Archive for December 20th, 2012

Belfast to get 4G for Christmas Day

EE, the UK’s most advanced digital communications company, today announced that major mobile network upgrade plans have commenced in Northern Ireland. EE is investing more than £25 million in the region to deliver a faster mobile network to 94% of the population.

As well as undertaking the important upgrade works on the existing 2G and 3G network in Northern Ireland, EE is also launching superfast 4G mobile services on Christmas Day. When the network upgrade programme completes in April 2013, consumers and businesses across Northern Ireland will benefit from having access to one of the fastest, most advanced and best performing mobile networks in Europe.

Enterprise Minister for Northern Ireland, Arlene Foster commented:

"The launch of 4G services in Belfast is positive news for Northern Ireland, and I am pleased to see that we are one of the first communities in the UK to benefit from this exciting technology. My department recognises the importance of digital infrastructure in the development of the economy in Northern Ireland. Consumers and businesses will also benefit from EE’s major 2G and 3G network investment and upgrade plans that will deliver a faster, more reliable network for much of Northern Ireland by spring 2013."

This 2G and 3G network upgrade programme, vastly improving the reach and performance of the network in Northern Ireland, is likely to result in occasional and sporadic network outages for a small amount of customers. As mobile masts are upgraded, some customers near to that mast may experience a loss of mobile service for 12 to 48 hours. All works will be put on hold over Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day to ensure customers have access to mobile services on these important days. EE aims to minimise disruption as much as possible for both businesses and consumers. The network upgrade programme is scheduled to be complete by April 2013.

David Salam, Director of Network Strategy and Design at EE, said:

"This network upgrade programme is essential for customers across Northern Ireland, and will enable one of the fastest, most efficient mobile networks in Europe. We’re delighted to be able to deliver this network, and apologise for any inconvenience caused by any temporary losses of service during this exciting network upgrade programme."

For more information, please visit www.ee.co.uk.

Posted by: James

Carphone Warehouse warn of high data usage for new smartphone users this Christmas

The UK’s largest mobile phone retailer, Carphone Warehouse, has warned that smartphones given as gifts this Christmas could lead to unexpectedly large bills come January.

Smartphone adoption has jumped by 5.7 million in the past 3 months alone, the fastest growth in over 3 years, and December looks set to continue the charge as millions of handsets are purchased for loved ones during the Christmas period.

Graham Stapleton, Chief Commercial Officer at Carphone Warehouse, says, “This Christmas will be the biggest ever for smartphones; it’s the first year that customers are able to get their hands on devices for under £100. For many, this will be their first experience of using data, which could lead to confusion and expensive bills come January. We recently launched a free guide –Understanding Mobile Data for Dummies – to inform and educate, helping people to avoid any unexpected charges. January is always a tight month; we’re urging new smartphone users to double check their tariff limits and understanding of data usage to help save money on their bills.

“Phone bills associated with the festive season are typically larger than usual as people tend to make more long distance calls reaching out to friends and family all over the world. This year, more Brits than ever will use their smartphones to video chat, particularly via Skype or Facetime, with relatives they wouldn’t otherwise be able to see. If not hooked up to a Wi-Fi network these data heavy ‘calls’ could potentially lead to substantial charges for unwitting users.”

Consumer appetite for data has been steadily growing and is expected to hit an average of 1GB per user by 2014. Rises can be traced back to increasing smartphone functionality, particularly the growth in streaming, gaming and browsing on the move. iPhone owners are particular heavy data users, typically consuming more than users of any other handset brand or operating system.

The free Understanding Mobile Data For Dummies  guide from Carphone Warehouse is intended to combat the consumer confusion surrounding mobile data and data charges. For more information visit www.carphonewarehouse.com/dummies

Posted by: James