This innovation builds on years of investment in EE’s 5G+ network and real-world network slicing trials, marking another milestone for the UK’s best network.
"As the UK’s best network, we are committed to bringing our customers the very best in connectivity and innovation. Fast Lane is the latest example of how we're building on that leadership with the UK’s first commercial network slice to deliver meaningful benefits to both consumers and businesses."
