EE UK Launch New Unlimited Style Reserve Mobile Data Feature
Mobile operator EE has today launched a new “Reserve Data” feature alongside their latest range of 5G ready ‘Smart’ and ‘Smart SIM’ Pay Monthly mobile plans, which will effectively enable customers to continue using internet (mobile broadband) services – at a slower speed – even if they’ve used up their allowance.
In simple terms, Reserve Data will automatically throttle the mobile broadband speeds for those who have used up all their data, although EE says your internet connection (via 4G or 5G) will still be “fast enough to access apps like WhatsApp, Google Maps and Apple Music” – until next months’ data allowance starts (or after buying or being gifted extra data).
The announcement doesn’t clarify how strong this speed restriction is, although a quick glance toward EE’s T&C’s reveals that Smart plan customers who go over their data allowance will stay connected to data, but “at a capped speed” of just 2Mbps (this also applies when roaming in the EU).
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On the one hand 2Mbps is slow by modern standards, but on the other hand rival Vodafone charges £22 per month for their “Unlimited Lite” plan that also includes unlimited data, albeit at a capped speed of 2Mbps. Suffice to say that EE seem to be including Reserve Data as standard on their Smart plans and for basic mobile use that seems like very good value (we image some may just treat it like unlimited usage).
Otherwise EE added that all their new pay monthly handset plans, as well as the new Smart Sim plans, now come with 5G support as standard.
Sharon Meadows, EE’s Director of Propositions (Consumer), said:
“We want to provide as many people as possible with access to the faster speeds, greater capacity and improved latency that 5G brings – so we’ve made all our new pay monthly handset plans, as well as our new Smart Sim plans, come with 5G as standard.
When combined with inclusive Reserve Data, flexible Swappable Benefits, unlimited data, Service Packs and the option to upgrade anytime, EE’s Smart Plans really do enable customers to get the very most from their smartphone on the UK’s no. 1 mobile network.”
Elsewhere EE has also announced that their Smart Plans now enable customers to also select the new BritBox (worth £5.99 per month) video streaming service as a “Swappable Benefit“, which offers access to the biggest collection of British TV box sets.
Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook, BlueSky, Threads.net and Linkedin.
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Been the norm to throttle and not cut off data pretty much everywhere outside the UK for ages.
Current Smart Plan contracts can also add BritBox as a benefit just checked mine giving me the option.
Glad to see the 5G going standard
Sounds like giffgaff a Always On goodybag, just applied to every plan.
Think Sharon needs to check 5G, ” improved latency that 5G brings”, not with 5G NSA (5G NR on a 4G Core) – wait to 2023, when Marc (her Boss) says EE will have 5G SA.
I think all suppliers in the UK should offer something like this, It’s great to see!
I got in on the 100 GB for £ 15 deal from Smarty a couple of months ago (intended only for new customers, but they seemed happy to switch existing customers to it).
£ 20 on Smarty, gets unlimited data, which had previously been £ 25, on rolling contract compared with Three (which had been on 12 month contract at lower cost).
I know some hate Three and I was one who left for a while after their “One Plan” £15 for unlimited data was “pulled” but they are getting closer and closer to it again, and do lower cost deals for anyone adding a second contract.
Also, considering it is a rolling one month contract, the new SMARTY plan giving 30 GB for £10 makes many other services look rather expensive, for any but the lightest of users (yes, I know there are options at £ 5 on Asda and iD for light users, but many of us are looking for a bit more data, without a hefty monthly bill)…
Smarty seems fine (so long as you don’t need instant CS on the end of a phone – I don’t know how many customers they have but they seem to only have 3 or 4 members of CS working on any day, and generally come through with a result that pleases me).