EE has begun trials of a new 4G home broadband system designed to bring high-speed internet to more than 580,000 UK households that currently lack adequate connectivity.
The solution pairs EE’s 4GEE Home Router with a high-gain external antenna and professional installation. It is aimed at rural and hard-to-reach areas where fixed-line services struggle to deliver reliable speeds—particularly locations that today can only achieve broadband below 10 Mbps.
Sarah Lee, Head of Policy at the Countryside Alliance, commented:
“Fast and reliable internet is just as essential in the countryside as it is in urban areas, but unfortunately it is not currently as widely available. This is a major issue for everyday life at home – students rely on a decent internet for research, parents need to bank online, and thousands of rural families are missing out on a wealth of on-demand entertainment.
We welcome this innovative 4G solution from EE and believe it will have a big impact on some of the most remote communities across the UK.”
One pilot location, the Northern Fells in Cumbria, presents dramatic topography that makes traditional fibre deployment challenging. Local community leaders say the 4G antenna could be transformative.
Mal Hilton, Chairman of Northern Fells Broadband, said:
“This new service from EE is going to help households in some of the most isolated areas of Cumbria; areas where residents simply cannot and may never receive fibre connectivity. It is going to radically change the lives of people in this community.
With fast and reliable home internet for the very first time, they can now function like everybody else in the UK.”
The 4GEE Home Router supports up to 32 connected devices and works straight out of the box without needing a landline. The external antenna is mounted on the side of a property to improve signal reception. In Cumbria trials, the combined system has delivered speeds in excess of 100 Mbps in some locations.
EE states its 4G network covers 90 percent of the UK’s land area, which equates to coverage for 99.6 percent of homes. To help customers identify the best option for their address, EE has also introduced the UK’s first combined fixed and mobile broadband coverage checker, enabling users to compare available services for their postcode.
What are your thoughts on EE’s new 4G antenna solution? Let us know in the comments.