EE has confirmed it will launch 4G network services in 17 new cities – Bradford, Chelmsford, Coventry, Doncaster, Dudley, Leicester, Luton, Newport, Reading, Rotherham, St Albans, Sunderland, Sutton Coldfield, Walsall, Watford, West Bromwich and Wolverhampton – in the first quarter of 2013.
That will bring the total number of 4G-enabled UK cities up to 35.
Last week, EE switched on 4G services in Derby, Newcastle and Nottingham last week. They will be available in Belfast, Hull, Maidenhead and Slough before the end of this year.
Olaf Swantee, CEO at EE, said 4G will be available in 35 towns and cities across the UK by the end of the first quarter of 2013.
“We’re delighted with the progress of the 4G rollout – we are improving the network every day, delivering superfast mobile to more and more people right across metropolitan areas, whether they’re using their devices outdoors or in their homes and offices,” he said.
“This has struck a chord with businesses in particular, with great demand being seen. We’re delighted to already be powering large, medium and small businesses with 4G,” Swantee said.
EE said it is also upgrading the network infrastructure connected to its 3G and 4G masts to meet the demand from thousands of new customers signing up to its higher speed services.
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As well as investing in a “broader, denser 4G network”, EE said it is “significantly increasing” speeds on its 3G network by upgrading it to support the Dual Carrier High Speed Access (DC-HSPA) networking protocol.
EE said DC-HSPA+, a faster variant of 3G, will be available by the end of 2012 and accessible on 40% of its network through compatible handsets.
