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PSA: Virgin Media begins charging for tube WiFi today
Today's the day that your cost-free tweeting about red signals comes to end, as Virgin Media begins charging for its WiFi service on the London Underground. If you're a Virgin, Vodafone or EE customer, then you just need to sign up to continue getting access as part of your mobile plan. For everyone else, avoiding getting your fingers sticky on that day's issue of Metro will cost you £2 a day, £5 per seven-day week or £15 a month. If you take up the latter option at any point in February, you'll be given an additional sweetener: three months for the price of one. The company has also announced that Hampstead, Tooting Broadway and Great Portland Street are among 11 more stations that are due to come online this week.
EE adds 20GB plan for 4G power users, pricing starts at £46 per month
Want to take advantage of blazing-fast LTE speeds in the UK? You better be prepared to drop a few dozen quid, each and every month. The nation's only LTE provider is clearly taking advantage of that exclusivity with gigantic tariffs, like £31 (about $50) per month for 3 gigs of SIM-only data (and "unlimited minutes and texts"). If you speed a lot of time pulling down content on your mobile, though, a new 20GB plan makes the carrier's pricing structure a bit easier to swallow. Customers who sign up for the new 12-month "super-user" plan between now and February 28th will pay £46 (about $73), while a smaller-cap 8GB offering will be available for £41 (about $65) each month. Keep in mind that these are SIM-only tariffs -- you'll pay much more if bundling in a smartphone subsidy. Still, if you have a need for mega bandwidth for home use or on the go, the price per gig of this new plan makes EE seem a bit more reasonable. You'll find a few more details in the PR after the break.
Phones4U launching LIFE Mobile MVNO in March, will use EE's 3G network
Independent handset retailer Phones4U is set to join the cellular bullfight after it announced it was launching its very own mobile network. It'll go toe-to-toe with the Carphone Warehouse's virtual network, TalkTalk, as well as competing for your hearts and wallets with the big four operators. LIFE Mobile will piggyback on Everything Everywhere EE's backbone, but users will initially be limited to 3G plans only, with 4G services coming later in the year. If you're worried that every trip to the company's stores will see LIFE handsets foisted upon you at every turn, company boss Tim Whiting has said that staff will be rewarded for "customer satisfaction" rather than sales. We suggest you try and game the system by telling the manager you'll only be truly satisfied after a nice cup of tea and a foot rub.
EE closing 78 overly cozy stores, keeps related staff
Merging two carriers' efforts invariably creates at least some kind of redundancy, no matter how much the two sides try to avoid it. In EE's case, it led to stores that were suddenly too close to each other -- so close that some were very literally next door. Rather than perpetuate the inadvertent comedy, EE says it's shuttering 78 stores that it believes are just wasting space. The provider doesn't want to put added strain on the remaining shops, however. It plans to move all affected staff to existing locations, and it's hoping to repurpose managers rather than oust them. The scaled-back retail operations theoretically "maintain momentum" while keeping customers and workers happy, EE tells us. When we see genuinely absurd situations like the photo above, we're inclined to agree. [Image credit: Lazygamer, Flickr]
Major UK networks confirm they'll carry BlackBerry 10 wares in early 2013
While our immediate attention is focused on the fast approaching tech-fest that is CES, let us not forget another important event taking place in January -- the eagerly awaited launch of BlackBerry 10. We don't know if its success will equal RIM's expectations, but just this morning all major UK carriers emailed us confirmation they'll be stocking BB10 handsets. Three and EE (Orange and T-Mobile included) announced availability next year, but nothing more specific; O2 told us BB10 gear will land on its network "in early 2013"; and retailer Phones4u, which covers all the carriers, specified a Q1 2013 window. Vodafone implied that it'll be offering handsets immediately after launch, but we've been in contact the network's PR folks just to confirm that's true and not confused wording. We'll update you with their response as soon as we hear back.
EE introduces the UK's first 4G Android tablet: Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 LTE available starting today
Adding to its catalogue of flagship 4G slabs, EE's launched its first Android tablet for its relatively young network. You can read up our thoughts on how the stylus-friendly tablet handled in our review, but the addition of some high-speed data should add another temptation -- if you're willing to pay for it. Prices for the Galaxy Note 10.1 LTE start at £99 upfront with 8GB of monthly data at £36 monthly, or you can pick up the 5GB plan (after an initial payment of £200) at £30.99 per month. Choosing the smaller 3GB option will set you back £250 to start with, followed by 24 rounds of £26. EE's also has the Nexus 7 for sale, pairing the WiFi-only device with its own MiFi dongle. One-off payments are £30 for both the 8GB and 5GB services, or £50 for the 3GB option. Monthly costs match the Samsung tablet above, and you'll be able pick up either device (alongside that two-year contract) starting today.
EE's 4G network to be available in 35 locations by the end of March 2013
Potential 4G adopters in the UK not only need to consider the price of EE's plans, but also the thin coverage currently available. This is slowly being fattened up, however, and today the company has announced that by March 2013, it plans to extend its high-speed network to an additional 17 areas (to make a grand total of 35). Those 17 towns and cities don't include last week's stealthy activations in Derby, Newcastle and Nottingham, or the planned switch-flipping in Belfast, Hull, Maidenhead and Slough before the end of the year. As well as gracing new locations with 4G and bolstering network density, EE is also upgrading its 3G network to support dual-channel HSPA+ (DC-HSPA+ for short). This is expected to be available across 40 percent of EE's network by year's end, and will also be enjoyed by customers signed up with Orange or T-Mobile. So, enough of the suspense -- head past the break for the full list of locales getting 4G early next year.
EE strikes deal with Virgin Media to give its customers free tube WiFi in 2013 (update: Vodafone, too)
Londoners enjoyed not only "the greatest show on earth" this summer, but also free tube WiFi courtesy of Virgin Media. It's due to remain complimentary for what's left of the year, but if you're with EE, you'll be able to continue updating your status from subterranean platforms in 2013. The UK's first 4G provider has struck a deal to hook its customers up to Virgin's underground WiFi infrastructure, although the announcement seems to have gone out a little earlier than planned. EE tweeted the news then swiftly retracted it, but has since replied to Mr. Miles at Pocket-lint confirming the partnership, at least for however long that message stays... yep, it's gone. If you're not on EE, don't get your sad face on just yet, as there are rumors circulating that other carriers will be piggybacking on Virgin's hotspots, too -- they just haven't accidentally announced it yet. Update: It's now officially official, and Vodafone's on board as well. Next year, tube WiFi will stay free for those signed with either EE or Voda, and Virgin will be offering pay-as-you-go options for those that aren't: daily, weekly or monthly access from £2 per day (roughly $3.20). Virgin is also hooking up another 48 stations, with 20 due to be switched on this December and 28 in early 2013. If you're wondering whether your local station is one of the score being hooked up this month, they're all listed in the PR below.
EE unveils 4G sim-only plans: 5GB max of LTE zip for £36 per month
If you already had a handset and wanted in on EE's extra 4G vroom, you may have been miffed when it launched without a sim-only option. The operator has now atoned, however, with new packages for the already-smartphoned: a threadbare 500MB contract will run you £21 per month over a year, while those who need data galore will have to pony up £36 for the max 5GB data plan. The latter option will save you £15 over a handset-included contract with 12 months less commitment, and adding an extra £5 along with another year will get you unlimited texting and calls while roaming. The plans are available online or over the phone, but will be coming to stores "very shortly" as well, according to EE. So, if you're looking to give that LTE equipped phone a speedy new life, hit the source for all the details.
Ofcom: UK 4G spectrum bidding starts in January with £1.3 billion reserve
While Orange and T-Mobile love child EE has been doling out 4G to its clients for a bit now, rivals like O2 and Vodafone have been waiting for the chance just to bid on spectrum. Ofcom just announced tentative dates for the process, along with a combined minimum price of £1.3 billion -- after saying earlier that the delay was the carriers' own fault. Operators will submit their applications by December 11th, start bidding in early January and be informed if they were successful or not by March. Fees will then be paid and licenses granted, and Ofcom figures that 4G services will start to roll out from the successful bidders between May and June of next year. You'll then be able to enjoy five to seven times the speed of your current connection -- provided you haven't already jumped ship, of course.
Using iPhone 5 on the UK's EE 4G LTE network
TUAW readers in the UK now have a fast new LTE network to connect to with their iPhone 5s and other devices that work with the technology. EE, a new company made up of "equal parts T-Mobile and Orange" according to our sister site Engadget, turned on its new 4G LTE network in London, Bristol, Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield and parts of Southampton. Engadget's Mat Smith took his iPhone 5 for a spin on the network and found a lot to like. EE plans to expand the network to five more cities before the calendar flips to 2013. Smith noted that the network didn't work inside a home in central London early on in the deployment, but that things improved -- not only for the 4G LTE network, but for 3G as well. So, how were the network speeds? Pretty good. In a simple test, Smith took two iPhone 5s -- one with a 3G SIM and one with a 4G SIM installed -- and set both phones to download Rovio's Bad Piggies app. The app weighs in at 41 MB, and the 4G iPhone was able to download it in just 22 seconds. For the 3G iPhone 5, that same download took just under two minutes. Download speeds averaged about 26 Mbps in LTE zones. The post points out that UK users should choose at least the 2 GB data plan, and that the plans are definitely not cheap. However, it's worth a look for iPhone 5 users with a need for speed.
A week with the iPhone 5 on EE, the UK's first 4G network
More Info EE LTE speed test EE details UK 4G pricing: Unlimited calls, texts and 500MB of data starts at £36 EE confirms Nokia Lumia 920, 820 and Samsung Galaxy S III among first handsets on new LTE network Last week, EE publicly flipped the switch on its 4G network. Launching LTE in London, Bristol, Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield and (parts of) Southampton. EE also plans for an additional five cities before the new year. The new phone network, composed of equal parts T-Mobile and Orange, has other plans -- and they start from £21 SIM-only (starting November 9th) while phone packages begin at £36 per month. For that, the new network offers its customers 500MB of data, plus unlimited calls and texts. The data plans scale up from there, all the way up to 8GB of monthly data, alongside a system of on-off data bundles. So being an earlier adopter comes at a very specific cost -- are the wonders of a next-generation network worth it? We inserted a fresh EE 4G SIM into an iPhone 5 and now have been using it for over a week, get our full verdict after the break.
iZettle launches on EE, aims to let UK merchants dabble in plastic
iZettle has just launched its Android and iOS payment platform on EE in the UK, giving small businesses a cheap way to get paid through Visa, American Express, Diner's Club and Mastercard. For a £20 fee in EE stores, you can grab the scanner (shown above) and start accepting charge card payments through your iPhone, iPad and certain Android devices with no other fees except for the usual merchant grab -- 2.75 percent per transaction in this case. Sales can even be keyed in manually if you don't want the scanner, and the company claims the system is quick and "totally secure." So, if you're tired of chasing down that deadbeat client who keeps saying "too bad you don't take Amex," hit the PR after the jump.
EE switches on 4G in 11 UK cities, offers fiber broadband to 11 million sites and opens 700 stores
Today marks the launch of the UK's first 4G network, with EE switching on its service in 11 cities: London, Bristol, Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield and Southampton. If you don't have access immediately, you might not be waiting long, as the company promises 2,000 square miles of 4G network will be added every month from now on. This £1.5 billion investment means five cities will join the exclusive list before Christmas, and in the longer-term, 98 percent population coverage is expected by the end of 2014. Wired services aren't being forgotten -- EE Fibre Broadband is also available from today with the potential to serve 11 million locations with speeds of up to 76 Mbps. Want to learn more about the new services? Then head to one of the 700 EE stores (rebranded Orange and T-Mobile locations) opening this morning. If your bank account can handle it, that is.
Windows Phone 8 handset UK availability and pricing detailed: free starting from £21 per month
We've heard how Windows Phone 8 is all about you, and seen all the devices bearing the new OS at launch. What's left, however, is where you can get one on the other side of the pond and, more importantly, how much it's going to cost you. Nokia has separately announced that both the Lumia 920 and Lumia 820 will be launching in the UK (and France) later this week. More specifically, though, it looks like every UK carrier will be getting at least three handsets, with the almost-ready-to-launch EE getting both of HTC and Nokia's handset pairs. We've got all the (current) pricing details and availability dates after the break.%Gallery-169573%
EE details UK 4G pricing: Unlimited calls, texts and 500MB of data starts at £36
We've seen the speeds, we know the handsets and now we know how much it'll cost you to be among the first to try 4G in the UK. EE has outlined its contract and handset pricing from October 30th, with all of the bundles including unlimited calls and texts. Yep, the new carrier is breaking it down by data, with its entry-level 500MB bundle starting at £36 for 24 months. You'll have to make an initial payment for most handsets, although the Ascend P1 will be free from the 1GB bundle upwards. Data allowances go up to 8GB for £56 per month, although users can add even more, with an extra 50MB costing £3, or up to 4GB for £20. Now, if you're looking to get Apple's latest on 4G, it'll set you back at least £20 on the highest data plan. Already got your LTE-ready iPhone 5? Then you'll have to wait until 9th November, when the network will start offering SIM-only 12-month plans priced from £21. The 4G network will also offer its phones on 12 month contracts for an additional £10 on top of the prices shown above. EE will let users who bought comparable non-4G versions in the last six months (like the One X or Galaxy S III) to exchange their devices for a one-off payment of £100. Alongside the all these pricing details, the Orange/ T-Mobile team-up also spilled the beans on some service features for its new customers -- and we've got it all covered after the break, including a quick hands-on with its Film store service.
UK carriers form alliance to speed up 800MHz LTE rollout, let us enjoy our Freeview TV
Isn't it better when we work together? British carriers think so. EE, O2, Three and Vodafone have officially created a non-exclusive joint venture, Digital Mobile Spectrum Limited, that should speed up the deployment of 800MHz LTE by keeping Freeview over-the-air TV signals clear of interference while the partners bring their low-frequency 4G online. Previously, the networks were bound to form an equivalent company called MitCo that wouldn't have been active until after the 800MHz auction, preventing companies from getting their wireless houses in order until they'd already made a commitment. There's also a competitive angle involved to go with the cooperative work, as you might imagine: with EE's 1,800MHz LTE poised to go live on October 30th, choosing infighting over assistance would only help widen the frontrunner's lead. Whether DMSL represents altruism or pragmatism, we'll appreciate knowing that the hurdles to a catch-up in UK 4G will be more those of the technical reality than the usual political maneuvering.
4G LTE to launch in UK on October 30
iPhone 5 owners in the UK have something to cheer about -- 4G LTE service will be available for the first time in the country starting on October 30th. The ultra-fast LTE service will operate on the network of EE (formerly known as Everything Everywhere), a new joint venture of Orange UK and T-Mobile. Although Orange and T-Mobile customers will soon see their carrier change to EE, they'll need to have an EE data plan in order to take advantage of the faster speeds provided by 4G LTE. At this point, the service is expected to roll out in 10 cities on October 30th. By the end of 2012, 16 cities -- which contain a third of the population of the UK -- will have 4G LTE, and EE expects 98 percent of the population to be covered by 2014.
EE confirms 4G rollout will begin October 30th, 10 cities at launch, 16 by the end of the year
EE has just confirmed that its 4G roll out will commence on October 30th in the UK. The announcement comes direct from CEO Olaf Swantee, and reveals both the official launch of the new EE brand in the UK, along with those much sought after 4G data services. There will be 10 cities included in the initial rollout, with another six to be added by the end of the year. Once that total of 16 has been reached, EE claims it should cover at least a third of the UK population. As you might expect, more towns and cities will get the LTE treatment throughout 2013, with EE claiming it should reach 98 percent population coverage by 2014. The announcement also took the opportunity to confirm the handsets that will be available at launch, which include the iPhone 5, Samsung Galaxy SIII LTE, Nokia Lumia 920, Nokia Lumia 820, HTC One XL and the Huawei Ascend P1 LTE. Want to know if your city is one of the lucky ones, head to the more coverage link for full launch coverage details, complete with maps.
Huawei Ascend P1 LTE named as EE exclusive in UK, other markets to follow
If you'd wondered what Huawei might bring to the table for the launch of the UK's newly-minted 4G network, your time is up, as the Ascend P1 LTE has been revealed as a national exclusive for EE, with availability in other markets to follow. Like its forebear, the handset features Android 4.0 alongside a dual-core 1.5GHz CPU, a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED qHD display and an 8-megapixel camera, although as a nice surprise, it'll also come with a beefier 2,000mAh battery. There's no word yet on pricing for the latest entrant, although it seems a safe assumption that all will be revealed in rather short order. In the meantime, you'll find the remaining details in the PR after the break.
