Double Speed EE 4G To Drive Investment In Tech City

EE 4G will provide businesses in London’s Tech City with double speed LTE coverage and offer a range of benefits to help drive investment in the tech hub as part of a new partnership.

The operator says that its network has the capacity necessary to support a very high concentration of users in the area and will offer headline speeds of up to 80Mbps and average speeds of between 24 and 30Mbps.

EE will install 4G mobile Wi-Fi hotspots around Tech City, providing free 4G access to Wi-Fi-enabled devices as a remedy to the poor fixed-line broadband speeds in the area, which it says have hampered progress.

EE 4G Tech City partnership

Tech City claims the rollout will reduce the set-up time for new startups and increase flexibility for businesses, increasing investment in the UK from around the world and increasing employment opportunities in the area.

“Double speed 4G will turn Europe’s Digital Capital into the World’s most connected tech hub,” said Joanna Shields, CEO Tech City and UK Business Ambassador for Digital Industries. “The lightning speed and capacity of the superfast 4G network provides businesses with unique opportunities to build, test, and develop the digital products and services of the future.

“This game-changing investment will catalyse the next wave of innovation and creativity in digital and tech businesses, connect them to new markets around the world and support the growth of our brightest and best businesses.”

EE’s involvement extends beyond the rollout of 4G in the area, with the operator providing accredited businesses with real-time network APIs to developers and support programmes for new startups.

EE 4G a world leader

EE says its 4G in London is faster than LTE services in New York and will continue to support Tech City in the future by rolling out technological upgrades in the hub before anywhere else.

“Twenty-first century business needs twenty first century infrastructure, and the digital backbone we have built across the UK has been designed to provide just that,” said Olaf Swantee, CEO of EE. “The UK and the City of London are now leading the way, surpassing capitals like New York, and rivalling other major financial and business centres across the world.

“Our partnership with Tech City is designed to ensure UK businesses have the tools that they need to thrive, and to take the UK into a position as a world leader for technology, innovation and entrepreneurship.”

EE is currently the UK’s only current 4G operator, having received permission from Ofcom to launch an LTE service using its existing spectrum last year. It’s monopoly on 4G will end later this year when the other winners of the Ofcom spectrum auction release LTE services, but EE hopes that its plans to offer double-speeds in a number of cities will help it increase its current 4G subscriber base of 500,000.

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