EE Reaches Two Million 4G Customers As Uptake Accelerates
Today EE reached two million customers, doubling its target of one million by the end of 2013.
Figures from EE show that Britain’s appetite for superfast 4G is accelerating. After passing one million customers ten months after launch, the second million has taken just four.
This rapid uptake is being driven by EE’s 4G roll-out – which will cover 70% of the population in January – and substantial adoption amongst business customers. EE data, included in the release below, shows that three quarters of all new and upgrading SMEs are now choosing the benefits of superfast 4G.
New research also shows that average data use across the EE network grew by 70% over the course of 2013, with social media and video driving the biggest increases.
Olaf Swantee, CEO, EE, says: “Our 4G launch in October 2012 marked a new era for mobile users, allowing consumers and businesses to do much more on the move.
“We’re incredibly proud of being the first UK operator to bring 4G to the UK and, in just over a year, exceeding our target by reaching two million 4G customers across the country. We continue to have particular success converting our existing base to 4G, with approximately two out of three new 4G customers moving over from Orange and T-Mobile plans.
“This year, our network priority is to deliver the benefits of superfast mobile internet to more of the UK and invent even more innovative ways for our customers to make the most of their 4G experience.”
Business and 4G
Adoption in business continues to grow significantly, with over 4000 corporates and three quarters of all new and upgrading SMEs now choosing 4G. A wide range of organisations including Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Canon, Expedia, Foxtons, IKEA, Jewson, Kimberly-Clark, London Air Ambulance, Microsoft, PA News, The Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead, RAC, Renault, Tate & Lyle and United Utilities switched over to superfast speeds in 2013.
Data continues to grow, voice remains key
Average data use across the EE network grew by 70% over the course of 2013, with social media and video driving the biggest increases.
Looking specifically at the 4G network, posting pictures and messages to Facebook was the most popular way to bring in the New Year, followed by Skype, Instagram, and Twitter. Facebook data traffic doubled at midnight on the 31st December and messaging service WhatsApp saw a seven fold increase as people sent group messages and shared images to bring in the New Year.
Voice usage also continues to grow, with a 25% increase in voice calls over the EE network in 2013. EE is investing £275 million in its voice network this year, and pledges to set a new benchmark for voice quality and reliability.
Joanne Carter
Joanne Carter is a British photography journalist, editor, curator, and the founder of *TheAppWhisperer.com*, one of the world’s leading platforms dedicated to mobile photography and art. Since its launch in 2009, TheAppWhisperer has become an international hub for artists of all levels to discover, learn, exhibit, and engage with contemporary photographic practice.Built on principles of inclusivity, accessibility, and artistic excellence, Joanne has spent almost two decades championing mobile photography as a serious artistic medium. Through interviews, critical essays, exhibitions, competitions, and education, she has helped shape and document the evolution of mobile art on a global scale.Her work has taken her internationally, lecturing on photography and mobile art at institutions and events including the Museum of Art in Seoul, South Korea, alongside appearances in the UK and Europe. She has served as a juror for international photography and mobile art awards across Portugal, Canada, the United States, South Korea, Italy, and the UK.Joanne is also the founder of *TheAppWhispererPrintSales.com*, one of the first online galleries dedicated exclusively to collectible mobile art, connecting artists with collectors across Europe, the United States, and Asia.Before founding TheAppWhisperer, Joanne worked extensively in print journalism and photographic publishing, including roles at a paparazzi photo agency and as deputy editor of a leading photography magazine. Her freelance journalism, criticism, and commentary have been published widely in both the UK and the US, with bylines in *The Times*, *The Sunday Times*, *The Guardian*, *Popular Photography*, *NikonPro*, *DPReview*, *Which?*, *Vogue Italia*, *LensCulture*, the *BBC*, and more recently, the *Financial Times*, where her published letters on photography continue to contribute to wider conversations around the medium.Alongside her editorial and curatorial work, Joanne’s own photographic practice has been exhibited internationally across the UK, Europe, South Korea, and the United States. Her work increasingly explores themes of grief, loss, death, memory, and the body.Her current research interests centre on grief, death, and poverty, with forthcoming postgraduate study leading towards doctoral research in these areas.Joanne is currently developing new long-form writing and photographic projects and is available for commissions, editorial projects, speaking engagements, and collaborations.Contact: joannetheappwhisperer@gmail.com)
