EE launches the UK’s first superfast 4G network

EE, the parent company of mobile carriers Orange and T-Mobile, has today launched the UK’s first superfast 4G network. As a result, owners of the iPhone 5 and the soon to be released iPad fourth-generation, should be able to access data speeds of between 8 to 12Mbps on their devices – 5x faster than existing 3G networks.

Initially, EE’s 4G service will be available in Bristol, Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Sheffield and Southampton. Those cities will be joined by Belfast, Derby, Hull, Newcastle and Nottingham by Christmas.

By the end of 2014, the company expects to be able to offer 4G coverage to 98% of the UK, which it says is the fastest rollout of any UK network in history.

Here’s the bad news though. EE’s entry-level 4G plan for consumers, which includes a paltry 500MB data allowance, is priced at £36 (around $58) per month. While the company’s premium plan, which includes 8GB of data costs £56 (around $90) per month.

Hopefully, those prices will come down when other carriers such as Vodafone and O2 launch their 4G services next year. However, neither of those carrier’s 4G services will be compatible with Apple’s latest devices.

If you live in one of the areas covered by the new service will you be signing up?

[Via: BBC News]