Can I get EE broadband in my area?
Dan Howdle | November 3rd, 2022
EE is best-known for being the first mobile network in the UK to offer both 4G and 5G. Now, in partnership with BT, you can receive your home broadband from the network too. EE customers can receive both Superfast and Full Fibre home broadband, depending on location, with packages to suit a range of needs.
EE broadband coverage checker
EE broadband is available throughout the Openreach network, although Ultrafast full fibre speeds are only available in certain areas for now. Click the button below to find out if EE supplies to your location, and we’ll show you which packages and speeds are available to you, as well as the best rates on offer.
EE’s broadband services are powered by BT, meaning it supplies anywhere BT does. So, a majority of households will be able to receive its services. Worth noting that plans to upgrade the Openreach network to full fibre technology (or Fibre To The Property, as you might see it called) stretch into 2026. This means that although you may be able to receive EE broadband, you might not yet be able to reach the ultrafast speeds advertised by EE and BT yet.
Clicking the ‘Check your area now’ button will take you to our EE Broadband comparison page. We’ll use your postcode to check the broadband supply in your area, tell you the fastest speeds you can access, and offer you the current best deals available through EE.
Coverage and availability
EE’s broadband runs on the same Openreach network as its parent company BT. Many other providers in the UK also use this network. A majority of households in the UK can access broadband via a Superfast fibre connection through this network, with average speeds between 35Mbps and 65Mbps.
Full fibre, which enables speeds up to 1Gbps, is available in relatively few areas at the moment, so those who want to upgrade their current supply to an ultrafast connection with EE, or any supplier on the Openreach network, may have to wait a little longer.
When is full fibre coming to my area?
If current speeds are not fast enough for your needs and you’re ready for full fibre now, it may be some time until most suppliers (those who share the Openreach network) can provide you with these top speeds. Openreach is in the midst of plans to upgrade its network to a full fibre service, but this means it may take until 2026 for ultrafast speeds to be available to you. Other providers, including Virgin Media and Community Fibre (for London addresses), who own and manage their own private fibre networks, may be available to you.
Unfortunately, EE doesn’t offer an email bulletin for those who wish to find out when ultrafast full fibre is coming their way. However, you can register for updates on the Openreach website, which also features an interactive map of current upgrade timelines. Simply pop in your details, and Openreach will keep you posted as developments are made in upgrading your local supply.
How does EE broadband work?
EE’s broadband is powered by BT, on the Openreach network. This is the same network used by most (though not all) of the UK’s broadband providers, which is why packages across suppliers can often look pretty similar in terms of speeds. In the past, the network of cables that carried broadband and telephone services,was entirely made of copper wire. These wires could only carry speeds around 10Mbps.
From 2010 onwards, BT started rolling out Superfast fibre broadband through the Openreach network. These new fibre cables only extend as far as the broadband street cabinet though, with the remaining distance to the home still connected with copper cabling. This type of connection is the one most households in the UK have today, and most of EE’s broadband packages use it too. Copper doesn’t carry information as quickly as fibre does, meaning the connection slows before it reaches your home, offering speeds between 35Mbps and 65Mbps on average.
Openreach has recently started upgrading its network in order to connect households directly to the fibre network, eliminating the need for copper wires entirely. This connection is called Fibre to the Property (FTTP), and means suppliers like EE, BT and Sky can now offer full fibre services, with ultrafast (or ‘gigafast’) download speeds averaging 900Mbps to certain areas in the UK.
Some areas not currently receiving full fibre broadband can receive higher than average speeds with a service called GFast Fibre. This uses the same type of network connection as Superfast wifi, with copper wiring, but uses additional equipment to supercharge the broadband connection in the home stretch. This enables speeds up to 330Mbps on EE’s Fibre Max packages, even with copper cabling involved. However, only around 10% of the UK has access to GFast Fibre.
Installing EE broadband
If you already have the right cabling in place at home, you might be able to self-install your new EE broadband service. Otherwise, you will require assisted set-up, and an engineer will pay you a visit to install your new connection and get you up and running.
EE Fibre and Fibre Plus
Once your new package is confirmed you’ll receive your new EE Smart Hub router in the post with a Quick Start Guide. Simply plug in the Smart Hub and follow the instructions in the guide, to get connected in no time.
EE Fibre Max
EE Fibre Max 100 and Fibre Max 300 are a little more complicated and come with assisted set up. These GFast Fibre services require two bits of hardware: the EE Smart Hub which you will receive by post, and an Openreach modem which is brought and installed by an EE engineer. The engineer will disconnect your service at the street cabinet, connect your new supply and install your modem and Smart Hub. They’ll test the connection before they leave to make sure your supply meets expectations.
EE Full Fibre
Connecting to an EE Full Fibre service also requires an engineer visit, and the process is a bit more extensive. The engineer will need to drill a hole in an agreed spot from outside the property to feed the fibre cable through, then attach an Openreach box to the wall on the inside to connect to your Smart Hub. Once this is done, the engineer will ensure your connection is strong, and will help you connect at least one device to your new ultrafast supply.
Equipment charges
EE supplies its Smart Hub and the Openreach modem (if your package requires this) totally free. However, there is a £30 set-up free on all fibre packages, and £35 on a new full fibre connection. For customers ordering standard copper broadband, this charge is only £10.
Bundling your broadband
Despite being partnered with BT, bundle options with EE are pretty limited in comparison to its parent company. Customers can sort a new landline connection and customise this add-on based on their needs, but there’s no option to add a BT Entertainment TV package, for example. EE’s shopfront is targeted firmly at young professionals and those who watch most of their entertainment through streaming services like Netflix and Disney+. As such, current packages may not suit families looking for a broadband and TV deal.
Existing EE Pay Monthly mobile customers can currently add on an Apple TV box to their broadband contract for £15 a month, with free access to BT Sport, and a three-month trial of Apple TV. We don’t recommend this add-on though, as an Apple TV box can be purchased separately for almost half the cost of what you would pay in contract, granting you the same access to free services like iPlayer and All4. Full Fibre customers can also claim an Xbox Game Pass when they subscribe.
Additionally, EE Pay Monthly customers can receive a 10% discount on their broadband bill, as well as a data boost up to 20GB on their existing mobile package. This alone is a nice incentive if your mobile contract is already with EE, and you’re after a straightforward, fast broadband package.