As we edge closer to summer and the impending launch of 4G networks from the likes of Three, O2 and Vodafone, EE has announced that its 4G network now covers 50% of the UK.
This week coverage of the ‘4GEE’ network, as EE likes to call it, has reached 12 new towns and cities, including Blackpool and Windsor. The new areas bring the total coverage of the country up to half, which isn’t too bad an achievement in the few months the network has been running.
EE recently announced plans to bring its super speedy 4G coverage to a total of 80 towns and cities by June of this year, and the addition of 12 areas this week brings the current total to 62. The new towns and cities benefitting from 4G coverage this week are;
Blackpool, Huddersfield, Aylesbury, Berkhamsted, Billericay, Brentwood, Dewsbury, Lytham St Annes, Marlow, Pontefract, Thame and Windsor.
Going forward, EE aims to cover 70% of the UK by the end of this year. Amongst other plans, it will be doubling the 4G speeds in select towns and cities that have been receiving 4G signal since the early days. Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester and Sheffield will all see their speeds boosted to an average of 20Mbps from 10Mbps. The network also estimates that speeds of over 80Mbps will be possible in some locations, making it far faster than most home broadband services in the UK.
The UK’s only 4G network won’t be alone for much longer, with rivals Three, O2 and Vodafone amongst a number of companies to have secured a slice of the 4G spectrum. These rivals are expected to launch new 4G networks towards the end of the summer, opening the door for a competitive market and better prices for consumers.