The latest Ookla report has revealed the best 5G operators and consumer experience trends in the United Kingdom in the second half of 2024.
5G
EE has secured the Best 5G Experience award in the second half of 2024, outperforming Vodafone and Three. This marks the second consecutive test period in which EE has earned the Best 5G honors, demonstrating its consistency in delivering superior performance.
While Vodafone and Three both exhibited strong results, EE’s edge in speed consistency, particularly as measured by 5th percentile speeds, ultimately gave it the advantage. This metric is crucial in assessing how well a network performs under less-than-ideal conditions, ensuring that users experience reliable speeds even in challenging network environments.
In the Fastest 5G category, no single operator met all the requirements to claim RootMetrics honors at the UK-wide level. To earn this recognition, an operator must deliver the fastest 5th percentile 5G download speed, the fastest median 5G download speed, and the fastest 95th percentile 5G download speed.
In 2H 2024, EE recorded the fastest 5th percentile and median 5G download speeds, while Three posted the top 95th percentile 5G download speed. This suggests that EE provided more consistent speeds across a wider range of conditions, while Three demonstrated exceptional peak performance capabilities.
All three operators — EE, Three, and Vodafone — delivered median 5G download speeds exceeding 200 Mbps in UK-wide testing, ensuring that customers could comfortably engage in high-data activities such as streaming, gaming, and large file downloads.
Virgin Media O2 lagged behind in this category, with a median 5G download speed of 82.8 Mbps. Despite this disparity, even at 82.8 Mbps, most mobile tasks could still be handled efficiently, though users on Virgin Media O2 may experience slower performance compared to those on the leading networks.
The UK’s major mobile operators continued to expand their 5G coverage, showing improvements in availability compared to previous test periods. EE, Three, and Virgin Media O2 all surpassed 61 percent 5G availability during UK-wide testing, marking a notable increase over previous results.
Vodafone, however, trailed behind at 48.3 percent availability, indicating a slower pace in expanding its 5G footprint. The progress made by EE, Three, and Virgin Media O2 is particularly significant when compared to 2H 2023, when no operator had exceeded 60 percent availability. This upward trend highlights the ongoing investment and commitment by network providers to enhance 5G accessibility across the UK, ensuring more users benefit from high-speed connectivity.
A closer look at the city-level data reveals where each operator made the most significant improvements in 5G availability. As mobile operators continue their network expansion efforts, customers can expect further enhancements in both speed and coverage, contributing to an increasingly seamless 5G experience across the country.
Overall experience
EE continued to solidify its reputation as the UK’s leading network, securing wins or sharing every UK-wide RootScore Award while also achieving the highest number of awards in both nation and metro area testing. EE’s 5G network stood out for its combination of extensive coverage and strong performance, earning EE the award for Best 5G Experience. This recognition underscores EE’s ability to provide a reliable and fast mobile network across the country, ensuring customers benefit from consistent high-speed connectivity in both urban and rural areas.
Three demonstrated strong performance in metropolitan markets, sharing the UK Text RootScore Award and recording median download speeds above 50 Mbps in 13 out of the 16 cities tested. This result placed Three second among all UK operators in terms of metro-level performance. Additionally, Three made notable improvements in its median 5G download speeds and 5G availability in most of the cities where testing was conducted. These advancements highlight the operator’s commitment to enhancing user experience, particularly in urban centers where high-speed mobile access is essential for customers.
Virgin Media O2 showed progress despite trailing in overall award tallies, with improved 5G availability in 15 out of the 16 cities tested. The operator also recorded faster median 5G download speeds in a majority of the locations visited, signaling ongoing enhancements to its network infrastructure. While Virgin Media O2 may not have outperformed its competitors in every category, its steady improvements in 5G coverage and speeds suggest a focus on expanding its network reach and reliability for users.
Vodafone delivered a strong performance, improving its rankings in several UK-wide categories and increasing its award count in both nation and metro testing. The operator’s 5G network proved particularly impressive, with Vodafone recording median 5G download speeds exceeding 100 Mbps in all 16 cities tested. These results indicate that Vodafone is making significant strides in optimizing its network for high-speed 5G connectivity, providing customers with faster and more reliable data access.
Baburajan Kizhakedath
