4G SIM NewsWe recently wrote about the 4G coverage that EE will be providing to travellers and holiday makers on the Eurotunnel, but it seems that the network isn’t stopping there. EE is committed to making sure that the UK’s commuters have access to 4G on train routes and at airports across the country.
An announcement from EE on 19th February 2014 confirmed the ongoing expansion of its 4G network to provide coverage to more of the population as well as transport routes and hubs. The network is increasing its focus on voice call quality, an area that it has received criticism for in the past, as well as high speed data transmission.
According to Olaf Swantee, CEO at EE, “More towns right across the UK now have access to the country’s biggest 4G network, and more people can use it where they need it most – in airports and on the busiest commuter routes. But our network investment in 2014 is not just about giving people faster mobile data – phone calls are still an incredibly important part of the mobile experience, and we’re investing to ensure that people travelling all over the UK can make phone calls in more places and with better quality than ever before.”
Airports with 4G from EE
As part of a drive to provide 4G in areas of heavy usage, EE has now rolled out 4G at 18 airports across the UK. Holiday makers and business travellers alike can make use of 4G to send e-mail, research their destination, book accommodation, plan their onward journey, or simply watch catch-up TV while they wait to board.
The 18 airports that now have 4G from EE are Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, London City, Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Newcastle, Liverpool John Lennon, Bristol, Nottingham East Midlands, Leeds-Bradford, Belfast International, George Best Belfast City, Robin Hood, and Blackpool.
Rail Routes with 4G from EE
EE’s vision of connecting rail passengers via 4G is a little behind the airport rollout, but the three stage plan should be in place by the end of the year. The first step is to provide connectivity along the rail route from London Euston to Birmingham New Street. This will be followed by the expansion of 4G services northwards, along the routes from Birmingham to Manchester and Liverpool, as well as southwards from London Victoria to Brighton. By the end of the year rail routes up to Glasgow should also benefit from 4G.
With the average rail commuter spending 150 hours a year on the train, 4G access could improve their ability to work on the move and increase the quality of on-train entertainment via mobile devices. EE has promised that travellers will also experience a more consistent and reliable voice call service this year.
The EE 4G network is still the largest in the UK, and continues to expand at a rapid pace, with around 70% of the population now covered. The latest areas to be switched on to 4G from EE are Belper, Cannock, Ellesmere Port, Grangemouth, Harrogate, Hartlepool, Keighley, Motherwell, Paignton, Richmond in North Yorkshire, Skelmersdale, Torquay and Widnes.