EE 4G Home Router Looks To Replace Home Broadband

EE hopes its rapidly expanding 4G network will prove tempting for rural homes and businesses struggling with poor fixed connectivity with the launch of a home router.

The device supports Cat 7 LTE speeds of up to 90Mbps and can connect up to 32 devices simultaneously. With no fixed elements, users can simply pick up their router and take it with them when they move house.

It is comparatively pricey though. The unit is free with an 18 month contract ranging from £25 for 10GB of data, which wouldn’t be a lot for a home broadband subscription. To this end, EE is offering a 200GB package – it’s biggest ever – but this costs £100 a month.

EE home router

However for those living and working in rural areas it could be worth the cost.

“It’s simple to set up and use straight out of the box, so it’s ideal for customers with slower fixed line speed or people who regularly move house and need instant Wi-Fi connectivity,” said EE’s Max Taylor.

Since its launch in 2012, EE has sold a range of ‘Mobile Wi-Fi’ devices that use a cellular connection to create a local Wi-Fi network that can be used with multiple devices such as PCs.

EE’s 4G network currently covers up to 83 percent of the UK’s landmass, which it says represents 99 percent of the population. It plans to extend this to 95 percent by 2020.

At present, it is expected that the UK’s superfast broadband network will extend to  95 percent of UK properties by the end of the year, delivering at least 30Mbps.

This could reach 97 percent and there are plans to ensure every premise can receive superfast using ‘alternative’ technologies like cellular or satellite.

Earlier this year, rival Three bought UK Broadband to provide a basis for its own home wireless service. At present, Relish offers unlimited superfast broadband using 3.4GHz spectrum in central London, rather than in rural areas.

Quiz: What do you know about Wi-Fi?