Ballymena receives EE 5G+ upgrade ahead of festive shopping rush

Ballymena has become one of the latest towns in the UK to benefit from EE’s new 5G+ network, with upgraded coverage now live across the area in time for the busy Christmas period.

The enhancement – rolled out at no extra cost – aims to provide faster speeds and significantly more reliable connectivity for residents, shoppers and visitors, particularly around high-footfall areas such as Fairhill Shopping Centre.

The upgrade forms part of EE’s nationwide December rollout, which includes a free 5G+ boost for more than 500,000 customers who joined the network between September 2024 and March 2025, as well as new 5G+ sites going live in 20 towns and cities, including Ballymena.

Faster, More Reliable Mobile Network for Ballymena,

5G+ is EE’s most advanced mobile network technology, offering higher capacity, improved reliability and enhanced download/upload speeds.

It is specifically designed to perform better in busy areas, meaning that Ballymena shoppers sharing festive moments, video calling, livestreaming or using social media should now see fewer interruptions and far smoother performance.

EE says it has already delivered 5G+ to 60% of the UK population, five months ahead of schedule, and is targeting 99% coverage by 2030, ahead of all other UK operators.

National Rollout Brings Connectivity to Millions

Across the UK, EE has now extended 5G+ access to more than 44 million people, equivalent to 66% of the population. The latest festive upgrade brings the advanced network to 20 new locations, benefiting a further 1.6 million people.

The list includes Ballymena, Gateshead, Chelmsford, Oldham, Solihull, and Londonderry, among others.

The operator has also brought 5G+ to major festive attractions including Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, which draws around 3 million visitors each year.

Greg McCall, Chief Networks Officer at BT Group, said:

“This time of year is all about connecting with the people and things we care about most. With millions of people travelling to visit family, heading to the high street for their gifts, and enjoying the best festive events the UK has to offer, we’re expanding EE’s 5G+ network so the nation can benefit from its high capacity, ultra-reliable connectivity and stay connected to what matters to them this Christmas.”

Enhanced Capabilities, Including Network Slicing

One of the major benefits of 5G+ is its support for network slicing, a feature that allows mobile operators to dedicate specific network capacity to particular uses or customer groups.

EE has already run successful network slicing trials at high-profile events including Belfast Christmas Market, SailGP in Portsmouth, and England football matches at Wembley Stadium.

5G+ is available on all EE pay-monthly handset plans, as well as its Full Works and All Rounder SIM-only packages. The network reports that more than 15% of its pay-monthly customers are already using 5G+ services.

Full List of New 5G+ Locations in the UK

The 20 locations newly upgraded include:

1. Ballymena

2. Burton-on-Trent

3. Chelmsford

4. Dewsbury

5. Ellesmere Port

6. Gateshead

7. Greenock

8. Hamilton

9. Hartlepool

10. Hatfield

11. Hereford

12. Londonderry

13. Newark

14. Oldham

15. Rochdale

16. Solihull

17. Stafford

18. Stevenage

19. Tamworth

20. Warwick

EE’s continued expansion marks one of the most rapid nationwide network upgrades ever undertaken in the UK, with the operator positioning 5G+ as a core component of the country’s future digital infrastructure.