The Unsung Hero of Every Family Christmas? Your Phone Signal

From streaming in the countryside to hotspotting for the whole family, here's why EE's award-winning network might be the real MVP this festive season

Couple sitting on sofa at home. Wearing Christmas sweaters. Together enjoying in the warmth of their home for Christmas. Using digital tablet.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Picture this: You're deep in rural nowhere on the way to your cousin's new place, car full of sugar-crashed children, desperately trying to stream Peppa Pig while navigating roads that Google Maps gave up on two miles ago. Meanwhile, your partner's network has already thrown in the towel.

But with EE's network—voted the UK's best 12 years running—you're still going strong. This is what having the best network actually means at Christmas: you're ordering the forgotten cranberry sauce while everyone else is still trying to load the Tesco app, sharing photos instantly while others are stuck on "uploading...", and yes, successfully bribing the kids with cartoons when all other phones show "No Service."

Why the best network wins Christmas

But it's not just about keeping the kids quiet with Peppa Pig. It's all the other moments when everyone else is frantically waving their phones around while you're... just using yours normally. Like when you're the only one who can load Google to settle the annual family debate about what year something happened. Even in that basement kitchen where everyone else loses signal completely, you're still managing to sneak in that work email between courses.

A family watch television together at Christmas.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Your Christmas connectivity toolkit

The family hero: Transform your phone into the household WiFi. With data strong enough to support multiple devices, you're basically running Christmas tech support from your pocket.

The everywhere advantage: Basement kitchens, countryside drives, Yorkshire fields – you're connected where other networks gave up miles ago.

The speed that counts: While others watch spinning circles, you're streaming, sharing, navigating. It's the difference between "buffering..." and actually enjoying your holiday.

A couple wearing festive outfits

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Your data safety net

Here's another festive bonus: EE's Stay Connected feature means even if you burn through your monthly allowance, you're not cut off. You'll still have data for the essentials – WhatsApp messages, Google Maps when you're lost, the basics that keep you functional. It won't stream films, but it'll handle messaging and maps when you need them most.

The network that makes Christmas work

Having the UK's best network is about being useful when everyone else is staring at "No Service." It's knowing that whether you're in central London or the middle of nowhere, your phone just works.

So this festive season, while others wave their phones at windows hoping for a single bar, you can simply get on with it.


Only EE has the UK's best network.

Niamh McCollum

Niamh McCollum is Features Assistant at Marie Claire UK, and specialises in entertainment, female empowerment, mental health, social development and careers. Tackling both news and features, she's covered everything from the rise of feminist audio porn platforms to the latest campaigns protecting human rights.

Niamh has also contributed to our Women Who Win series by interviewing ridiculously inspiring females, including forensic scientist Ruth Morgan, Labour MP Stella Creasy and ITV’s former Home Affairs Editor Jennifer Nadel.

Niamh studied Law in Trinity College Dublin. It was after enrolling in a Law & Literature class on her year abroad in Toronto that her love of writing was reignited. In no particular order, her big likes are Caleb Followill, hoops, red wine, sea swimming, shakshuka and long train journeys.