EE Mobile Network Review

EE is one of the UK’s largest mobile networks. It first launched in 2012 and was the country’s first 4G network. Today EE is part of BT and covers over 99% of the UK population with 4G. It also offers very fast data speeds. Independent tests name EE the UK’s fastest mobile network in 2025, with average download speeds around 115 Mbps. This means EE often beats other networks like Vodafone and Three on speed. In short, EE has great coverage and speed – but all that comes at a price.

In this EE mobile network review, we’ll look at all the key points: coverage, plans, extras, customer service and what real users say. We’ll also use recent data and user feedback to give you a full picture. By the end you’ll know if EE is right for you.

Coverage and speeds on EE

One of EE’s biggest strengths is its network coverage. EE’s 4G network reaches 99% of the UK population, which is more than any other operator. In practice that means if you live or work in towns and cities, EE will almost certainly work. Even in many rural areas there is an EE signal, though some very remote spots might still have gaps. We recommend checking your postcode with EE’s official coverage checker or independent maps before signing up, just to be sure.

EE also built one of the most widespread 5G networks. As of mid-2025, EE’s 5G is live in almost every major UK town and city. For example, EE has launched 5G in 117 of the 120 largest UK cities (higher than Vodafone or O2). The EE 5G signal is especially common in dense areas, though it can still be patchy indoors or in very rural places.

But the data speeds on EE are the real headline. 4G on EE is very fast – the network’s average 4G download is around 36 Mbps, which users will notice. On 5G, EE offers around 97 Mbps on average. One benchmark even put EE first for overall speeds: nPerf’s 2025 tests found EE’s average download speed was 114.7 Mbps (versus 97.3 for Vodafone and 84.5 for Three). In simple terms, streaming video, browsing and file downloads are usually quicker on EE than on any other UK network.

Overall, EE’s network performance is top-tier. It consistently has the fastest 4G speeds in the country and very wide reach. This is why many users say “EE coverage is great” and “EE is best in terms of speed” on forums. As one review put it, “EE’s fundamentals are right – fastest 4G speeds, widest coverage and tons of choice”. In short, if raw coverage and speed matter most to you, EE delivers.

Plans, pricing and SIM options

EE is known as a premium network, and its prices reflect that. In general, EE plans cost more than many rivals. Even so, EE offers many different types of plans to suit different needs. You can get SIM-only plans, pay-monthly handset contracts, Pay As You Go and mobile broadband. We’ll cover the main ones:

• SIM-only plans – These are plans without a phone. EE has lots of SIM-only deals. You can get small data plans (250 MB) up to large ones (40–60 GB). All SIM plans include unlimited UK calls and texts. For example, plans range from 250 MB (for very light browsing or email) up to 40 GB of data. For families, EE lets you share data between multiple SIM cards on one account, which can save money. In short, EE’s SIM plans are wide-ranging and let you pick a data size you need. One downside: EE does not sell 30-day rolling SIM plans online. All the online deals start with a 12- or 24-month minimum commitment. If you want a 30-day (1 month) SIM-only plan, you can only get that in-store.
• Phone contract plans – If you want a new phone plus a plan, EE offers every popular handset (iPhone, Samsung, etc.) on contract. Typically these are 24-month contracts. You can get data from as little as 500 MB up to 60 GB, depending on the phone and deal. For example, CompareMyMobile noted monthly prices range roughly from £15 to £88 (the high end being premium phones with lots of data). There are often promotions and bundles if you shop around. As with SIM-only, EE’s phone contracts include unlimited texts and minutes.
• Pay As You Go (PAYG) – EE also has PAYG bundles. These let you top up credit or data packs as needed. However, EE’s PAYG is not as popular or flexible as its main plans. If you prefer PAYG, there are smaller providers (like iD or Giffgaff) that use EE’s network but cost less.

In terms of data caps, note that EE does not offer unlimited data plans on phone contracts. The highest data typically tops out around 60 GB. So if you are a super heavy data user, this could be a con. Also, on price: CompareMyMobile wryly notes “Ah, so that’s what EE stands for: Eek, Expensive!”. In other words, EE plans are often pricier than equivalent plans on Vodafone, O2 or Three.

That said, many people feel the higher cost is partly offset by EE’s extras. We’ll discuss extras below. And there are ways to get good deals: look for promotions, or consider buying a phone cheaper and going SIM-only.

EE SIM review

If we focus just on EE SIM-only deals, they’re pretty comprehensive. As mentioned, data ranges from tiny allowances up to 40 GB. Unlimited calls/texts are standard, and you can get 5G on any plan. Notably, EE’s family SIM plans are good for multi-line households; you can pool data across lines to be more efficient. We think EE’s SIM offerings would suit most needs – but again, the catch is you need a long-term contract unless you buy in-store. The comparison of SIM deals on EE is quite “good” overall.

Extras and roaming benefits

EE tends to bundle in more extras than smaller networks, reflecting its premium position. These can make EE better value if you actually use them. Key EE extras include:

• Entertainment subscriptions – Many EE plans come with free subscriptions to popular services. For example, you can get up to 24 months of BT Sport for free on eligible plans, which is great if you like football, rugby or rugby. Plans also often include 6 months of Apple Music for free. EE even has had offers for Netflix or Office 365 with certain plans. The idea is that if you would have bought these services anyway, getting them free with EE is a bonus.
• Roaming – EE’s roaming perks are better than most. All EE plans include free roaming in the EU (use your data and minutes in Europe just like at home). Some EE plans also let you roam beyond Europe in places like the USA, Australia, etc. (sometimes for a small extra charge, sometimes included on higher plans). This is more generous than networks that charge high roaming fees or only cover the EU.
• Wi-Fi Calling and Wi-Fi on the Tube – EE supports Wi-Fi calling, which means your phone will use Wi-Fi to make calls in places with poor signal. Plus, EE customers can connect to Virgin Media Wi-Fi on much of the London Underground for free. This is handy if you commute by Tube and want a bit of internet.
• Other perks – EE often bundles in stuff like mobile security software, extra data if you have EE broadband at home, data gifting between accounts, and discounts on EE family phone plans. CompareMyMobile even joked “EE stands for Excellent Extras”.

In short, EE’s higher price does come with a lot of added benefits. If you would use BT Sport, Apple Music, travel overseas, etc., those can justify some of the cost. But if you don’t care about extras, you might prefer a cheaper network.

Customer service and support

Customer service is one area where EE is only average. Official stats (Ofcom’s 2017 report) showed about 85% of EE customers were satisfied, which was just okay compared to other networks. Anecdotally, online chat support is UK-based and sometimes helpful (CompareMyMobile’s staff said they usually got correct answers). But many customers still complain about long phone queue times and billing issues.

If you need to manage your account, EE provides a smart app and website. But some users find the EE app and website clunky. For example, some Reddit users say “their site and app is probably the worst in the business”. On the positive side, if you find a good EE shop or an online chat agent, they can sort problems out efficiently.

Important notes about customer service:

• Billing and complaints – A major source of complaints is bills. A lot of reviews mention unexpected charges or difficulty resolving billing errors. Trustpilot and other review sites are full of such complaints.
• Loyalty retention – Some people report EE’s retention team can give decent offers if you threaten to switch networks, but experiences vary.
• Technical issues – Outages or technical faults do happen (like any network). EE’s large network means issues get big attention, but social media sometimes lights up when it goes down.

Overall, EE’s customer service isn’t terrible, but it’s not a strong point. CompareMyMobile’s verdict: “EE’s customer service doesn’t really stand out, but nor is it significantly worse than its competitors… It’s average”.

Real user reviews: Trustpilot, Reddit and complaints

To get a sense of real user experience, it’s useful to look at public reviews. Unfortunately for EE, these are often negative.

• On Trustpilot, EE has a rating of just 1.5 out of 5 with over 22,000 reviews. In fact, 76% of reviews are 1-star. The summary on Trustpilot says most reviewers feel let down, especially by customer service and billing. For example, many reviews talk about “issues with customer service” and “difficulties contacting EE”. A few recent snippets show frustrations: one user raved about a helpful store assistant, but many others complained about no signal or billing errors. Overall, trustpilot reviews for EE frequently mention hidden fees, poor support and dropped connections.
• On other review sites, the picture is similar. For instance, Reviews.io (an independent review platform) shows EE with an average score of only 1.6 out of 5 based on 1,305 reviews. Only about 13% of reviewers recommend EE. This matches Trustpilot’s trend – most negative reviews focus on customer care and billing rather than signal or speed.
• On Reddit, opinions are mixed. Some long-time EE users praise its network quality: e.g. “EE coverage is great… the best by a country mile in terms of quality of coverage”. Others say the opposite: “Terrible signal… worse than O2 and Vodafone in London” and “worst customer support by far”. Many people mention EE’s prices being high. One user noted they get a lot of free extras (BT Sport, Netflix, etc) on their plan, which echoes EE’s perks. But another said their indoor coverage dropped off and they’re “seriously thinking about leaving”.
• Complaints summary – The common complaints in user reviews include:
• Billing surprises or being overcharged.
• Long waits or unhelpful staff when calling.
• Coverage issues in specific local areas (often indoors).
• Very bad experiences during technical problems or outages.
• Difficulties cancelling or moving away from EE.

However, not all feedback is negative. Some users report positive support interactions and appreciate the extras on their plan. For example, one Redditor said their EE shop agent helped them perfectly, and noted the freebies like Netflix and BT Sport.

In summary, prospective customers should be aware: EE often scores poorly on Trustpilot and similar sites. The most common issues are about support and billing, not about the network itself. If you decide to join EE, be sure to read the fine print on your bill and have patience with customer service.

Pros and cons of EE

Let’s put the main points into a quick list:

Pros:

• Outstanding UK network coverage (99% population 4G).
• Very fast data speeds (4G and 5G are among the best, ~115 Mbps according to nPerf).
• Wide choice of plans (SIM-only, contracts, PAYG) and handsets.
• Generous extras (BT Sport, Apple Music, Wi-Fi calling, etc.) and good roaming benefits.
• UK-based customer support (at least chat) and integrated with BT’s broadband deals for bundle perks.

Cons:

• High prices – EE is one of the most expensive networks.
• No unlimited data plans (the max is around 60 GB).
• No short-term (30-day) SIM contracts online – only long ones unless in store.
• Customer service is only average and often criticized (billing issues, wait times).
• Some coverage blind spots remain, especially indoors in certain areas (even if overall coverage is high).

This sums up the EE pros and cons. It is strong on network quality but weaker on price and service.

Is EE good in my area?

A very common question is: “Is EE good in my area?” The answer is: it depends on where “here” is! In major towns and cities, EE will almost certainly have 4G and increasingly 5G coverage. In fact, the big networks have largely built out city coverage. EE’s own coverage checker (on ee.co.uk) is a good start to see what signal strength you might get.

For a broader view, tools like OpenSignal, nPerf or the UK’s official coverage maps can help. Generally speaking, if you live in a city or suburban area, EE should give you great coverage and 5G. For example, many UK-wide tests find EE has better indoor signal than Vodafone or O2 in many places, but it can be hit-or-miss in some buildings or remote villages. On Reddit, some users said EE was the only provider that gave them 5G at home in rural areas, while others in big cities complained of spotty EE signals in certain neighborhoods.

In summary: Use the official EE coverage checker with your postcode, and also consider asking locals or checking crowdsourced coverage apps. The network itself will claim you have signal if they say “99% pop coverage”, but the reality can vary street-by-street. If it turns out EE is weak in your specific area, remember that the EE network is shared with some MVNOs (like BT Mobile and Plusnet Mobile), so you could try those cheaper plans on the same network instead.

Conclusion

In conclusion, EE is one of the UK’s top mobile networks. Our EE mobile network review shows it offers excellent coverage and the fastest speeds. It comes with lots of perks like streaming subscriptions and roaming benefits, and a range of plans. However, EE’s premium quality means premium prices. It is often the priciest option, and you won’t get unlimited data. Customer service is decent but not outstanding, and many user complaints highlight billing and support issues.

So, is EE good? If you can afford a higher budget and value lightning-fast data and near-universal coverage, EE is a great choice. The pros (speed, coverage, extras) clearly shine on EE. Just be prepared for the cons (cost and support). As one review summed it up, EE is “one of the UK’s best mobile networks, held back mostly just by its high prices”.

For most UK users, our verdict is: yes, EE is very good in terms of network quality, but make sure the plan you pick fits your budget and needs. Check the coverage in your area before you buy – an “Is EE good in my area” search or EE’s checker can help. Read the fine print on any deal to avoid surprises, and watch out for hidden fees. That way, you can enjoy EE’s strong network without unexpected costs.

In short, this EE mobile network review finds EE excellent technically, but expensive in practice. Use it if you want the best performance and can pay for it; if not, one of the smaller networks might suit you better on price.