In the latest Opensignal report on UK mobile network experience, EE has retained its crown and clinched 10 out of 14 awards. The report, which analysed data from June to August 2024, paints a picture of a competitive landscape with EE at the forefront.
For the first time, EE has secured the ‘Reliability Experience’ award, scoring 881 points on a 1000-point scale—narrowly surpassing Vodafone’s 874 points.
However, it’s not all about EE. O2 has claimed the top spot for ‘Coverage Experience,’ scoring 8.9 points on a 10-point scale—just ahead of EE’s 8.6 points. This metric evaluates network coverage across all mobile technology generations in areas where people live, work, and travel.
EE’s dominance extends to streaming and gaming. The network has reclaimed its position as the outright winner for both’ Video Experience’ and ‘Games Experience’ awards, including their 5G counterparts. This marks a return to form for EE, which had previously shared the Video Experience award with Vodafone.
In 5G, EE continues to outperform. The network won both the 5G Availability and 5G Coverage Experience awards, indicating that EE customers can access 5G more frequently and in more locations than users of other networks.
While EE boasts the fastest overall speeds, Three has made admirable 5G performance improvements. The report shows that Three users experience the fastest download and upload speeds when connected to 5G networks.
The mobile landscape in the UK has seen major changes in recent years.
EE and Vodafone have both launched commercial 5G standalone access (SA) services, with EE covering 15 major cities. Both networks completed their 3G shutdowns in February 2024, a move aimed at improving smartphone user experience and network efficiency.
In 2021, Virgin Media acquired O2 and wasted no time in offering “supercharged” bundles of mobile, TV, and broadband to consumers that rival those offered by BT-owned EE. In March this year, the merged companies trialled a new approach to boosting mobile services by leveraging Virgin Media’s existing fixed network infrastructure along with new smart poles.
A potential merger between Vodafone and Three now looms large over the industry, with both companies arguing that it’s necessary to compete against EE and Virgin Media O2. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is expected to complete its investigation into the merger’s impact by December 2024.
Opensignal’s analysis suggests that if the Vodafone-Three merger proceeds, the combined entity could rival O2 in terms of Coverage Experience.
As the UK mobile market continues to evolve, with 5G expansion and network consolidation on the horizon, competition remains fierce to deliver a great experience. While EE currently holds the lead in many areas, the landscape could shift dramatically in the coming years.
(Image Credit: EE)
See also: IMT-2030 Vision: Industry experts outline the path to 6G
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