EE Set Go Live Date for New UK 4G Mobile and Fixed Fibre Broadband Service

Mobile operator EE (4GEE) has today announced that their new 4G (1800MHz) based mobile and separate fixed line superfast fibre broadband (FTTC) service will officially go live on 30th October 2012, which follows yesterday’s industry agreement to shift Ofcom’s related spectrum auction forward to spring 2013.

The service, which aims to cover 16 UK cities by the end of 2012 (a third of the population), will initially go live in 10 cities at the end of this month (ee coverage map) and aims to reach 98% of UK people by 2014. The 4G network will be in addition to T-Mobile and Orange UK’s existing 2G and 3G coverage.

Olaf Swantee, CEO of EE, said:

“We are delighted to announce that the official launch of our new customer brand, EE, offering the UK’s first superfast mobile 4G and fibre broadband service, will take place on the 30th October 2012.

This is a significant milestone for the United Kingdom, and for the people and businesses of our country who will now be able to enjoy the huge advantages of superfast 4G technology for the first time. We are very proud to be pioneering, innovating and leading our industry in launching 4G for our nation through our new EE brand.”

Full details about the related packages, including their new fixed line ISP service, are expected to be revealed “shortly” (i.e. before 30th October). However it is already known that the first handsets to be made available via their 4GEE network will include the iPhone 5, Samsung Galaxy SIII LTE, Nokia Lumia 920, Nokia Lumia 820, HTC One XL and the Huawei Ascend P1 LTE.