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EE is switching on the “fastest 4G mobile network in the world,” right here in the UK. The country’s first super-fast LTE-Advanced system will hit data speeds of up to 300Mbps for businesses in London’s hipster heartland from today, before throwing open its airwaves to the rest of us next year.
The super-super-fast network covers London’s Tech City, also known as Silicon Roundabout, which is the area around Old Street in East London inhabited by start-ups and people who wear glasses they don’t need and moustaches all year round.
The first device to take advantage of these faster speeds is the CAT6 Huawei router, which can tether with up to twenty phones and tablets each reaching speeds up to 200Mbps. Huawei LTE-A dongles will go on sale to the public by summer 2014, with LTE-A phones to follow in the second half of the year.
EE claims it’s the “fastest 4G mobile network in the world,” but actual everyday real-world speeds remain to be seen.
At first, only local companies will be able to connect to EE’s LTE-A before the service spreads across London throughout 2014. So far, LTE-A has only been available to customers in Korea and Russia, but it’s in testing in the US and around the world.
EE stresses the use of LTE-Advanced by businesses, financial institutions and broadcasters to use high-data applications in the cloud, from data to outside broadcast. Meanwhile regular customers will use the extra bandwidth to connect more devices, browse connect faster, and enjoy higher definition images and videos — even super-detailed 4K.
After just under a year as the UK’s only 4G network, EE’s LTE network covers 131 towns and cities. O2, Vodafone and Tesco Mobile have also launched their own 4G services, with Three soon to do the same.
Have you signed up to 4G? Has it changed your life? Which network gets your vote? Tell me your thoughts in the comments or on our extra-speedy Facebook page.
