EE's 5G Standalone and WiFi 7 Aim to Support AI Supercycle

EE’s introduction of 5G Standalone and WiFi 7 routers is a significant shift in gear for the company as it looks to offer the UK’s best outdoor and indoor coverage.

EE announced the rollout of its first 5G Standalone network to 15 major UK cities last week, alongside a suite of new monthly mobile plans. It also introduced a new WiFi 7 router, which sits comfortably alongside recently announced games hardware bolt-ons.

Here is what it announced, with my analysis of the implications after.

• 15 cities covered: Bath, Belfast, Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Hull, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, London, Manchester, and Sheffield

• Will use AI to improve reliability and machine learning to reduce energy demands on the Grid

• Two new tariffs, All Rounder and Full Works, include 5D Standalone support, new Network Boost feature, EU roaming, and unlimited data. Pricing TBA

• Essentials+, All Rounder, and Full Works plans extend unlimited data to an existing smart watch for free

• Google One AI Premium available as part of Full Works plan

• WiFi 7 Smart Hub Pro and Smart WiFi Pro introduced, powered by Qualcomm’s Networking Platforms. Guarantee 100 Mbps connection in every room