If you had asked for our opinion on EE broadband back in 2021, our response might have been a little negative. We considered it a bit dull, perhaps a tad confused about its own limited product range, and new customers who wanted additional features were instantly passed on to BT. In 2021, EE’s main selling points were their introduction of a router with a 4G backup facility and the ability to sign up to broadband without a landline.
Fast forward to 2024 and our opinion of EE broadband is entirely different. Our review of EE broadband, below, explains what has changed and highlights some of the amazing products and features that EE now offer.
EE is owned by the BT Group, whose ventures also include Plusnet Broadband and BT Broadband. EE started operating under the BT Group brand back in 2018, but it’s only been in the last year that we’ve started to see a more exciting premium product range.
All EE fibre broadband packages come with a ‘Smart Hub Plus’ router as standard.
EE’s broadband product range:
The EE broadband extras are all excellent add-ons, but they can become quite expensive. Adding all four features to your broadband bundle will set you back £324 per year. Depending on your broadband usage, these features might not be of much benefit. You can mix and match your add-ons, but be mindful of the contract periods listed below.
Smart WiFi Plus: This option provides a Wi-Fi extender that can be placed around your home to create a strong Wi-Fi signal in every room within your home (subject to a 24-month contract).
Smart Hybrid Connect: This is a standalone 4G router that talks to your main router over Wi-Fi. Should your broadband get disconnected, the 4G router will use its 4G mobile signal to seamlessly keep your home Wi-Fi network working during any loss of service (subject to a 24-month contract).
WiFi Enhancer: Don’t be misled by this; EE promotes this service using the words “Wi-Fi Boost.” You might be led to believe this is going to give your device extra signal strength when you want it. What it actually does is prioritise network traffic, also known as QoS (Quality of Service) . It’s a bit like allowing your selected prioritised devices to use the bus lane, avoiding buffering and latency delays (monthly, rolling contract).
EE Cyber Security: Features include 'Dark Web Monitoring': You will be notified should any of your personal information, like bank card numbers, phone numbers, or email addresses, be found on the dark web. 'Social Media Monitoring': notifying you of unusual login attempts or dubious links in your online posts. 'Norton Password Manager', SMS security to help identify unsafe links (monthly, rolling contract). (Try our free dark web monitoring tool)
EE is setting the benchmark for broadband in 2024 with its supercharged 1.6Gb Full Fibre
broadband and a fantastic range of Wi-Fi tech to keep your broadband running smoothly.
The 2023 Ofcom report published in May 2023 put EE in 2nd place for customer service, registering half as many complaints as the industry average, only surpassed by Sky and beating BT who came in 3rd.
In the same Ofcom report, EE also secured the second-place spot as the most liked and recommended broadband provider behind Plusnet, closely followed by BT in third place. Notably, all three companies are part of the BT Group, making this achievement quite significant. Perhaps following their own brand mission which is to become the UK’s most personal customer-focused brand. Speed satisfaction ratings were also marginally above the industry average for EE, with BT only a fraction behind. The average customer service call wait time to contact EE was just over 1 minute, compared with just under three minutes for BT.
New and existing EE Mobile customers switching to any EE home broadband plan can get a free ‘unlimited’ data boost to their EE mobile plans as well as access additional unlimited data mobile plans starting from just £10 a month.
EE currently operate the UK's largest and fastest mobile network, providing superfast connections in more locations than any other operator. Pioneering the UK's first 4G network in 2012 and launching the country's first 5G network in 2019, EE has a trophy cabinet to be proud of. They were recognised as the UK's No.1 5G network by RootMetrics in 2020 and 2021 and have been crowned the best overall network every year since 2014. EE was also honoured as the Network of the Year at the 2022 Mobile Industry Awards. So, combining your mobile and home phone with EE is going to be a winning combination.
To complete EE's offering as a offering quad-play provider, the TV service has undergone a revamp. The new bespoke EE TV app is now accessible on Apple TV 4K, providing versatile access to premium content and the option to view live 'free-to-air' and premium TV channels, alongside the usual catch-up TV. If, like us, you're an Apple TV enthusiast, you might be surprised to discover that the Apple TV remote has been replaced with an EE-branded one, which, remarkably proved more intuitive to use than the original from Apple.
For enhanced TV flexibility, the EE TV Pro box is available, capable of streaming and recording live TV in 4K with Dolby Atmos sound. Additionally, there's a non-recording version named the 'TV Box Mini.'
While we harbour reservations about EE TV's universal appeal, it does effectively blur the boundaries between live TV and on-demand content, akin to what Sky Stream already achieves.
Compare EE DealsAs standard, EE broadband is provided without a phone line. However, if you wish to make calls from a landline, you can add this feature to your account during the sign-up process. Given the ongoing phase-out of traditional UK landlines, a new digital phone service will be provided, enabling calls through your broadband connection. The 'pay-as-you-go' landline package starts from an additional £5 per month and is subject to in-contract price increases.
If you’re looking for the bottom line, and wondering whether there are any skeletons in EE’s closet? Then the answer is no. Yes, there are negative reviews online, but unless pushed or incentivised, consumers generally don’t post when everything is working fine. If you work from home and want a solid broadband connection to prioritise your work laptop over the kids streaming YouTube, then you're going to love it! If you want the confidence that there’s a backup system that you will seamlessly switch to should your broadband connection fail, then you're in safe hands.
All that said, it comes at a price that not everyone could justify. Yet, whilst EE acknowledges the necessity for a low-income support tariff on their mobile service, the same provision is yet to be extended to their home broadband. If you're not working from home or in a bustling household with online gaming and TV streaming, and your current Wi-Fi router effectively covers your home, there are more affordable options. These alternatives provide a basic service at a fraction of the price. If this sounds more like your household, and you don’t need a home phone service, consider Plusnet – they are the no-frills part of the BT group and offer an excellent broadband-only option.
Compare EE DealsWe hope that our 2024 independent and impartial review of EE Broadband has provided valuable insights into the benefits of switching to EE Broadband. At FasterBroadband, we facilitate the collection of reviews submitted by EE customers. If you choose to join EE Broadband, we encourage you to return and share your experience. Your feedback is invaluable for others to make informed decisions.
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