Why is UK 5G coverage so poor?

[whiskerp]

Why is the UK so far behind in 5G coverage? EE are trumpeting 60% population coverage but even networks in Ireland have passed 85% 5G population coverage already. The UK is years behind.

In Northern Ireland there is only 5G in Belfast. Over the border in Ireland even rural villages everywhere have 5G. Why are the UK networks so far behind?

[Christopher_G]

Hi @whiskerp 

We continue to invest in the coverage and reliability of our network here in the UK. If you're having problems with your service, you can check our coverage map. There's an option for reporting a problem when you check the status.

Chris

[Chris_B]

@whiskerp   That’s comes down to when the roll out for 5G started,  EE also had to change out all the Huawei equipment that was in use because of the UK government saying it can not be used so that pushed back new 5G installs.    Not to mention the fact that Ireland is a smaller country than the UK so it’s not as big a roll out. 

And if you’re going by population coverage Ireland has just over 5 million people and UK has 67 million.   So that’s kind of pointless if you’re going by population coverage for 5G.  

[bristolian]

The UK's population is quite widely distributed compared with some other countries - a large proportion can be covered by counting several large cities, but as the rollout of any new technology progresses, the population percentage run-rate inevitably slows down.

EE's 4G network footprint is the UK's largest by far - and all 5G users continue to fallback on this network anytime 5G isn't available.

[whiskerp]

The UK is only 3x the size of Ireland but has twelve times the resources/money/people to get the job done. Just look at the coverage maps (three.ie or eir.ie) vs EE and it's so clear just how poor the UK geographical coverage is. Percentage population coverage should be a fair measure and 85% vs 60% is quite  stark and the obvious geographic coverage differences on the maps is very clear.

I take the point on Huawei although Ireland is also banning them.

It's not even as if EE are using NR SA. My phone shows NR NSA which is little more than badge engineering the 4G core with some new RAN.

[whiskerp]

I think the Irish population distribution is not that different. Bur compare the Irish 5G coverage (thtee.ie) with the pathetic little yellow bit just around Belfast.