EE re-ignites 4G battle with deals for less than £20
Commenting on EE's new 4G plans, set to launch on 30th October, Oliver Folkard, telecoms expert at uSwitch.com, says: "After O2 and Vodafone launched to much fanfare in August, with lower entry level deals and much-hyped benefits, EE has raised the bar again with a raft of changes. Not content with offering the most widely available and fastest 4G service, EE has continued to try and stay ahead of the game with pricing changes and trials of superfast 300 Mbps speeds in London in November.
"Pay monthly customers will now be able to enjoy the cheapest 4G plans on EE. By now offering an entry level deal at £18.99 a month, EE is enabling those previously priced out join the 4G revolution. Its £23.99 deal also undercuts the competition and offers good value for money. However, the trade-off seems to be the loss of some perks - something all networks have used to convince consumers to make the leap to 4G.
"EE has also introduced a second tier, with plans offering generous amounts of data as well as other impressive perks from £26.99 a month. As well as making the most of 4G with music streaming service Deezer, 4GEE Extra customers will benefit from inclusive roaming calls and texts in 30 international destinations - a real sweetener for those who have been burnt by roaming charges in the past.
"The introduction of PAYG pricing could help EE reach budget-conscious Brits who prefer to keep a tighter lid on their spending. The flexibility - people can pick and choose bundles of minutes, texts and calls - should also prove popular. And with 500MB of data, 100 minutes and 400 texts costing just £11 a month, 4G may no longer be unaffordable for light users.
"Plus, the one-off 10GB of data will give new customers who buy a handset from EE three months to really explore the potential of 4G. And 2014 free minutes for those who sign up before the end of January will be sure to keep chatterboxes happy too.
"EE is also making strides in mobile broadband. Using its massive 4G coverage advantage to target the digitally isolated - Brits in rural areas who still can't get fast broadband at home - is a very clever move.
"By targeting frustrated broadband customers still stuck in the slow lane with its 4G powered home internet plans, EE is chasing a new customer base with a solution to the massive discrepancy in rural versus urban broadband speeds in the UK.
"Broadband speed tests show that as download speeds get faster in urban areas, those in more isolated rural areas are being left behind. But the devil is in the detail, and whether 4G home internet is a hit will depend on EE's pricing, which has yet to be announced."