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EE teases the LG G Flex's 2014 launch with in-store displays across the UK
Taking a page from the "you always want what you can't have" playbook, UK carrier EE will be showcasing LG's G Flex smartphone in some of its stores starting this Friday, December 20th. Don't expect to walk out with the curved handset; EE's just teasing the flexible device ahead of its European launch in early 2014. Curious Brits in London, Manchester and several other cities can get some hands-on time with the G Flex, which sports a 6-inch, flexible display with a "self-healing finish." For the full list of participating stores, head past the break.
AT&T signs deal with EE to offer 4G data roaming in the UK
AT&T's mission to provide superfast data outside of the US has been given another big boost, courtesy of EE. The UK carrier announced today that it has become the first domestic provider to offer 4G roaming to international travellers, with AT&T coming on board as its first partner. AT&T has been moving fast: just last week it signed a deal with Rogers to provide quick LTE data anywhere the Canadian provider has compatible coverage. EE doesn't intend to limit itself either -- the carrier says today's agreement is the first of many deals it expects to announce over the coming months, suggesting other US operators could soon follow AT&T's lead.
EE's UK LTE network goes live in 10 others areas, coming to 19 more by Christmas
There's only so much Pictionary one person can play at Christmas, but little else to do when your grandparents don't have WiFi. If drawing-induced repetitive strain injury is a real threat, you could be in luck. Well, if you're an EE customer and your grandparents live in either Bath, Bournemouth, Brighton, Cambridge, Darlington, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Northampton, Poole, Portsmouth or Redcar, anyway, as EE's ever-expanding LTE network is now live in those areas. Furthermore, switches will be flipped in 19 other locations by the time that turkey's ready for carving (full list after the break), so you can excuse yourself from board games and stream a Christmas classic to your tablet in another room. We recommend The Santa Clause, although any holiday movie starring Tim Allen is pretty much as good as it gets.
UK carriers agree to cap bills on lost and stolen cellphones
It's bad to rack up steep cellphone bills through your own actions, but it's even worse if a thief does that on your behalf. Thankfully, the UK government has struck a deal with EE, Three, Virgin Media and Vodafone to cap bills on any cellphone reported lost or stolen after this spring. Brits on those networks won't be liable for more than £50, even if a mugger goes on a Netflix marathon. The agreement should also prevent other kinds of bill shock; carriers will be clearer about the chances of mid-contract rate hikes (with the option of ending that contract), and they'll help wipe out roaming charges by 2016. The UK's moves won't completely eliminate surprise costs -- not when O2 and other providers are missing from the deal, at least -- but it might help ease the blow.
Nokia's Lumia 2520 tablet exclusive to John Lewis in the UK from December 4th
UK-centric news is plentiful today while America busies itself with feasts and football. One such announcement concerns the launch of Nokia's first tablet, the Lumia 2520, which will go on sale December 4th exclusively at John Lewis and affiliate stores. Running Windows RT 8.1, the colorful 10.1-inch tablet will cost £400, while the optional keyboard accessory will retail for an additional £150 when it becomes available "in the coming weeks" (although we can't say we were enamored with the typing experience in our review). Curiously, John Lewis' monopoly means you'll have to go to extra lengths to make use of the 2520's LTE radio by procuring a 4G data-only SIM from EE or O2. Thus, you also can't take advantage of any carrier subsidies. There's no word on exactly when the exclusivity period will end, but if you just have to have one, you know exactly where to go. Update: We've now learned exclusivity finishes at the end of February next year, and that every Lumia 2520 bought from John Lewis includes an EE 4G SIM with 200MB of free data.
Vodafone UK fails to reach imposed minimum 3G coverage, will fix by 2014
If UK folks on Vodafone find themselves without 3G in some places, it's because the telcom has failed to reach the minimum geographical coverage imposed by Ofcom. In 2010, the government-directed mobile regulator required the expansion of 3G networks until they cover the area where 90 percent of the population lives come 2013. While O2, Three and EE all passed muster after the June 30th deadline, Ofcom has discovered that the British-owned telcom missed the goal by 1.4 percent. The watchdog's report didn't detail why the carrier failed to meet the target, but it was implied that the company made a faulty estimate on how many 3G-capable mobile masts it needed. Worry not, o ye Vodafone faithful -- the provider plans to convert roughly 100 more 2G sites to 3G in order to comply to Ofcom's standards (and avoid paying penalty) by January 2014. [Image credit: Iain Patterson, Flickr]
EE launching 4G PAYG handsets starting at £130 for the Alcatel One Touch Idol S
EE may have rethought its contract plans, but it's also added a new option for those who don't want to commit to two years of bills. On top of the SIM-only pay-as-you-go options already available, the traditional PAYG handset model is launching on the network October 30th. All the LTE-friendly smartphones the carrier offers on its pay monthly plans will be up for grabs for an upfront fee, complete with PAYG SIM and 10GB of free data to use in the first 90 days, as long as you get involved before January 31st next year. Another transient deal for new PAYG customers which expires at the same time is the 2,014 free minutes bonanza that applies to EE, Orange and T-Mobile -- a top up of £10 each month in 2014 will get you 168 minutes gratis. Joining EE's handset line-up to become the cheapest PAYG option at £130 is Alcatel's One Touch Idol S, which'll also be available on pay monthly plans. The second-cheapest handset will be Nokia's Lumia 625 at £150, but big spenders can opt for an iPhone 5s at £520 and other pricier options. There's a handy web portal (app coming soon) for topping up and buying data, text or call bundles, and any data package of 2GB or more will entitle you to "double speed" access, or up to 60 Mbps download speeds. Head past the break for all the pricing info in neat chart form.
EE to split two-year contracts into speed-based tiers, adds new data-only plans, and more
EE's temporary summer promotion, which increased data caps on two-year contracts for new sign-ups, was due to end before October. It didn't, however, and today's news suggests why. Starting October 30th, EE is splitting its 24-month 4G contract-plus-handset plans (what we imagine is the most common route new customers choose) into two tiers based on max potential download speeds. Furthermore, new data-only plans are being introduced for power users, as well as gigabyte-based incentives to tempt you into letting EE deal with your home broadband and mobile. Head past the break for more intel.
BT taps EE for own-brand 4G network
More than ten years after it sold its shares to O2 and exited the consumer mobile market, BT may soon make a comeback as a UK carrier. The company announced today that it has signed an multi-year agreement with EE to use its 4G services to support both its customers and employees. While the company remains quiet on whether it plans to add mobile services to its existing media packages, BT CEO Ian Livingston remarked earlier in the year that it was "highly possible" that we'd see BT-branded 4G SIM cards bundled alongside its TV, broadband, fixed-line telephone and public Wi-Fi services. Let's not forget the fact that the telecoms giant also spent £186.5 million securing its own 4G spectrum. BT says it will focus on moving its existing clients over to EE's networks while expanding its "strong Wi-Fi presence" in the UK, but we believe it won't be too long until EE, O2, Vodafone and Three have some competition.
Ofcom considers quadrupling mobile operator license fees (updated)
It currently costs the big four of EE, Vodafone , O2 and Three UK £64.5 million a year in licensing fees to do business in the UK, but Ofcom is currently weighing-up plans to quadruple those charges. After calculating the value of the spectrum based on the bids received in the 4G auction, the regulator wants to increase Vodafone and O2's annual rent to £83.1 million, Three UK to £37.5 million and EE to a whopping £101.7 million. Of course, the plans are currently in the consultation stage, which'll run through to December 19th, but we hope that someone points out the likelihood of the cost being passed down to users. Update: Ofcom has gotten in touch to add that the new tariffs were calculated in proportion to the payments received for the 4G spectrum auction.
Three's LTE rollout to reach 42 more UK cities in 2014
If recent smartphone launches have you reconsidering your carrier options, here's some 4G rollout info to throw into the mix. Unlike its rivals, Three is actively advertising its full LTE roadmap, focusing first on London, Birmingham, Manchester and Reading, which it hopes to switch on before the end of the year. Its plans for 2014 are much more expansive, however, with a total of 42 cities set to go live, covering 98 percent of the country by 2015. Although it'll launch some months after its rivals, the carrier may scoop up customers with a promise not to charge extra for 4G data. Finally, as to whether Three will eventually change its name to Four, the company still isn't saying.
The iPhone 5s and 5c in the UK: what you need to know
The dust has settled on Apple's 2013-era iPhone launch, so it's time that we delved into what the damage is here in 'ol Blighty. EE, along with its buddies Orange and T-Mobile, has confirmed that it'll carry both the iPhone 5s and 5c from launch. LTE contract users who are six months into their EE deal will also be able to take advantage of the conveniently-announced Swap service. O2 has said that customers will be able to use O2 Refresh to upgrade their handset from launch, and Vodafone and Three have both given the thumbs-up to carrying the pair of handsets. No-one's talking about specific contract pricing, but we expect carriers will drip-feed this information in poker-faced chunks between now and the September 20th launch date. iPhone off-contract pricing (UK) 16GB 32GB 64GB iPhone 5s £549 £629 £709 iPhone 5c £469 £549 N/A Prices subject to change
EE's 'Swap' brings another option for chronic phone-changers
If you're the type to regard your six month-old handset like a relic from the stone age (and believe us, we are), then you've now got another option with EE's Swap program. UK customers can now trade in their smartphones six months or later into their 18 or 24 month plans starting at £49. That appears to be EE's attempt to catch up to plans like O2's Refresh and JUMP from Phones 4u, but there's a huge catch, of course. You'll have to start a new 24 month contract from scratch, and the trade up price depends on which you end up choosing. Those opting for the cheapest £36 plan, for instance, will have to pay a much steeper £249. Still, for those of us who can barely stand going out with a mere Samsung Galaxy Note II when the Galaxy Note 3 is now in the zeitgeist, it's a small price to pay.
EE hits one million 4G customers four months ahead of goal
EE said it wanted to have a million 4G customers by the end of the year, but it won't have to wait nearly that long. The UK carrier just topped that mark four months ahead of its stated deadline while its competitors are just getting off the starting blocks. O2 and Vodafone both fired up their respective LTE networks less than two weeks ago, while Three's won't launch until December. Despite having been the only game in town until recently, EE claims the UK's adoption of 4G has been one of the world's fastest so far. It seems like there's a lot more technofreaks out there than Vodafone imagined.
Mobile Miscellany: week of August 26th, 2013
If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week brought convincing signs that BlackBerry users are moving away from physical keyboards, along with a new budget Android smartphone for MetroPCS and a stumbling block that's holding up AT&T's acquisition of Alltel. These stories and more await. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that's happening in the mobile world for this week of August 26th, 2013.
Nokia Lumia 625 reaches the UK on August 28th with LTE on three networks
Brits who've wanted Nokia's budget phone ambitions writ large -- namely, the Lumia 625 -- won't have to wait much longer. The 4.7-inch Windows Phone will be available on August 28th through EE, O2, Vodafone, Carphone Warehouse and Phones4U. If you're interested, you can pick up the device for free on a £21 per month contract, or buy it outright for £179 on pay-as-you-go service; early adopters get a second colored back as a bonus. EE, O2 and Vodafone should all support the Lumia 625's LTE either immediately or the day after, so it's just a matter of choosing the 4G network you prefer.
LG G2 confirmed to arrive on Three and O2 in the UK (updated)
Following the formal reveal of the LG G2 yesterday, UK network Three was quick to report its plan to offer the handset "soon," so we thought we'd follow up with all the other major providers to see where else you'll eventually be able to find one. O2 is also on board, although it would only commit to a vague release window of "later this year." Vodafone said it currently has no plans to offer the G2, and while EE has "nothing to announce," we couldn't get any assurance that it wouldn't show up on its 4G network, or on the Orange or T-Mobile brands. Retailer Carphone Warehouse has put a tentative October arrival date on its website, and although we're still waiting on a response from Phones 4U, you'll more than likely be able to find it there, too. So, if you've developed a particular taste for the slim bezel design and quirky button placement, you'll have at least a few options come launch time. Update: We assumed wrong -- Phones 4U has gotten back to us to say it won't be stocking the G2.
iPhone owners in the UK get more 4G coverage through EE
The UK is trailing behind other countries when it comes to 4G availability. Right now there's only one mobile operator -- EE -- offering 4G. That's set to change by the end of the year when virtually every carrier in the UK will offer the super-fast mobile internet service. But if you're already on EE, you'll be happy to know that the company has expanded its 4G service to another 10 UK cities this week. As of today, EE customers in Altrincham, Bedford, Camberley, Crawley, Farnborough, Farnham, Maidstone, Rochdale, Tonbridge and Welwyn Garden City will be able to get 4G service to their compatible iPhones and iPads. The addition of the new cities mean EE's 4G covers 60 percent of the UK now. However, even if you're in one of the 10 new cities, you may want to wait a bit more before you sign up for a 4G EE contract. When the other mobile operators start offering 4G later this year, plan prices are sure to drop as more competition floods the UK market.
HTC One mini launching on almost all UK carriers around August 9th
We've reached out to all of the usual suspects, and only one of them hasn't stuck a thumb up and winked when we've asked if it'll be carrying HTC's "diminutive" new smartphone. O2, EE, Vodafone, Phones4U and Carphone Warehouse have all confirmed that they'll carry the One mini, while ThreeUK has yet to get back to us. There's no solid information on how much the device will cost on a monthly or one-off basis, but Carphone Warehouse is already accepting sim-free pre-orders for a very plausible £380. That same retailer is also saying that the phone is due to arrive on August 9th, but we'll take that assertion with a pinch of environmentally-friendly salt.
EE expands UK 4G coverage to 11 new markets
Sadly for iPhone 5 and fourth-generation iPad owners, 4G coverage has been slow to roll out in the UK. Currently if you want 4G, there is only one player in the whole country -- EE. Even EE's 4G service isn't available in many parts of the UK. But thankfully as of last week, the telecoms company expanded 4G coverage to 11 new UK markets. As noted in a press release, iPhone 5 (and other 4G-capable smartphone) owners in Aldershot, Basildon, Basingstoke, Bracknell, Hitchin, Horsham, Leatherhead, Letchworth, Stevenage, Warrington and Weston-super-Mare will now have access to the super-fast mobile internet. The 11 new markets push 4G availability in the UK to over 50 percent of the population. When Vodafone rolls out 4G this summer and Three follows in the winter, 4G availability will reach 98 percent of the UK population by late 2014.
