EE has today announced a 4G LTE roaming agreement that will allow AT&T customers visiting the UK access to the carriers superfast mobile data. You'll still need to have a device that is capable of roaming on the EE LTE frequencies – primarily 1800MHz currently – but the move is a huge step forward for visitors to the UK from overseas, and more agreements will be announced in early 2014.
One of those agreements will also include the ability for EE customers to roam on 4G LTE abroad, and while no specific details were revealed it is set to launch in the first half of 2014. Perhaps a return agreement for U.S. visitors with AT&T?
While the differences in LTE frequency bands used across the world could be an issue, the importance of this agreement and the recent one between AT&T and Rogers should not be overlooked. Roaming has traditionally been a dreadfully expensive affair and the only way to get on LTE has been to get a local SIM in a supported device.
So, if you're an AT&T customer hitting the UK in the near future, you'll be able to take full advantage of this. What do you think though; finally steps in the right direction for travellers? Drop your thoughts into the comments, and you'll find the full press release below.
Press Release
EE FIRST TO OFFER SUPERFAST 4G ROAMING FOR VISITORS TO THE UK
· EE is the first UK operator to launch inbound 4G roaming for travellers on international networks visiting the UK
· First agreement with AT&T, with more to launch early next year
· EE customers set to benefit from 4G speeds when travelling abroad by the first half of next year
16th December, 2013 – EE, the UK’s most advanced digital communications company, today announced the first 4G LTE roaming agreement in the UK, with AT&T. EE is set to launch additional partnerships early next year.
EE is the UK’s biggest and fastest 4G network, and will cover more than 160 towns and cities by Christmas. This makes EE the partner of choice for international operators looking to offer their customers the best voice quality and the fastest and most reliable internet experience when using their mobile devices in the UK.
With average speeds of 24-30Mbps in major cities across the UK, customers on partner networks will be able to fully unlock the potential of their smartphones abroad – allowing them to instantly load maps, search the best activities and restaurants and post updates on their travels to friends and family back home.
Olaf Swantee, CEO, EE said: “Technology is not just shaping how people book and research holidays; but what they look for when they are choosing a country to visit. From finding their way to local landmarks, to avoiding the Oxford street crowds by shopping on their tablet, tourists are increasingly looking for fast and reliable mobile experiences when they travel abroad.
With the biggest and fastest 4G network in the UK, we can provide our partners’ customers with the best mobile experience to stay connected when they visit the UK.”
The adoption of 4G LTE around the world is happening much faster than 3G as people rely on fast mobile internet to stay connected on the go.[1] In order to unlock the full potential of 4G roaming, EE is working with our Rest of World partners on innovative new wholesale models to ensure customers have access to the data they need to stay connected abroad.
via Android Central
