UK network operator EE has expanded its 5G Standalone (5G SA) mobile network to cover more than 50 million people.

As part of the telco's latest rollout, an additional 15 towns and cities across the country have received 5G SA coverage.

The carrier launched its 5G SA network in September 2024 and aims to reach 99 percent of the country's population by the end of FY30.

Despite being the first UK telco to launch its 5G network back in 2019, EE was the third to launch 5G SA, behind Vodafone and Virgin Media O2.

5G SA is a network that is not reliant on older mobile generations and solely uses a 5G core network; it will be better equipped to embrace AI.

According to EE, its 50 million milestone has come ahead of schedule, as the company had initially targeted 41 million people by Spring 2026.

"This milestone shows the pace at which we’re building the UK’s most advanced mobile network,” said Greg McCall, chief security and networks officer at BT Group. “By expanding EE’s 5G+ coverage to millions more people and being the first in the world to launch new network technologies, we’re giving our customers more reliable and resilient connectivity in the places where it matters most.”

In total, more than 610 towns and cities now have access to EE's 5G SA network, notes the carrier.

To support EE's 5G expansion plans, the company noted that it has reallocated its 2.1GHz (2,100MHz) spectrum across more than 4,000 mobile sites to bolster indoor coverage and deliver improved upload speeds. Beyond this, EE said it plans to upgrade 5,000 more mobile sites in this way in the next few months.

EE also provided an update on the rollout of its Advanced RAN Coordination (ARC) technology, noting that the technology will be rolled out to more cities by the end of next month.

The technology enables mobile sites close to each other to dynamically share capacity in real time without the need for additional mobile masts. The carrier claims that its ARC upgrades can deliver 20 percent faster download speeds, smooth video streaming, and more reliable connectivity during peak times.

EE launched the technology in Manchester and Edinburgh last year, and has since launched ARC on its 5G+ network in London.

By the end of next month, it will be available in more cities, including Belfast, Cardiff, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle, and Sheffield.