4G SIM NewsTomorrow EE will be launching its second own brand 4G handset in the form of the Harrier, alongside a more compact version known as the Harrier Mini.
EE, which launched its own brand range last year with the Kestrel handset, has unveiled two new 4G smartphones as part of the next phase in the roll out of its own brand devices. EE aims to provide premium mobile features at entry level prices, so more consumers and businesses can access its super-fast 4G network.
The Harrier 4G smartphone
The Harrier will cost £199.99 on pay as you go and will be free on EE’s 4G 24 month price plans, starting from £21.99 per month. It is great value for money and has many features commonly found on more expensive handsets.
Inside the slim 8.9mm chassis is an Android Lollipop operating system with an Octa Core 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. It also has a 5.2 inch full HD display, ideal for watching high definition video. The Harrier has a 13MP rear facing camera, and a 2,500mAH battery. With CAT 4 chipset technology, the Harrier is optimised for EE’s double speed network offering theoretical maximum download speeds of 125 Mbps, and real world download speeds of 60 Mbps.
One of the most notable features of the Harrier is that it will support EE’s recently launched WiFi calling service. Customers with the Harrier will be able to access the service from this summer as long as they have an internet connection of 2Mbps, and will receive an update to their device at this time. This service will allow EE customers to make and receive calls and texts in areas of zero signal, such as basement flats or rural homes and offices using WiFi.
The Harrier Mini 4G smartphone
A more compact version of its big brother, the Harrier Mini will provide the most affordable access to WiFi calling. It will cost £99.99 on pay as you go and will be free on EE’s 4G 24 month price plans starting from £16.99 per month.
The Harrier Mini features the Android Lollipop operating system just like the larger version. In addition it has a 1.2 GHz Quad Core processor, a 4.7 inch high definition display, and an 8MP rear facing camera.
According to Pippa Dunn, Chief Marketing Officer at EE, “Customer take-up of our existing EE branded products has been phenomenal, so we’ve worked hard to create new feature packed devices. The Harrier and Harrier Mini are another big step forward and will allow even more people to benefit from a premium smartphone without the premium price – as well as provide access to a superfast 4G experience that only the UK’s biggest and fastest mobile network can provide.”
In addition to the Harrier and Harrier Mini, EE is also releasing two new WiFi devices with the Osprey 2 and Osprey 2 Mini, which we will take a closer look at in the next blog post.
EE has tripled the number of customers using its 4G network in the last year and now has 9.3 million 4G customers. It is in the process of being bought by BT for £12 billion.