4G launch will boost mobile users in Edinburgh and Glasgow

MOBILE phone users in Edinburgh and Glasgow will be able to access “superfast” broadband on the move by the end of the month as provider EE launches a 4G service to cover ten UK cities.

The owner of Orange and T-Mobile, formerly known as Everything Everywhere, said yesterday that it would launch its range of 4G products and services on 30 October.

The announcement comes after regulator Ofcom agreed to make remaining 4G airspace available to other operators sooner than planned - averting a legal challenge from the likes of rivals Vodafone and O2.

Clearing the airwaves ready for use earlier will allow other operators to offer their services by spring next year, rather than October 2013.

The 4G network, which offers speeds up to five times faster than existing 3G, will be available on smartphones such as the new Apple iPhone 5, as well as devices from HTC, Samsung, Nokia and Huawei.

EE chief executive Olaf Swantee said: “This is a significant milestone for the UK 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.”

EE said customers in a further six cities will have access to 4G by the end of the year.

The group then plans to roll out the service to further towns, cities and rural areas next year, and plans to cover 98 per cent of the population in 2014.

The 4G services will allow uninterrupted access to the web on the go, high definition movies to be downloaded in minutes and TV to be streamed without buffering. Culture Secretary Maria Miller said the UK government expects that 4G services will boost the UK’s economy by up to £3 billion.