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EE's new broadband router is a 4G MiFi for the home
EE and parent company BT both offer fixed-line broadband services already, but today EE is launching a new router that uses 4G to keep the whole household connected. The "4GEE Home Router" is basically a bigger, beefier MiFi that needs no formal installation. Just plug it into a power outlet, connect your phones, tablets and PCs to it via WiFi -- up to 32 devices are supported -- and enjoy download speeds of up to 90 Mbps (actual speeds will vary, of course).
Three prepares for spectrum race with UK Broadband purchase
Three announced today that it has agreed to buy UK Broadband Limited for £250 million, making Ofcom's impending spectrum auction altogether more interesting -- as interesting as spectrum auctions can be, anyway. UK Broadband isn't a household name, given it primarily builds bespoke 4G networks for the private and public sectors. The company does run the consumer-facing brand Relish, though, which offers flexible home broadband services using 4G-fed WiFi routers. While Relish seems like a good fit for millennial-chaser Three, and creates an immediate path for the company to get into home broadband, make no mistake: Three isn't after UK Broadband's 15,000 customers, but its spectrum licence.
Plusnet pushes its UK-fibre-optic broadband to 76Mb/s
Stereotype-embracing ISP Plusnet has added a new tier of fibre-optic broadband, offering speeds up to 76Mb/s. The revamped Extra Fibre package now offers upload speeds of up to 19.5 Mb/s, with a 250GB monthly usage allowance, matching those offered by parent company BT. Of course, those of us who can't even get ADSL2 will just have to watch on, with jealousy in our eyes.
BT super-charges fiber-optic broadband today, for the lucky few who can get it
Excuse our sour grapes, but the fortunate proportion of Britons with access to BT's fibre fiber-optic broadband will find everything much faster from today at no extra cost. Infinity 1 customers now have an upstream of (as always) "up to" 9.5Mbps, up from 1.9Mbps yesterday, but downstream remains fixed at 38Mbps. Meanwhile, those with Infinity 2 have seen their speeds doubled with 19Mbps up and 76Mbps down as the company continues its jockeying with Virgin Media to remain top dog in the speedy broadband stakes. Those of us who aren't in an area that's been earmarked for the fiber-optic rollout will have to make do with checking the property websites and wishing.[Thanks, Craig]
