EE Extends 4G Mobile Broadband Network to 21 Additional UK Towns

Mobile operator EE (4GEE) has today announced that their LTE based “superfast” 4G network has reached another 21 towns, which takes the total to 250 towns and cities (including 2,500 villages and small towns) or 73% of the UK population. Saltash, a town of 15,000 people in Cornwall, is one of the latest additions.

The new additions include Saltash, Bellshill, Sutton in Ashfield, Gravesend, Craigavon, Tyldesley, Cheshunt, Swadlincote, Bishop’s Stortford, Leyland, Guiseley, Ballymena, Frimley, Ormskirk, Potters Bar, Banbridge, Nailsea, Keynsham, Armagh City, Strabane and Dungannon.

Olaf Swantee, EE’s CEO, said:

“This is a landmark in our work to bring superfast mobile internet to as many people in as many places as possible. We know the benefits that 4G offers to consumers and businesses, and we’re investing heavily in areas that have not previously had good mobile or fixed line coverage where those benefits can have an ever greater impact.”

It’s good progress but so far this year EE has only managed to add less than a handful of percentage points to take their total coverage to 73%, which makes it increasingly difficult to envisage how they can achieve the original goal of 98% by the end of 2014.