EE launches UK’s first commercial 5G network slicing service

EE has launched ‘Fast Lane’, which it describes as the United Kingdom’s first commercial 5G network slicing service. Operating on the company’s 5G Standalone network—branded as 5G+—the service is designed to support both consumers and small businesses during periods of high network congestion.

Network slicing allows operators to create dedicated, isolated sections within a broader mobile network to meet specific needs. The Fast Lane service works by predicting local congestion, such as at concerts, festivals, or busy city centers, and seamlessly moving eligible users to a dedicated 5G+ section to ensure stable connectivity.

Claire Gillies, CEO of BT’s Consumer Division, stated that the innovation aims to help users maintain connections for activities like live streaming or processing mobile payments and ticketing even when thousands of others are attempting to use the network simultaneously.