BT Unveils Plans to Outpace SA 5G Rivals

BT Group plans to cover 99% of the UK population with standalone 5G by the end of its 2030 financial year. The company claims that its target is four years ahead of rival operators’ plans.

The operator has already begun work to support the expansion, with mobile arm EE apparently becoming the first European operator to activate Ericsson’s AIR 3284 radios, which have built-in antennas to maximize network performance and provide up to four times more uplink capacity. BT has two live sites in Leeds and hundreds more planned by 2030.

In total, the upgraded network will offer up to 100 times the capacity of 4G, positioning it to better handle dense usage in busy areas and major events. In the announcement, BT cited research suggesting that enhanced mobile connectivity could unlock up to £230 billion in economic value for the UK.

BT has also ramped up its small cell rollout, with more than 1,500 now live across the UK. In the past year alone, 500 were added in cities including Belfast, Bristol, and Oxford. In addition, EE launched an Advanced RAN Coordination (ARC) system last month, which allows nearby mobile sites to share capacity and enhance performance, claiming a global first for a commercial network.

In its statement, BT urged policymakers to help accelerate its deployment, stating that government support is essential. It called on the UK government to consider planning reforms, improve spectrum access, and reconsider spectrum license fees.