UK telco EE has announced it will be the first operator to launch OnePlus’s forthcoming 5G smartphone next year.
It announced a partnership with OnePlus at Qualcomm’s annual Snapdragon Technology Summit although no release date was confirmed.
The device will use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855 Mobile Platform, which offers smartphone manufacturers sub-6GHz and mmWave connectivity, along with artificial intelligence and virtual reality capabilities. The first smartphones using the platform will be released in the first half of 2019.
Marc Allera, CEO of BT’s Consumer division, said: “EE and OnePlus have a shared vision: to give our customers the best connected experience possible. We’re working together on cutting edge technology to deliver that, and we’re leading the world on the journey to 5G.
“Adding 5G to the UK’s number one 4G network will increase reliability, increase speeds, and keep our customers connected where they need it most. We have an ambition to connect our customers to 4G, 5G or Wi-Fi 100 percent of the time.”
Pete Lau, CEO and founder of OnePlus, added: “The pursuit of speed has defined the OnePlus DNA since OnePlus was founded five years ago. There’s no one more suitable than OnePlus to make a 5G smartphone.
“Our users are always eager to try new things and they are now ready to experience the next generation of connectivity and speed. In response, OnePlus has poured efforts into 5G research since 2016. Today, we stand poised to embrace the dawn of 5G.”
EE said last month that it would launch 5G across six cities in the United Kingdom next year before adding an additional 10 by the end of 2019. Trials have been ongoing across London.