With a packed 2025 schedule that sees the likes of Oasis, Coldplay and Lana Del Rey embarking on nationwide tours, it’s no surprise that almost a quarter (24%) of Brits plan to attend or engage with even more major events in 2025.
The UK is a nation that lives in the moment. From seismic sporting clashes to crowd-pleasing concerts, live-events punctuate our diaries as the standout cultural moments in the calendar – and with a packed 2025 schedule that sees the likes of Oasis, Coldplay and Lana Del Rey embarking on nationwide tours, it’s no surprise that almost a quarter (24%) of Brits plan to attend or engage with even more major events in 2025.
For those of us lucky enough to witness these events in-person, mobile connectivity is an increasingly essential part of the experience. For some eventgoers, that may simply mean being able to access their mobile ticket, or to stay in contact with those they’re attending with – relatively basic needs in terms of capacity, but important nonetheless. For others, it might be more data-intensive tasks like live-streaming the event on social media or video-calling friends and family to share their experience – something which over one-third of Gen Z-ers like to do.
Whatever the use-case, if the network doesn’t have sufficient capacity, then everybody’s experience suffers. And it’s not just the sheer volume of people that can hinder indoor connectivity. Complex designs are a feature of many commercial venues, with the shape, size and even building materials all impacting the connectivity experience. Just think of the sheer scale of an airport, the thick Victorian walls of many a train station, or the multi-level layout of shopping centres.
As the UK’s best and most reliable network1, it’s important to us that our EE network delivers for customers whenever and wherever they need us. While we’re proud of our network leadership credentials, it’s not just about extending geographic coverage and top speeds. We know that a consistently reliable experience is essential, and in-building connectivity is a key area in which we’re continually focused on making improvements for our customers.
That’s why we’re working hard every day to bring our connectivity to more and more venues all the time, using innovative Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) to simplify complex building designs and boost coverage and capacity, so that our customers experience the same network performance inside as they do outdoors. With a DAS, we’re able to simplify a large or complex venue by breaking it down into smaller ‘sectors’, each with its own antenna that connects back to a single source bringing 4G or 5G from outside to in. These antennas mean we can evenly deliver coverage throughout the building, ensuring any barriers to reliable connectivity – like thick walls – are no longer a concern.
Take Cheltenham Racecourse as an example, where we recently installed a DAS to support the arrival of almost 220,000 racegoers at March’s Cheltenham Festival. Implemented within the racecourse’s multiple spectator stands – packed with bars, eateries and hospitality suites – the system boosted capacity alongside our usual temporary outdoor deployments, resulting in a near doubling in 4G and 5G data traffic year-on-year (38.21TB vs 20.08TB in 2024).
At the same time, as we continue to roll-out our next generation 5G Standalone (5G SA) network, we’re beginning to look at how this can enhance the customer experience in new ways. Earlier this year, Wembley Stadium, Connected by EE, became the UK’s first sports venue to have a bespoke and permanent 5G SA network, bringing with it cutting-edge connectivity for fans, as well as the potential to support wider stadium operations, for example by ensuring the payment terminals at food and merchandise stalls benefit from a fast and reliable connection.
Our ambition is to build a network that permeates everywhere, and in-building connectivity is essential to that. In the last 12 months, we’ve activated 85 new indoor systems across the UK. And our coverage isn’t just limited to sports and entertainment venues – you’ll find a strong, reliable EE connection in transport hubs like Stansted Airport, retail hotspots like Manchester’s Trafford Centre and Birmingham’s Bullring, and even in numerous office blocks too. It’s encouraging to see more and more landlords recognise mobile connectivity as a key requirement for their occupants, be they sports fans, shoppers, commuters or employees. We’re excited to work with them and our partners to deliver greater connectivity to even more buildings over the next year and beyond.
1 Claims based on the RootMetrics® UK RootScore® Report: H2 2024. Tested at locations across the UK with the best commercially available smartphones on 4 national mobile networks across all available network types. Your experiences may vary. The RootMetrics award is not an endorsement of EE. Visit ee.co.uk/claims for more details.
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