EE switches on 4G in 13 more areas, claims half of the UK population now covered

After spending a week relaxing in the Cumbrian countryside, EE's back on the road, bringing its 4G LTE network to some relatively more populated areas. The company has announced 13 additional locations it's coating with high-speed coverage today: Bradford, Bingley, Doncaster, Dudley, Harpenden, Leicester, Lichfield, Loughborough, Luton, Reading, Shipley, St Albans and West Bromwich. This brings the total number of regions under the 4G umbrella to 50, which EE claims, coincidentally, now covers 50 percent of UK residents. A higher June rollout target has also been set -- switch-flipping is planned in 30 extra towns and cities before the end of that (hopefully) summer month. EE is certainly scrambling to get as much coverage as possible, as well as your business, before any of the other players get a chance to join the 4G club. Oh, and if it's shiny new handsets you're after, remember Galaxy S 4 pre-orders are live on EE's website today.

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EE 4G LIVE IN 50 TOWNS AND CITIES JUST FIVE MONTHS AFTER LAUNCH

· 4G arrives in Bradford, Bingley, Doncaster, Dudley, Harpenden, Leicester, Lichfield, Loughborough, Luton, Reading, Shipley, St Albans and West Bromwich, delivering superfast mobile to more consumers and businesses

· EE 4G rollout pace increases with today's launches, bringing total 4G connected towns and cities to 50, just five months after launch

· Major milestone reached as 50% of the UK population now covered by the country's first and only 4G mobile network

March 28, 2013 – EE, the UK's most advanced digital communications company, today announced that 4G is available in 13 new towns and cities across the UK, bringing the total number of towns and cities covered by superfast mobile technology to 50, just five months after the launch of the service.

Today, 4G is being switched on in Bradford, Bingley, Doncaster, Dudley, Harpenden, Leicester, Lichfield, Loughborough, Luton, Reading, Shipley, St Albans and West Bromwich as roll out continues to progress ahead of schedule. 4G from EE now covers the homes and businesses of 50% of the UK population. By the end of June, EE is committed to launching 4G in another 30 towns and cities, bringing the total to 80.

Superfast 4G mobile is approximately five times faster than 3G. On the 4G EE network, customers are seeing average speeds of more than 16Mbps and peak speeds of 50mbps on a frequent basis as investment in strengthening the network continues.

4GEE mobile customers have instant web access while travelling; they can download large files quicker than ever, watch live TV on mobiles without buffering, and play live multiplayer games on the go. Customers have access to a wide range of mobile handsets, tablets and dongles, including iPhone 5, Samsung Galaxy SIII LTE, iPad mini, Huawei Mobile Wi-Fi, Blackberry Z10, and the newly launched HTC One, all available from EE stores now. The Samsung Galaxy S4 will also be available soon on EE.

Olaf Swantee, Chief Executive Officer, EE, said:

"With these major milestones of 50 towns and cities and 50% of the population, we're remaining ahead of our schedule to equip UK consumers and businesses with 4G. Our customers are at the heart of our rollout and we are working hard to deliver 4G to 70% of the UK population by the end of this year, and 98% of the population by the end of 2014."

Last week EE announced a breakthrough for high-speed broadband in rural areas, delivering 4G mobile to the businesses and residents of the Northern Fells area of Cumbria.

As 4G is switched on in each town and city, EE engineers turn their focus to increasing network density*, ensuring the continued advancement of the service to increase speeds and further improve indoor coverage. The speed and availability of 4G from EE is continually increasing, so that users have consistent, superfast access to 4G when travelling, and during their commutes. This continued investment is enabling businesses and consumers to have the full, superfast 4G experience of web, social media, email and multi-media, wherever they are.

For more information, please visit www.ee.co.uk.

SAMSUNG GALAXY S4 WITH SUPERFAST 4G –AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER TODAY

Exclusive Samsung accessory pack worth £54.99 free to all customers who pre-order prior to the 26th April

28th March 2013 - EE, the UK's most advanced digital communications company, today announced that the Samsung Galaxy S4 with superfast 4G is now available for pre-order in 'black mist' and 'white frost' colours. *All customers who pre-order the Galaxy S4 via EE stores, EE telesales or the EE online shop before the 26April 2013 will also receive an exclusive free Samsung accessory pack worth £54.99.

From today, the Samsung Galaxy S4 is available to pre-order on a range of 4GEE price plans starting from £31 per month, and as a special launch offer is just £79.99 on £41 a month, 24 month plan which comes with unlimited minutes, unlimited texts and 1GB of mobile data a month. The Galaxy S4 is also available 4G-ready on Orange and T-Mobile plans.

All customers who pre-order from EE before the 26th of April will also receive a free Samsung accessory pack worth £54.99. The pack contains a coordinating black or white Samsung smart cover to match the colour of their phone, a 16GB MicroSD memory card, giving them twice the amount of on-board memory, plus an in-car charger – so they can make the most from their Galaxy S4's 4G access on-the-go.

EE's superfast 4G service provides speeds approximately five times faster than 3G. With a 4GEE plan customers can watch live TV on the move without buffering, play live multiplayer games on the go and download large email attachments quicker than ever.

Paul Jevons, Director of Products and Devices, EE, said: "The Galaxy S4 is an innovative and feature rich handset, but most importantly, it is a device built with 4G in mind.

4G helps to enhance the Galaxy S4's unique features, ensuring it offers customers an incredible combination of speed and design that will only enhance everyday life on the move".

In addition to superfast speeds and EE services, customers with a Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone on a 4GEE price plan will also benefit from:

· EE Film – the only service in the UK which combines 2 for 1 cinema ticketing, listings, trailers and film downloads or streaming in one place

· A discount of £5 per month on EE superfast Fibre Broadband – so they can get blistering speeds at home and on the move

· Fast track customer service by dialling '33' from their handset

· Clone Phone Lite – giving people 500MB free storage to back up the content that matters most

· Choice of an add-on – customers who take a 4GEE phone plan from £41 per month can also choose from a music, games or TV add-on to enjoy

4G from EE, the first and only 4G network in the UK, currently covers the homes and businesses of 50% of the UK population. Further to the 50 towns and cities 4GEE is already live in now, EE has also committed to switching on at least 30 more by June, bringing the total to 80 towns and cities by the summer.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 is also available to pre-order from today on the UK's biggest 3G network with Orange and T-Mobile.

For further information on the Samsung Galaxy S4 on EE, including full details of all EE's price plans and terms and conditions, please visit http://www.ee.co.uk/galaxy