The UK's first 4G network has gone live at last, giving Brits the opportunity to speed up their mobile data -- if they've got a whole load of cash that is.
From this morning, you can saunter into an EE-branded highstreet shop and tie yourself into a 4G contract. Be sure to check out our speed test of the new 4G smart phones below, which includes the Samsung Galaxy S3 LTE.
The privilege of getting 4G speeds ahead of your pals will cost you dearly however -- the cheapest contract you can get is £36 per month, and that'll keep you locked in for 24 months.
Another frustrating fact is that there's no unlimited data option. The most you can get is 8GB per month, which set you back £56. Sure, you'll be hard-pressed to burn through that much data in a month, but it's a shame that a speedy network is restricted. The cheapest £36 per month tariff nets you a measly 500MB of monthly data.
The Nokia Lumia 920 -- one of the first Windows Phone 8 devices to hit shop shelves -- is going to be an EE exclusive, so if you have a burning desire to own this mobile on a contract you'd better start saving your pennies.
EE has rebranded its Orange and T-Mobile shops with big yellow EE logos, but if you're a customer on one of these other networks, the EE shop is still the place to head when you need to talk to someone. I can see EE's rapid rebranding exercise, which encompasses over 700 shops, leaving less tech-savvy shoppers feeling baffled.
Will you be signing up? Tell me in the comments, or on our Facebook wall.
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Comments 15
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anonymous 30 October, 2012 09:37
"The most you can get is 8GB per month, which set you back £56. Sure, you'll be hard-pressed to burn through that much data in a month, but it's a shame that a speedy network is restricted."
This statement is so not true. I am on three and on their 3g unlimited all-you-can-eat data for which I pay mere £15 a month on PAYG I use up to 30GB by tethering. On LTE you can use up 8GB of allowance in 2-3 hours, so it absolutely makes no sense for anyone with sound mind to sign up for this £56 rip-off...
anonymous 30 October, 2012 10:15
I don't understand why it would burn through data any faster than 3G.. yeah it's much faster, but every page takes a certain amount if data to load, so surely 4G only loads that page faster, while using the same amount of data as 3G..? I'd have thought that the only way you'll be burning through more data with 4G, is because you can now stream videos easier, and so do that more often than before. Or am I wrong
anonymous 30 October, 2012 11:13
Im overdue an upgrade, so called EE just now (34 mins to get through lets hope there 4g is quicker) Frustratingly you get no loyalty incentive as a 10 + year orange customer for jumping to their parent company and you pay the advertised price. NO thank you EE! its a sim free NOTE 2 and giffgaff for me.
anonymous 30 October, 2012 11:22
As Anonymous 11.13 says, I too am looking to get a note 2 and use giffgaff sim for my son. My son is on T-Mobile all in data at £41 a month already and I have no intention of replacing a 17 year olds contract with expensive EE, 4g or not.
anonymous 30 October, 2012 11:23
The back of my head is in that picture.
I had a great time signing up for the 8gb plan
samuelc 30 October, 2012 11:29
I can't wait to get 4g. First I need to remortgage my house though or win the Euromillions so I can afford EE's exorbitant prices.
samuelc 30 October, 2012 11:33
@anonymous 30 October, 2012 10:15
Before the pricing details were revealed, everyone thought the main benefit of 4g would be that you could do things like watch HD movies or television on the move. However it now turns out you can't do this without probably ending up paying £100's per month.
3G on most networks opens webpages pretty instantaneously, so the upgrade to 4g with all the extra money you spend isn't worth it to have a page open milliseconds quicker.
maz0650 30 October, 2012 12:40
EE must be so busy painting their shop fronts they have forgotten to roll out Galaxy S3 JB update. Are they waiting to give us Android 4.2 (fat chance). Digitum extractum TMob-Orange-EE whatever you are called .
damien2501 30 October, 2012 12:41
Ripoff merchants. Stick with 3G save yourself a ton of cash and u don't have to worry about usage
Michael Munsey 30 October, 2012 16:50
Well after reading all that, I think Ill stick with what Ive got,
anonymous 30 October, 2012 20:42
Sounds OK to me. Saw a speed test earlier and tested 3network at the same time. 1.5 Mbps vs 28 and an upload of 18 ( the upload alone was 3x faster than my home broadband!). I might even cancel my home broadband for this. Methinks that an extra 5 quid per month is worth it, would have paid upto 10 more tbh. Those who want Giff Gaff n 3 can keep it, I'm happy for you- genuinely. More bandwidth for me!
anonymous 30 October, 2012 20:47
Samuelc...On EE website it says that the free weekly films don't come out of da data bundle...also says you won't pay xtra on bill for data cos it tells u when u get to 80% and stops when limit reached..
anonymous 31 October, 2012 10:48
I think it's to early for 4G. The BBC have done a speed test in Manchester and London and the results are very varied. Why don't the networks increase the coverage of the 3G networks first. Finish what you've started
, not start a new job with out finishing the old one.
anonymous 1 November, 2012 00:49
LTE is not proper full 4G anyway, it's a halfway house solution.
Full 4G will probably not be delivered because they are now starting work on developing 5G technology, due to be rolled out later in this decade.
anonymous 9 January, 2013 21:20
you guys are a bunch of idiots, stop moaning and being a little nonce, its a phone network not a marriage