4G-centric mobile giant EE has just unveiled new tariffs, new MiFis and a new affordable 4G tablet too.
We joined EE in Soho this morning, where the network brought us up to speed on the latest developments and additions to its growing 4G network and shared with us a slew of new products hitting stores too.
To kick things off, the network looks to be in good shape, as reflected in a recent independent study by RootMetrics. EE is truly the UK’s fastest 4G network and it seems that we’ve reached a tipping point in the carrier’s short history. 50 per cent of all mobile data consumed over the network is dedicated to video, more people are signing up for 4G over 3G plans as of this month and based on this current trend, EE’s gearing up for an expect 5GB of mobile data usage for the average customer by 2018.
EE’s CEO Olaf Swantee and CMO Pippa Dunn revealed that the newly created Mobile Video Alliance (an organisation headed up by EE and run by the Digital Television Group or DTG) is working with the UK’s biggest broadcasters and content owners to help create optimised video for playback on mobile devices over a 4G data connection, just one angle of a larger plan to not only strengthen the existing 4G experience in cities like London, but to complete cover more rural areas, some previously devoid of any mobile data at all.
As well as improvements to its services, EE also has a handful of new products to bring to its stores, three new MiFis and a new affordable tablet called the EE Eagle.
EE Osprey
The Osprey is a new ruggedised 4G MiFi, designed to serve as a 4G hotspot for younger users, students and those with a more active lifestyle. It’ll be available from May 28th in white and teal or black and yellow and will boast a textured design.
Pricing starts from £10 a month with an upfront cost of £19 on a 24 month plan or you’ll be able to pick it up on Pay As You Go for £49.99.
EE Kite
Next up is the Kite, sticking with the speedy birds naming convention, the Kite is a more business-centric 4G MiFi. Expect most of the same functionality as the Osprey but in a slimmer, sleeker, more premium package.
The glass and milled metal bodywork is designed to offer you and your colleagues a personal WiFi connection, with an upfront cost of £29 on the same plan as the Osprey or a PAYG cost of £69.99. Availability is expected sometime in July.
EE Buzzard
The most unusual offering in EE’s latest product rollout treads new ground. With the intention of turning your car into a 4G mobile hotspot too, the EE Buzzard is packaged for the road.
The cylindrical retail packaging contains the MiFi, a cigarette to USB adapter and a 4G SIM all of which can stow neatly in a cup holder. Availability and pricing is also identical to that of the Osprey on both contract and PAYG.
EE Eagle
If you’re a fan of the EE Kestrel; the carrier’s first affordable 4G smartphone, the Eagle will satiate your tablet needs. This Android Jelly Bean-based tablet will serve as a low-cost slate with CAT-4 4G connectivity.
Specs fall to an 8-inch 1280×800 display, a 5-megapixel camera, 16GB of internal storage (expandable by an additional 32GB via microSD) and there’s a 1.6GHz quad-core processor with 1GB of RAM running the show (the same Kirin 910 processor you’ll find in the Huawei MediaPad M1).
There’s more to the latest part of EE’s 4G story, so stay tuned for more information soon.
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