Many countries across the world have had 4G for some time now, the UK have been delayed due to legal disputes between network providers and the government bidding process. The waiting is nearly over for the UK, the 4G network will be available in many major cities from October the 30th.
Only two mobile phone networks will initially provide 4G services, due to the government contracts, these are Orange and T-Mobile, which form the new company EE (Everything Everywhere). All other networks will be allowed to launch their 4G services in the summer of next year (2013). With 4G, you’ll be able to get speeds of potentially up to 160 MB per second, with an average speed of 20-50 MB per second.
Initial coverage will be available in: London, Birmingham, Cardiff, Bristol, Edinburgh, Belfast, Leeds, Sheffield, Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow, Newcastle, Southampton, Hull, Nottingham and Derby. EE, Everything Everywhere, aims to provide 4G services to 98% of the UK by 2014. This means that where ever you live, it’s likely you’ll be able to access a 4G service in the coming year or two.
The cost of 4G services are expected to be similar, but slightly higher, than current 3G prices. The iPhone 5 will be compatible with the Orange, T-Mobile and EE network. However, the iPhone 5 will not be compatible with any other network’s future 4G services (O2, Vodafone, Three, etc).
