EE Launches Gigabit Broadband Packages on Openreach's Full Fibre Network

EE has launched a range of ultrafast broadband packages on Openreach’s rapidly expanding full-fibre network.

EE already offered speeds of up to 300Mbps on Openreach’s G.fast network, which reaches 2.5 million households. FTTP (fibre to the premises) will allow them to also offer gigabit broadband, with average download speeds of 900Mbps. 

The tariff, branded Full Fibre Max 900Mbps, costs £54 a month for the first 18 months, around double the price of EE’s lower tier of FTTC (fibre to the cabinet). 

That price is fixed and doesn’t qualify for the 10% EE mobile customers get when taking out a broadband plan with the firm. They will still get the standard 20GB monthly data boost on their mobile plans, however. Customers will also need to pay a £25 activation fee to upgrade to full fibre.

The 900Mbps package doesn't come with a landline calling plan, because full-fibre doesn’t require the copper phone network. BT ultrafast plans on the same network patch this problem by offering a VoIP service called Digital Voice. EE broadband has ditched voice calling altogether, which will inconvenience some customers.

EE’s ultrafast broadband is available to the more than three million households connected to Openreach’s full-fibre network, including 50% of premises in Northern Ireland. Openreach has ambitions of extending that network to 4.5 million households by March 2021, with the eventual aim of reaching 20 million premises by later in the decade.

In launching full-fibre products, EE is following parent company BT, which has offered ultrafast plans at speeds of 500Mbps and 900Mbps since March. EE has eschewed the middle speed tier and undercut BT’s prices for gigabit broadband by £6 a month.

Sky also began offering packages on the FTTP network in June, although only up to speeds of 285Mbps.

Mobile operator EE has been owned by BT, also the parent company of broadband infrastructure provider Openreach, since 2015. EE inherited predecessor Orange’s broadband network, which was rebranded EE broadband in 2012.

Once known for dubious customer service, EE’s home broadband has turned its performance around in recent years and earned the commendation of consumers and regulators. The firm has regularly topped Ofcom’s quarterly rankings of the least complained about broadband provider, including in the first quarter of this year.