EE has announced that it has extended its mobile network to provide reliable and fast 4G connectivity to 1,500 remote countryside communities across the UK. This includes Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands, an area known for its stunning views and local tourism industry.
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Network Upgrades Part of Shared Rural Network
The upgrades are part of the Shared Rural Network (SRN), a joint initiative between mobile network operators and the UK Government to extend 4G connectivity to 95 percent of the UK's geography by the end of 2025.
According to the statement, EE, which signed the SRN deal in March 2020, has now delivered more than 2,000 square miles of additional 4G connectivity to rural areas across each of the four UK nations, representing a size greater than nine times that of the Isle of Man.
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EE's 4G Network covers more than 99% population
The company's 4G network is the largest and fastest in the UK, covering more than 99 percent of the population. The latest expansion of its 4G coverage will reduce 'partial not spots' and provide customers and businesses in remote areas across the country with enhanced high-speed mobile connectivity.
High-speed 4G in the Highlands
The 1,500th site upgrade, which strengthens EE's 4G coverage around Loch Ness in Scotland and nearby villages along the River Moriston, represents the largest single SRN upgrade EE has delivered to date. The enhanced connectivity will support local people and businesses, as well as those working and visiting the area, including the hundreds of thousands of tourists who head to Loch Ness every year in search of its famous monster, "Nessie".
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Rural Data Usage
Rural customers of EE have been able to download over 30TB of data using the SRN 4G upgrades. Villages such as Tumble in Carmarthenshire, Wales, and Mount in Warleggan, Cornwall, are among the most data-hungry places. The upgrades are also enabling customers to stay connected to their friends, family, and local businesses with voice calls.
EE is the first mobile operator to reach the milestone of building or upgrading 1,500 remote sites across the UK as part of the Shared Rural Network (SRN) programme.