BT Group announced on Wednesday that its subsidiary, EE, has made significant progress towards establishing a 5G Standalone (5G SA) network in the UK. BT Group noted that EE was the first to launch 4G in the UK in 2012 and was also the UK's first 5G network. BT Group said it aims to enable 5G connectivity across the entire UK by 2028 through a combination of permanent coverage and on-demand solutions.
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EE VoNR (Voice over New Radio)
BT said significant progress has been made in migrating mobile customers onto EE's new 5G-ready network core. The telco mentioned that key radio sites across the country are undergoing upgrades, and it has distributed 5G SA-capable SIMs to customers. EE also emphasized that it has been actively preparing for the transition to 5G Standalone to ensure a meaningful network experience for customers.
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EE confirmed that it successfully conducted the UK's first VoNR (Voice over New Radio) call on its 5G network. This achievement holds significant importance as it ensures that voice calls are supported over 5G, in addition to 2G and 4G, considering that 3G, which is soon to be retired, has also been a support for voice calls.
BT stated, "Ensuring that 5G also provides voice function is crucial to supporting a genuine 5G Standalone experience - as well as offering a further voice option for customers. With ever more 5G SA capable handsets coming onto the market, we're making sure EE is in prime position to maintain its number one status for their performance."
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Preparation for 5G SA
BT has expressed its desire to uphold the highest network speeds and quality even after transitioning to a Standalone 5G Network. To achieve this, the company said it has collaborated with Nokia and Ericsson to demonstrate improved transmission and performance of 5G services in different carriers