• BT reveals host of new offerings for businesses and consumer users across the UK
• Business users will now get free security tools as part of BT contract
• BT also selected as official telecoms partner of Euro 2028

BT has announced a host of new updates and upgrades for its customers across the UK, as well as revealing it has been chosen as the official telecommunications partner for the upcoming Euro 2028 football tournament.

Launching a new "Behind Brilliant Things" at London's Wembley Stadium, the company unveiled a host of new announcements as it looks to continue its role as a mainstay of UK connectivity.

Along with its Euro 2028 news, the company also revealed the comeback of its BT Mobile brand, new eSIM offerings, and extra security tools for business and customer accounts.

Euro 2028 and more

"As the connector of the country, BT really matters, especially when it comes to events that connect the country, unite the country and showcase the country to the rest of the world," noted Allison Kirkby, Chief Executive, BT Group.

Since the start of the decade, BT has been the single biggest investor of all FTSE companies into UK infrastructure, she added, with the group spending £25 billion to become "digital backbone" of the country in what Kirkby called "a once in a generation investment."

This puts BT on track to reach more than 90% of UK homes and businesses by the end of the decade - a major rise from the current two-thirds.

The company already connects over a million businesses across the UK, along with public sector partners, making it a crucial ally for firms around the country.

"BT really is the only UK operator with the ability, the security expertise, and the operational resilience that can deliver connectivity of this magnitude across the UK," added Jon James, CEO Business.

"BT is trusted every day to deliver the services that help the UK succeed."

In order to help maintain this success, James revealed "a significant upgrade" to the security tools BT offers business customers across the UK, who will now receive Cyber Threat Protect, a new security solution powered by CrowdStrike, free of charge.

"BT is delivering big security for small and medium businesses, at a time when cybercrime has never been more worrying," James added.

Set to be held across 9 cities and broadcast to over 2 billion fans worldwide, Kirkby noted how Euro 2028 offers BT a huge opportunity to show off the state of its network, as well as providing a lasting technology legacy to continue after the tournament.

"Only BT could be behind moments," she said, adding , "you can't always see it, but we're there...trusted to connect homes, businesses and communities, trusted to protect families, organizations and critical public services, and trusted to supercharge the UK - powering progress, so everyone can thrive in this digital age."

• BT Group is expanding its 5G Standalone infrastructure for more coverage
• A rebrand from 5G SA to 5G+ will communicate the benefits to customers
• EE customers have already seen a boost this summer

BT Group has declared its commitment to delivering standalone 5G, which it’s branding 5G+, to 99% of the UK population by the end of its 2030 fiscal year – four years ahead of any rival’s targets.

With standalone 5G, BT has upgraded its core infrastructure instead of simply adding 5G radios to 4G networks, which will boost performance across the board.

Formally known as 5G Standalone (SA), BT plans to rebrand the technology ‘5G+’ to make the benefits clearer to customers. Two units using new technology are already live in Leeds on top of the existing 5G+ network, with hundreds more planned before 2030.

BT commits to wider 5G SA rollout

Ericsson radios will be responsible for some of the improvements, with up to 4x greater uplink capacity. The upgrades will also result in EE’s network being able to handle up to 100x more capacity than 4G, enabling better reliability in high-demand areas like cities and major events.

BT Group Chief Security and Networks Officer Howard Watson also noted that 1,500 small cells are also in operation across the UK to boost coverage, with 500 having been added over the past 12 months.

Watson cited a recent group report stating that “continuous improvements to mobile network quality could unlock up to £230 billion in economic growth for the UK,” however the business leader acknowledged that expanding 5G SA by itself won’t solve all the issues.

“Targeted interventions will still be required to address specific issues, such as improving connectivity along railways,” he added.

Earlier in 2025, BT Group claimed 34 million British customers would have access to EE’s 5G SA (now 5G+) network by the end of August 2025, with 45 new locations added over the summer. By spring 2026, it’s hoped that 41 million people would have access to EE’s 5G+.

“Whether you are video calling from a crowded train station, livestreaming on social media from a sold-out concert, or simply staying in touch with your family and friends over the summer holidays, 5G standalone on EE makes your experience smoother, faster and more secure,” BT Group Chief Networks Officer Greg McCall added.

The news comes as the UK ranks among the worst mobile user experiences in Europe due to poor 5G implementation, with other European networks proving better across download speed, upload speed, latency and packet loss metrics. BT's upgrades, together with huge improvements from VodafoneThree, could change this.

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• IBM awarded contract to upgrade Britain’s ESN
• EE will deliver the project’s mobile communications infrastructure
• Similar projects have already been rolled out across US, Canada, South Korea

The Home Office has confirmed it will be using IBM to deliver the Emergency Services Network (ESN) in Britain, including police forces, fire services, and ambulance trusts.

The move will see more than 300,000 emergency responders hopefully get faster access to data, real-time video, and secure voice communications.

By sharing live data, imagery, and location updates, emergency service workers will be able to coordinate support efficiently, which could help speed up responses and reduce wait times.

IBM chosen as Emergency Services Network partner

Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson is set to oversee the project to make sure it remains on track after several ESN rollout delays in the run-up to this announcement.

“This government is working tirelessly to support this project, making sure it is delivered in a timely and cost-effective manner, and IBM will be an important part of bringing the Emergency Services Network online," Johnson said.

The announcement highlights an example whereby responders to a serious road traffic collision would be able to send their exact GPS location with other services. Fire services would then be able to identify the vehicle model to prepare the necessary cutting equipment or to understand the placement of electric vehicle batteries, while paramedics would have quicker access to patient data, such as prior medical conditions.

ESN has been described as the “next generation of fast, safe and secure voice, video and data communication” that “[allows] emergency services to work in tandem and coordinate efforts.” Countries like the US, Canada, and South Korea have already deployed similar systems.

IBM UK & Ireland Managing Director Rahul Kalia added: “Working with our ecosystem partners, we will deliver mission-critical services for first responders to enhance safety in our communities across Great Britain.”

In a separate announcement, IBM confirmed the ESN contract will last seven years, with an option for a two-year extension. Ecosystem partners will include Samsung Electronics, Ericsson, Frequentis, Exponential-e, and Palo Alto Networks.

The Home Office has also confirmed that EE won the contract to provide the mobile communications infrastructure for the project.

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BT has become the first European mobile operator to successfully combine four channels of spectrum on a live 5G standalone (SA) network in a development that will help fulfil the speed and capacity promises of next-generation mobile services.

Carrier aggregation fuses separate spectrum bands together to harness the advantages of each. For example, marrying the coverage and indoor propagation rates of low-band frequencies with the high capacity and data rates of mid and high band airwaves.

In addition to the performance gains, operators can use their existing spectrum assets to reduce the cost of network deployment.

5G SA carrier aggregation 

Working with Nokia, BT combined EE’s commercial 2.1 GHz, 2.6GHz, 3.4GHz and 3.6GHz frequencies on a radio mast at its Adastral Park research facility in Suffolk. 

This is the first time four channel components (4CC) have been combined outside a lab setting in Europe.

BT says 4CC will deliver the full benefit of its 5G SA infrastructure. Early 5G deployments have relied 5G non-standalone, which uses new radio technologies but still relies on an underlying 4G core, but 5G SA is powered by a virtual, cloud-based core that allows data to be processed closer to the point of collection.

This allows for guaranteed speeds, enhanced reliability and ultra-low latency – essential for some of the most revolutionary 5G applications, especially in industrial settings.

“As we migrate to a 5G SA core network, this technology milestone is vital to giving our customers the best experience” commented Greg McCall, Managing Director of Service Platforms at BT. 

“5G SA, coupled with edge compute, will unlock new opportunities for customers looking to develop new services. Furthermore, this technology showcases what’s possible for devices in the future in terms of supporting carrier aggregation, which is an important part of customer experience.”

 “We are once again delighted to be deepening our partnership with BT, supporting them with our industry-leading Carrier Aggregation technology for this trial,” added Mark Atkinson, senior vice president of Radio Access Networks PLM at Nokia. “Nokia and BT have a long history in investing in cutting-edge technologies and this trial is another example of what our companies can achieve together.”

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BT is trialling a new ‘hyper-sensitive’ quantum radio receiver that could boost the capabilities of 5G and Internet of Things (IoT) networks by reducing energy consumption and boosting coverage.

The receivers use ‘excited atoms’ to achieve 100 times greater sensitivity than conventional radio equipment thanks to a quantum effect called ‘electromagnetically induced transparency’ that forms a highly sensitive electric field detector.

Because the atomic radio frequency (RF) receivers are more sensitive, they could be deployed in areas where it’s impractical or not cost-effective to deploy mobile infrastructure. This would make nationwide 5G coverage a reality.

'Excited atoms'

Meanwhile lower energy consumption would transform the economics of massive IoT projects that rely on long battery life. 

The longer an IoT device can be left in the field without needing to be touched or replaced, the greater the return on investment.

BT’s engineers successfully sent digitally-encoded messages using the technology via EE’s 3.6GHz spectrum. The use of commercially-licensed frequencies could accelerate the timetable for the receivers to be used in the real world. Researchers are now working to miniaturise the equipment and find the optimum frequency modulation and signal processing so it can be used in the future.

“BT’s investment in cutting edge R&D plays a central role in ensuring the UK remains a network technology leader,” said Howard Watson, BT chief technology officer (CTO). “ Our programme has huge potential to boost the performance of our next generation EE network and deliver an even better service to our customers. Although it’s early days for the technology, we’re proud to be playing an instrumental role in developing cutting edge science.”

BT’s interest in quantum technology has seen it and Toshiba build the world’s first commercial quantum-secured metro network using standard fibre cables in London.

The UK government has expressed a desire to be at the forefront of the field, believing quantum computing can play a vital role in the connected economy and accelerate Industrial Internet of things (IIoT) deployments. A National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC) is expected to open in 2022 as part of the £1 billion National Quantum Technologies Programme.

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Several major UK mobile operators are waiving charges for calls made to and from Ukraine following Russia’s invasion of the country.

EE, O2, Three and Vodafone have all confirmed that calls made from the UK to Ukraine will be free of charge, while anyone roaming in the country will not be subject to any additional fees for making calls or texts or accessing mobile data.

“Effective immediately, Vodafone UK is crediting all calls to Ukraine and waiving any roaming charges for Vodafone UK customers currently in Ukraine,” tweeted Vodafone UK CEO Ahmed Essam. “We stand in solidarity with all Ukrainian people at this worrying time.”

Mobile operators Ukraine 

“We are deeply troubled by the events taking place in Ukraine and know that some of our customers or their loved ones and friends may be directly affected,” confirmed Virgin Media O2 Lutz Schueler. “As the situation continues to unfold, we recognise that connectivity will play a crucial role and we want to provide support to those who need it.

“To help any of our customers in Ukraine and ensure customers in the UK that need to contact someone in the country can do so, we have removed charges for data use in Ukraine and will also credit charges for calls and texts to and from Ukraine and the UK.”

BT Consumer CEO chief executive Marc Allera also confirmed that a similar arrangement would apply to customers on BT, EE and Plusnet, while Three has also confirmed it will not apply any additional fees.

Some of the operators have specified the arrangement lasts for a certain period but that this will be under constant review.

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The relaxation of Covid-19 related restrictions is driving a revival in in-store smartphone sales according to figures from Kantar, which also show that 5G is an increasingly important factor in consumer purchases.

Like many other businesses, electronic retailers and mobile operator stores were forced to close during the early stages of the pandemic in 2020, with many only re-opening their doors once government lockdown and social distancing measures were eased.

As a result, smartphone sales shifted to retailer’s online channels and online specialists. However, the closure of physical stores was one of several key factors that saw the mobile phone market contract last year.

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Smartphone sales

Kantar says the proportion of in-store sales versus other channels grew by at least 10 percentage points in the US and most key European markets in the second quarter of 2021. In the UK, the figure was 13 points quarter-on-quarter, and the US recorded a 7-point increase.

“As Covid-19 vaccinations continue to roll-out, and businesses open with reduced restrictions, more consumers are high-street shopping,” said Jennifer Chan, Insight Director for Kantar, who explained different kinds of shoppers exhibited different behaviours.

For example, in-store shoppers are more likely to hold onto their device for as long as possible and prefer to buy brands they are familiar with when compared to online customers. Unsurprisingly, the former group are also more likely to want someone to show them how to use their device – something that is far easier in store.

In the UK, all four major operators have made adjustments to their stores to make them as safe as possible for returning customers.

Kantar also noted that 5G is becoming a much more important driver in new handset sales.

Operating market share is fairly stable in Europe and Australia, however iOS was able to increase its share of the American and Chinese markets by two percentage points, while Japan – traditionally a strong market for Apple – saw Android increase its share by five points thanks to strong performances from Oppo and Sharp.

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BT is joining forces with several UK startups to stage the world’s first trial of end-to-end quantum-secured communications for 5G and connected cars.

Whereas classical computing architectures store information in binary (1 or 0) bits, Quantum computing uses subatomic particles’ ability to exist in multiple states at the same time.

This means Quantum computers can store significantly more information and compute issues much more quickly.

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5G quantum security

Quantum computing has huge implications for the financial, military and healthcare sectors among others as it can expediate research projects. And while some have concerns that this increase in computing power could render most encryption measures obsolete, it also opens the door for even more powerful security measures through quantum cryptography.

Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) is a supposedly ‘unhackable’ technique for sharing encryption keys between locations using a single stream of photons.

This ‘AIRQKD’ trial combines BT’s expertise in QKD with other quantum-enhanced security chips in mobile devices to create an ultra-secure link between 5G cell sites and mobile devices and connected cars. Other partners in the trial include Nu-Quantum, Angoka, and Duality

Testing will take place over the next 36 months with £7.7 million in funding provided by the Quantum Technologies Challenge, led by UK Research and Innovation and it is hoped the project will strengthen the UK’s ambitions of being a leader in the field.

“The UK has firmly established itself as a global leader in quantum-based network security,” declared Professor Andrew Lord, BT’s head of optical network research. “With the AIRQKD trial, we’re delighted to be taking this to the next level and combining multiple quantum technologies from innovative UK start-ups to build the world’s most secure fixed-mobile communications link. Connected cars are only one of the possible range of applications that will benefit from such ultra-secure connectivity in the future.”

The UK government has expressed a desire to be at the forefront of the field, believing it can play a vital role in the connected economy and accelerate Industrial Internet of things (IIoT) deployments. A National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC) is expected to open in 2022 as part of the £1 billion National Quantum Technologies Programme.

BT itself has constructed a commercial-grade test network link that spans 125km between its Adastral Park R&D facility in Suffolk and the University of Cambridge and links to the wider UK Quantum Network (UKQN) – a collaboration between industry and academia.

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Complaints are a part of life in the telecoms industry. Communication is now so important to society that any issue with coverage, speed or reliability is considered unacceptable. 

Like a referee in football, mobile and broadband customers only tend to talk about their provider when something goes wrong. Customer grievances are often justified but it can be frustrating – especially in a highly competitive marketplace – when positive news is drowned out.

The industry has traditionally suffered from an image problem but recent events have elevated the role of connectivity within society. Although this also means greater scrutiny, there is an opportunity to highlight the positive role that providers play too.

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Workplace by Facebook

BT’s internal communications team hopes that by engaging its workforce more effectively, staff will spread the news among friends and family, helping to boost the reputation of the company. To this end it is now using Workplace by Facebook, an enterprise social network, to share news and encourage discussion.

Although BT was already using other collaborations such as Microsoft Teams, it believed Workplace could play a vital role in establishing a company culture. With 100,000 staff located across the UK and the world in different business units, it could take time for company news to disseminate across the organisation.

BT concluded Workplace’s mobile-first nature, coupled with usability features borrowed from Facebook, would be far more successful than company-wide emails. New stories can videos are shared immediately, and BT can have open, real-time dialogue with staff whether they work in a call centre, the shop floor, or as an engineer.  A post from CEO Philip Jansen can be commented on by anyone within the organisation.

“We had a gap in our channel landscape when it came to social,” explains Anna Epps, internal communications director at BT to TechRadar Pro.

“We didn’t have a user-friendly way to connect to each other and access company news in between meetings. We could have built an in-house news app … but Workplace supports the culture we’re trying to build – it’s fast paced, easy to use, and shares news in real time. It’s a more authentic way of communication as it doesn’t require scripted interviews etc.”

“Our overall ambition in internal communications is to create a community of advocates and that’s why we chose Workplace,” adds Helen Willetts, director of internal communications. “[Staff] can see our advertising, our campaigns, and what we’re doing and advocate BT as a great place to work. Workplace normalises this.

“Content on Workplace allows us to be reactive. We do polls and ask for opinions so we can get instant feedback and get totally different views. We can see what employees think of things we’re changing and what we do.”

Phased deployment

Deployment was a phased process so the tech team could identify how staff would use the platform, identify best practices, and ways to encourage adoption. It is now being used by 80,000 staff in 180 countries, with 50 million connections made in 2020 alone. BT has also seen three million 'reactions' and 970,000 comments so far.

The internal comms team hopes to reach the entirety of the workforce but believes 80% adoption is a huge success.

The project was already on track prior to the Coronavirus pandemic but Workplace has played a crucial role in connecting staff and sharing developments at a time of uncertainty.

Like its competitors, BT is proud of the role it played during the first few months of lockdown. As the country became increasingly reliant on their mobile and broadband connections for work, entertainment, and communication, the company worked to ensure its networks could handle the additional demand and to keep customers connected.

Engineers and customer service agents were assigned key workers status and BT promised not to furlough or cut any jobs for the foreseeable future. As the firm shifted towards remote working, Workplace was proving its worth in helping staff adapt to the ‘new normal’ and cope with what has been a challenging time for many.

“Workplace has helped us have that connection between people and leaders at this time,” says Epps. “It has allowed us to focus on the wellbeing of our staff and the importance of connection, not just on company news.”

“As an anti-isolation mechanism, it’s been so helpful,” agrees Willetts. “We definitely couldn’t have achieved what we have without Workplace.

“There have been some amazing content experiences because Workplace is low-production in a good way so we can share [authentic] content. You see the CEO coming in each week and people can share something that’s good about the company to friends and family.”

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UK mobile operators will be banned from buying telecoms equipment from Huawei by the end of the year and will also have to strip out existing 5G kit made by the company by 2027.

In a dramatic reversal of previous policy, the government said it expected the ruling to delay 5G rollout by up to three years and add £2 billion of additional costs to operators.

This could mean higher bills for customers and will inevitably threaten the UK’s bid to be a leader in 5G, which had been boosted by early launches by EE, O2, Three and Vodafone. Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden did confirm, however, that existing 2G, 3G and 4G kit can remain in place until it must be replaced.

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Huawei UK

Although Huawei has long been frozen out of the US market on national security grounds, the company has had a presence in the UK for two decades and is a supplier for all four operators. It had been expected that these relationships would continue into the 5G era despite the US government’s calls for its allies to follow its lead and ban Huawei from their mobile infrastructure.

The UK had resisted such calls and in January confirmed that although Huawei gear would be banned from 5G cores, operators could continue to use the firm’s radio gear – effectively preserving the status quo.

However Washington’s ongoing hostilities towards Huawei and recent sanctions that affect its ability to source microchips appear to have finally turned the tide. The decision is a huge blow for Huawei which will now fear other Western governments might follow suit and exclude it from their 5G rollouts.

Ed Brewster, a spokesperson for Huawei UK, said:

"This disappointing decision is bad news for anyone in the UK with a mobile phone. It threatens to move Britain into the digital slow lane, push up bills and deepen the digital divide," said Ed Brewster, Huawei UK spokesperson. "Instead of ‘levelling up’ the government is levelling down and we urge them to reconsider. We remain confident that the new US restrictions would not have affected the resilience or security of the products we supply to the UK.

"Regrettably our future in the UK has become politicized, this is about US trade policy and not security. Over the past 20 years, Huawei has focused on building a better connected UK. As a responsible business, we will continue to support our customers as we have always done.

"We will conduct a detailed review of what today’s announcement means for our business here and will work with the UK government to explain how we can continue to contribute to a better connected Britain."

Earlier in the day, Huawei UK chairman Lord Browne stepped down from his position ahead of the ruling.

Operators had argued that a ban on Huawei kit would increase costs, reduce innovation, and cause serious disruption to 5G rollouts. An independent assessment from Assembly Research had suggested the a delay in roll out could cost the UK economy up to £6.8 billion and lead to delays of up to two years.

However most carriers seemed resigned to the fact that a ban would be issued and more recently turned their attention to minimising the impact of any restrictions. Given that telecoms equipment has a limited shelf-life of less than a decade, it was hoped that any requirement to remove kit could be integrated into planned upgrade programmes, minimising costs and disruption.

Vodafone had claimed the bill for stripping out networking equipment could run into the billions, while BT CEO Philip Jansen had warned an accelerated timeframe could harm 5G and fibre rollouts, exacerbate potential security issues and even cause service interruptions.

“If we get in a situation where things need to go very, very fast then you’re into a situation where potentially service for 24 million BT Group mobile customers is put into question,” he told BBC Radio 4. “Outages would be possible.”

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden accepted the difficulties of an accelerated timetable and the additional cost and gave these as reasons for the 2027 deadline. Whether this explanation is enough to placate Tory backbenchers remains to be seen.

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BT CEO Philip Jansen is confident that “common sense” will prevail when the government delivers its ruling on the future role of Huawei in the UK.

The Chinese mobile giant is a major supplier of all four major UK operators and in January it was confirmed that he company could play a role in the rollout of 5G.

The new rules effectively preserved the status quo by banning Huawei kit from the core layer of the network but permitting the use of the firm’s radio gear, subject to a 35 per cent cap.

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Huawei UK ruling

However in the light of new sanctions imposed by the US – which considers Huawei to be a security threat – the government has been reconsidering its stance. A decision is expected in Tuesday and there is growing speculation that a ban on Huawei kit is likely.

Operators had argued that a ban on Huawei kit would increase costs, reduce innovation, and cause serious disruption to 5G rollouts. However most networks now seem resigned to the fact that a ban will be issued and have turned their attention to minimising the impact of any restrictions.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Jansen said an accelerated timetable for the removal of Huawei kit would be hugely disruptive in terms of build out and service quality.

 He said the costs would be significant, the rollout of full fibre and 5G would be delayed, and that short-term security could be jeopardised to a degree beyond any risk posed by the use of  the company’s networking gear.

“[Removing Huawei from the UK telecoms ecosystem entirely] is impossible to achieve with ten years,” he said. “[For 5G], ideally we’d want seven years and we could probably do it in five.

“If we get in a situation where things need to go very, very fast then you’re into a situation where potentially service for 24 million BT Group mobile customers is put into question. Outages would be possible.

“Secondly, the security and safety of the short-term could be put at risk. If we’re not able to buy or transact with Huawei when we wouldn’t be able to get software upgrades. Over the next five years, we’d expect 15-20 big software upgrades. If you don’t have those then you’re running gaps in critical software that could have bigger implications than anything we’re talking about in terms of managing a 35 per cent cap in the access network in a mobile operator.

“Thirdly … If you accelerate the rip out then you’re not building, are you?”

“BT is talking with all parts of government to make sure everybody understands all the information and a sensible decision is reached. I’m confident that common sense will prevail and we will head down the right direction.”

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New network data released by EE has shed some light on changing habits among the British public during the coronavirus pandemic – especially the migration of data traffic from city centres to suburban areas.

While data consumption is down by 58% in Central London, that figure has jumped by as much as 120% in Stevenage and Hereford as commuters stay at home.

Similar to figures released by rival O2, EE has seen an increase in voice traffic on its network too. Calls lasting beyond five minutes have doubled and voice usage has risen by 45%, running counter to long-term trends.

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Mobile data trends

Usage of communications apps in general - such as WhatsApp, Zoom and Skype - have increased fivefold during lockdown as people attempt to stay in touch with friends and family.

The stats also show demand for online shopping services has returned to a more normal level now stockpiling has ceased, while exercise application use has doubled as a result of gym closures. Fitbit use, however, has halved as people commute less, while navigation app demand has plummeted.

“Lockdown has clearly driven huge changes in the way our mobile network is being used,” said BT Consumer CEO Marc Allera. “A 45 per cent increase in traffic for communication apps like WhatsApp, Houseparty, Skype and Teams demonstrates the importance of staying in touch with friends, family and colleagues, while it’s also interesting to see how network traffic is visibly shifting from cities to suburban areas."

“Fitness apps are seeing big spikes in data usage as we exercise outside more and online supermarket orders spiked massively in the early stages, and are now returning to a new ‘normal’. What’s clear is that the role of a highly reliable high speed mobile network has never been more important to our customers, and I’m pleased that the EE network continues to deliver a great performance even in these tough times.”

In general, the UK’s communication infrastructure has coped with increases in demand for productivity, entertainment and communications applications. However, restrictions on movement mean the majority of this data traffic is being handled by home Wi-Fi rather than mobile networks, with operators likely to see a reduction in roaming and business revenues.

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Delays to the rollout of 5G in the UK as a result of the coronavirus outbreak are inevitable, according a report from PwC.

Britain has been a leader in 5G so far, with all four operators launching commercial services and having plans in place for nationwide rollouts.

However social distancing measures amplify the challenge of building and upgrading infrastructure, while lockdown measures in China have disrupted the supply chain for new equipment.

Industry standards body 3GPP was due to release a new standalone variant of 5G this summer but work on future releases of the technology has been delayed.

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UK 5G delay

The crisis has elevated the role of communications in society. Mobile and broadband networks have been essential for communicating with colleagues and loved ones, accessing business applications or education resources, and for entertainment purposes that lessen the constraints of restricted movement.

The focus among operators has shifted towards essential repairs and ensuring business continuity as customers become increasingly reliant on connectivity. Operators have offered additional data allowances, offered free access to education and health resources, and pledged not to leave anyone disconnected. 5G rollout has taken a backseat for the time being.

Such warnings echo those made by Ericsson last month.

“The need for 5G might seem more urgent than ever, not just for the faster speed of communication but because of the promise of low latency connectivity and ability to enable large numbers of objects to communicate simultaneously,” said PwC. “Though neither are available yet, these capabilities can enhance productivity in industry, healthcare and transportation, and may aid the recovery from the pandemic and any subsequent financial downturn. But a significant delay appears inevitable.”

The report suggests lockdown will have a long-term impact on user behaviours and operators may have to adjust investment strategies accordingly. Mobile revenues may decrease because customers are spending less time away from home and more time on their Wi-Fi networks. Business revenues and roaming income will be particularly hard hit. On top of this, reduced demand for new smartphones will make it more difficult to shift 5G data plans.

PwC says an increase in remote working is likely even after restrictions are lifting and operators will need to offer new tariffs that take into account mixed use cases. For example, a combination of consumer data services alongside enterprise security and collaboration tools could help offset declining business revenues.

Analysts say telcos should be on the lookout for acquisitions that can diversify revenue income – and redirect 5G budget if necessary: “If the further roll-out of 5G is postponed until the latter half of 2021 the telecoms industry will need to make some tough, pragmatic decisions. Operators may need to consider reallocating some of the money earmarked for 5G to other areas in the interim.”

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Operators have demanded that anti-5G campaigners stop attacking staff and infrastructure, reiterating the scientific fact that next-generation networks cause no harm to human health.

Criminal activity is being fuelled by a baseless conspiracy theory that next-generation-networks can cause a range of health problems despite the fact that the entire body of research available refutes these claims, while World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations are that 5G is safe.

Recent guidance from the International Commission on Non‐Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) took into account more than two decades of research and concluded there was absolutely no risk to public health. 5G networks are no more dangerous than 4G or even sunlight.

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• ASA 'bans' unscientific anti-5G ad

Anti-5G campaign

BT CEO Philip Jansen confirmed that, as of last Sunday, that 39 BT engineers had been physically or verbally assaulted, while 11 mobile masts had been destroyed or damaged. Most of the affected sites did not even have 5G equipment – epitomising the idiocy of conspiracy theorists.

Writing in the Mail on Sunday, Jansen said the campaigners were harming emergency service efforts, preventing the public from checking on vulnerable family members, and thwarting attempts to provide the country with the communications infrastructure required during this crisis.

“When I first began to assess the potential impact of Covid-19 on our customers, our colleagues and our business, this was a situation that I never imagined: that our engineers and our networks would be under attack from people who truly believe, somehow, that 5G and Covid-19 are linked,” Jansen said.

“Everything about this is senseless. There's no thought for the validity of the theories – many openly contradict themselves; all ignore the very basic principles of science.

“These people are performing a vital service for the country; we should be thanking them, not harming them. This is my team and I will not tolerate them being targeted in this disgraceful way by a few mindless idiots.”

Industry body Mobile UK has said there were 20 more attacks over the Easter weekend, while Vodafone UK CEO Nick Jeffery conformed that one of the masts targeted was providing mobile coverage for the Nightingale hospital in Birmingham.

“It’s heart-rending enough that families cannot be there at the bedside of loved ones who are critically ill,” he said. “It’s even more upsetting that even the small solace of a phone or video call may now be denied them because of the selfish actions of a few deluded conspiracy theorists.

“Burning down masts means damaging important national infrastructure. In practice, this means families not being able to say a final goodbye to their loved ones; hard-working doctors, nurses, and police officers not being able to phone their kids, partners or parents for a comforting chat.

“Arsonists, please think about what you are doing and stop. Imagine if it were your mum or dad, your gran or grandad in hospital. Imagine not being able to see or hear them one last time. All because you’ve swallowed a dangerous lie.”

Ofcom interest

The conspiracy theories have been rubbished by England’s National Medical Director Stephen Powis said: “The 5G story is complete and utter rubbish, it’s nonsense, it’s the worst kind of fake news.”

Nonetheless, several minor celebrities have posted about the claims on social media with This Morning presenter Eamonn Holmes adding fuel to the flames earlier this week. After consumer editor Alice Beer rubbished the claims of conspiracy theorists, Homes responded:

“I totally agree with everything you are saying but what I don't accept is mainstream media immediately slapping that down as not true when they don't know it's not true.

"No-one should attack or damage or do anything like that, but it's very easy to say it is not true because it suits the state narrative. That's all I would say, as someone with an inquiring mind."

Holmes has since sought to provide clarity to his words but Ofcom is now investigating the matter. The regulator has already imposed sanctions on Sussex-based community radio station Uckfield FM broadcast unfounded views without challenging them on-air. Ofcom has ordered the station to broadcast a summary of this breach on a data and form to be decided by the watchdog.

• Here are the best mobile phone deals for April 2020 

Huawei has opened a 5G Innovation and Experience Centre in London as it steps up its efforts to promote the virtue of next generation networking – and its own technology in the process.

The Chinese firm describes the facility as a “base for knowledge and skills sharing” with the stated ambition of promoting collaboration between business and innovators in the development of 5G ecosystems.

It also offers visitors a chance to experience 5G applications, including Virtual and Augmented Realities (VR and AR), as well as new innovations in industry.

• What does Huawei US ban mean for you?
• What is 5G? Everything you need to know
• US has 'no evidence' for Huawei claims

Huawei 5G UK

“With the opening of our 5G Innovation and Experience Centre in London we, as a leader of 5G, are taking another important step,” said Huawei’s Victor Zhang. “What we have opened today will enable true collaboration amongst UK businesses and technologists and showcase the huge potential of 5G applications for both the private and business sectors.”

The opening forms part of Huawei’s ongoing mission to promote 5G and the importance of its role in the deployment of networks and the economic value it can deliver to industries such as healthcare and manufacturing.

The company has so far signed 60 commercial 5G contracts, including with all four UK mobile operators.

However its future in the UK is uncertain due to ongoing political pressure from the US to ban the use of Huawei kit in 5G on national security grounds. Huawei has denied any allegations of wrongdoing, while Washington has not produced any evidence to supports its allegations.

US pressure has had limited effect on Europe, where Huawei has a significant presence. There is little support for a ban because of concerns that costs would rise and innovation would decline as a result. Meanwhile Huawei has called for a cross-industry approach to security – hence its emphasis on collaboration.

In the UK, it was suggested that Huawei would be banned from the core layer of 5G networks – but not the radio layer. This would, in effect, maintain the status quo. However the government has still not reached a final decision with reports suggesting Prime Minister Boris Johnson is inclined to follow the US’s lead.

• Here are the best deals for Huawei mobile phones in November 2019

Ever since it launched in 2013, BT Sport has used technology to differentiate its product and compete with the market leader Sky Sports. Mobile streaming, 4K Ultra-High Definition (UHD) and Virtual Reality (VR) are among the innovations it has pioneered during that time.

The next stage of this evolution is 5G and remote production, technologies that promise to change both how sport is consumer and produced. Its why BT sought to move Matt Stagg over from EE to BT Sport and fill the newly created role of Director of Mobile Strategy.

“I was the only guy in the [mobile] industry who specialised in sport,” he tells TechRadar Pro. Stagg is speaking at the IBC event Amsterdam, where BT Sport is showing off one the world’s first demonstrations of multi-location live broadcasts over 5G.

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5G broadcasting

EE and BT Sport conducted the first ever two way 5G broadcast back in November last year and the EE Wembley Cup became the world’s first ever sporting event to be broadcast using 5G-enabled remote production.

Since then, EE has launched 5G commercially in a number of major UK cities, promising faster, more reliable mobile broadband for consumers and businesses. However future iterations of the standard will lower latency and enable network slicing – a feature that allows operators to ringfence part of the network for a particular user in order to guarantee throughput.

These characteristics will enable a new range of business applications, but Stagg believes 5G is ready for broadcasters now. 5G not only has significantly greater capacity than 4G, but for the time being, also has relatively few users.

“From a use case point of view, broadcasting is one of the most exciting and developed [5G applications],” he says. “There are ways to develop prioritisation and to guarantee performance and reliability without network slicing.”

Transforming production

Remote production is a much more efficient method in producing live sports coverage. It allows BT Sport to deploy fewer camera operators to matches, allows staff to work on multiple events a day by being located at a centralised location, and it’s more rapid.

To illustrate its point, BT Sport’s coverage of the National League is now remotely produced. Stagg freely admits that the driving force behind the adoption of technology was efficiency and that he didn’t even think about the creative options.

“For me … it’s all about creativity, “ says Gemma Knight, a matchday director at BT Sport. “We can make these cameras do multiple things. For lower profile competitions like the National League that give us more access, we can interview a manager at home in the morning, go on the team bus, and then cover the game with the same camera.

“We have trust in the feed and remote production gives us a better life balance. I can wake up, have breakfast with my son, direct a match and then create a highlights show, and then put him to bed. That’s amazing.”

BT Sport makes a big deal of the fact that the National League highlights show is the earliest of any football competition in the UK, going on the air at 19:30 each Saturday, while the broadcaster has increased the number of games it shows.

Even at a Premier League ground where fibre connectivity is available and BT Sport has a greater outside broadcast presence, the use of 5G will open up a range of creative options that were hitherto impossible or impractical.

At IBC, BT showed the technology in action, linking reporters at Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester City’s home stadiums over 5G.

End to end chain

For Stagg, the demonstration highlights the benefits of being able to control every part of the content journey – from production through to distribution.

“Every step of the journey is [in-house]. We want our content to be perfect for all BT Sport customers – even if they’re on  EE or not. We can make it work on our network because we can optimise it.”

“Were the only company in the UK and one of a very few globally with a mobile network, a fixed network, a sports broadcasting division, and a media and broadcast division. We’ve got to be able to exploit these technologies and our investments.”

“There was so much going on in the sport and mobile [divisions] but [when these efforts are combined] they are a sum greater than their parts.”

All broadcasters stand to benefit. Although BT Sport is a significant internal customer, BT’s Media and Broadcast division works with the likes of the BBC and Sky.

“We have some of the best mobile people in BT [at BT Sport],” says Stagg. “We want to make sure we evolve the end radio networks to serve [our customers]. 5G is so good we’re prepared to put our content on that.”

And consumers will gain from better coverage within stadiums. Although operators and sports organisations have made several attempts to improve in-stadium connectivity, mobile networks are often overwhelmed by demand – as anyone who has ever tried to check the scores at half time can testify.

With 5G, the enhanced capacity means supporters will actually be able to access applications, including streaming, and social media. Stagg says the popularity of platforms like Instagram and Facebook had caught the industry a little by surprise and had led to a renewed focus on uplink capabilities.

It will take time for 5G to arrive around the country. EE 5G is currently available in parts of London, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Belfast, Birmingham and Manchester, with a further ten locations planned before the end of 2019.

But if you live near a National League club it might be sooner if BT needs 5G to power remote production.

“There’s an opportunity for us to influence the 5G roadmap,” says Stagg. “Fans will get a better experience as well.”

• The best EE phone deals for May 2019 

5G networks powered by mid-range spectrum offer speeds close to those enabled by higher capacity millimetre Wave (mmWave) frequencies, Opensignal’s latest figures have suggested.

5G will use a mixture of low, mid and high-band spectrum, each of which offers a combination of range and capacity.  

The US, which is using mmWave spectrum, still has the world’s fastest maximum speed of 1.8Gbps – however this remains unchanged from Opensignal’s first round of 5G testing back in July.

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5G network speeds

However Australia has witnessed a huge increase of 500Mbps from 792Mbps to 1.29Gbps, while Switzerland and South Korea also improved speeds. The UAE is fifth after increasing its maximum from 665Mbps to 961Mbps. All are using mid-range frequencies between 3.4 and 3.8GHz.

Opensignal, which records ‘real life’ readings from user smartphones, first tested maximum 5G speeds back in July. It assessed networks in eight countries – including the UK – and has expanded this to 12 for its most recent report.

Finland with 933Mbps, and Kuwait with 890Mbps now have faster 5G speeds than Italy, while Germany’s 740Mbps and Romania’s 712Mbps are superior than Spain and the UK. Indeed, Spain increased its number by 64Mbps to 666Mbps – overtaking the UK in the process.

The UK’s modest increase from 569Mbps to 599Mbps means it was last overall.

However 5G deployment is still at an early stage. Operators are at the start of their technological roadmap and coverage is still limited. Network upgrades will see maximum speeds increase over time, especially when Stand Alone 5G is commercially available.

“It’s still very early days for 5G, and coverage is still limited. There are only a handful of 5G smartphone models available. And, the version of 5G operators have deployed is the very first version of 5G which still relies on a smartphone connecting simultaneously to a 4G signal — non-standalone mode. All of this will change and improve with the upcoming second version of the 5G standard.”

• Here are the best Three mobile phone deals for September 2019

Revenue generated from 5G infrastructure will nearly double to $4.2 billion next year, as operators around the world begin to launch next-generation network services, says Gartner.

The first commercial 5G services went live last year in the US, with South Korea, the UK and Switzerland among several nations to follow suit. In the UK, EE and Vodafone offer mobile 5G networks, while Three has a Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) broadband services.

Globally, Gartner believes seven per cent of operators have already deployed 5G infrastructure in their networks ahead of expanded rollouts over the next two years

• 5G in the UK: the what, where and how much
• 5G phone deals - the best prices and contracts
• BT is switching on its 5G network in Autumn

5G Revenues

Last year, just $613 million was generated by 5G, a figure that is expected to increase to $2.2 billion in 2019. By 2021, revenues will reach $6.8 billion, say analysts.

Investments have so far focused on 5G New Radio (5G NR) equipment, which uses the same core infrastructure as LTE. However starting next year, operators will start to deploy ‘standalone’ 5G that uses a new core network.

The use of a 5G core will reduce operating costs for telcos and significantly lower latency – a development which will enable a whole host of new enterprise applications and revenue opportunities.

 “5G wireless network infrastructure revenue will nearly double between 2019 and 2020,” said Sylvain Fabre, senior research director at Gartner. “For 5G deployments in 2019, CSPs are using non-stand-alone technology. This enables them to introduce 5G services that run more quickly, as 5G New Radio (NR) equipment can be rolled out alongside existing 4G core network infrastructure.”

Gartner believes 5G will account for six per cent of telco revneues in 2019, before increasing to 12 per cent in 2020. However, although coverage will expand significantly, analysts believe rollout will be slower than 3G and 4G.

“National 5G coverage will not occur as quickly as with past generations of wireless infrastructure,” added Fabre. “To maintain average performance standards as 5G is built out, CSPs will need to undertake targeted strategic improvements to their 4G legacy layer, by upgrading 4G infrastructure around 5G areas of coverage.

“A less robust 4G legacy layer adjoining 5G cells could lead to real or perceived performance issues as users move from 5G to 4G/LTE Advanced Pro. This issue will be most pronounced from 2019 through 2021, a period when 5G coverage will be focused on hot spots and areas of high population density.”

• Compare the best Vodafone deals

Britain will rethink the future role of Huawei in its telecoms infrastructure, a leading US politician has said.

US national security adviser John Bolton, who is visiting the UK in a trade capacity, has said British officials had told him that they planned to revisit the issue following the appointment of Boris Johnson as Prime Minister.

Huawei has long been excluded from US mobile and broadband networks on national security grounds and Washington is urging its allies to follow suit.

UK Huawei

• What does Huawei US ban mean for you?
• What is 5G? Everything you need to know
• US has 'no evidence' for Huawei claims

“They were very concerned about not having any compromise in security of telecommunications in the 5G space,” Bolton is quoted as saying by the Financial Times. “What they said was ‘we would like to review this and be very sure about our decision and we too are concerned about the security of our 5G telecommunications network’.”

The Chinese vendor has denied all allegations of wrongdoing and the US has provided no evidence to support its claims. Nonetheless, the US has persisted with its calls for Huawei to banned in the other nations.

The UK has been conducting its own review of Huawei and a conclusion had been expected earlier this year. Leaks suggested Huawei would be banned from core network infrastructure but not the radio element of 5G networks – effectively maintaining the status quo.

All four major UK networks are Huawei customers and there is no desire for any ban as they believe such action would reduce innovation and increase prices.

However when a wider review of the UK telecom sector’s supply chain was finally published last month, a final decision was omitted.

Since then, Boris Johnson has replaced Theresa May as Prime Minister and is understood to be more favourable to many of US President Donald Trump’s views and policies.

The role of Huawei in the UK could impact trade discussions between the US and UK after Brexit and also intelligence sharing. A number of US officials have said that the latter could be limited if Huawei equipment was continued to be used in the UK.

• Here are the best deals for Huawei mobile phones in July 2019 

Via FT

The US currently has the fastest 5G speeds in the world, according to new tests from Opensignal, with users able to access up to 1.8Gbps on their devices.

This is 2.7 times faster than the 678Mbps maximum achievable on US 4G networks - an early indicator of the performance gains afforded by next generation infrastructure.

Opensignal, which records ‘real life’ readings from user smartphones, tested networks in eight countries where 5G is already available – including the UK.

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Opensignal 5G

It attributed the US’s strong performance to the fact that operators there are using millimetre Wave (mmWave) spectrum that offers high capacity but shorter range. This compares to all other nations which are using mid-range spectrum below 6GHz.

In second place was Switzerland, where 5G users can enjoy 1.1Gbps (a 2.6-fold increase), while Australia was the only country where 4G outpaced 5G. This can be explained by the fact that Australia’s 4G networks can reach 950Mbps – close to the theoretical maximum.

The UK had the slowest speeds of all countries tested with a maximum of 569Mbps – 1.3 times that of 4G. EE 5G launched in several major cities earlier this year, but Opensignal suggests its 40MHz of usable spectrum is below the 100MHz ‘sweet spot’ at present.

Vodafone launched its 5G network on July 3 – after Opensignal’s testing was conducted – while Three and O2 have plans to go live in 2019.

However, Opensignal believes that the 5G experience will improve quickly as operators rollout out new spectrum and iterations of the technology allow for the combination of multiple bands.

• Best Vodafone mobile deals of July 2019

The OnePlus 7 5G has an official release date window and carrier, at least in the UK, but you shouldn't expect anything more than the 4G LTE version in the US.

The next OnePlus phone – and the first to support 5G – will launch in the second half of 2019 in the UK, exclusively through carrier EE, according to USA Today.

We'll even see a OnePlus 7 5G prototype teased at MWC 2019 on Monday, but for US consumers, it'll be a literal tease of what's to come, mostly likely in the OnePlus 7T.

The OnePlus 7 timing makes sense – Q2 2019 is between April 1 and the June 30. The OnePlus 6 was announced on May 16 last year and released on May 22.

OnePlus 7 specs confirmed

OnePlus 7, the popular placeholder name following the OnePlus 6T in November, won't deviate from the company's cheaper price for flagship-level specs philosophy.

It'll have the Snapdragon 855 chipset and use Qualcomm's 5G-capable X50 modem. This is the chipset that's inside the Samsung Galaxy S10, S10 Plus and S10E phones, as well as the forthcoming Samsung Galaxy Fold.

The best news is that while 5G phones are going to be more expensive across the board, OnePlus founder and CEO Pete Lau said in the interview that he wants to keep them under $1,000 (about £766, AU$1,402).

Samsung never announced the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G price, but it'll certainly be well over $1,000 – that's the starting price of the 4G LTE Galaxy S10 Plus with a smaller screen, smaller battery and one less camera.

• Here's what Huawei 'Mate X' foldable 5G phone might look like

MWC (Mobile World Congress) is the world's largest showcase for the mobile industry, stuffed full of the newest phones, tablets, wearables and more. TechRadar is reporting live from Barcelona all week to bring you the very latest from the show floor. Head to our dedicated MWC 2019 hub to see all the new releases, along with TechRadar's world-class analysis and buying advice about your next phone. 

Over the coming weeks and months, 5G will transform from an idea into a reality. The first compatible handsets will be unveiled at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona and operators will be detailing the brand-new consumer applications they hope will drive adoption.

One of the earliest use cases has been immersive content. Indeed, the ultrafast speeds, greater capacity and ultra-low latency of next-generation networks are perfect for Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) technologies.

And just as sport has been used a key driver of pay-tv subscriptions and new television technologies, it is being viewed as a way to create interest in 5G networks.

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5G Sport

New research from Amdocs and Ovum has suggested that the first time many consumers will interact with a 5G network will be through watching a sport event at home or in the stadium – and most likely in 2020.

Ninety-one per cent of the world’s leading mobile operators plan to trial 5G at sporting venues before the end of 2020, while two thirds plan to offer 5G-enabled VR and AR sporting experiences to supporters.

This might be instant VR replays, 360-degree streams, or AR-powered statistic applications that overlay graphics on top of live content. Others are planning to use the enhanced capabilities of 5G to power new multi-screen streaming services.

Tellingly, 37 per cent of operators plan to coincide their 5G launches with major sporting events. A quarter will do so for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo and 28 per cent will do so in time for European football championships in the same year.

The figure is even higher among European operators, 88 per cent of which plan to launch in time for Euro 2020, which will take place across the continent.

Sporting content

“It’s essential for operators to find successful use cases for 5G given the investment levels. Amdocs’ research has revealed that major live sports events could hold the key to consumer adoption of 5G,” said Gary Miles, Chief Marketing Officer at Amdocs.

“Operators have identified these events as the springboard for rollout of a whole range of new interactive and immersive services. This will give consumers their first real taste of what 5G can deliver and allow operators to showcase the capabilities of their next-generation networks.

“Expect to see the first of these new services and applications rolled out in conjunction with the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo and soccer tournaments in Europe, among other big events in the sports calendar. We will also see operators becoming integral to the growth of esports with 5G opening the door to future investment and revenue opportunities.”

Intriguingly a third of the operators surveyed said they might even look to own a sports team if it helps their 5G efforts. While it’s unlikely we’ll see Vodafone United competing in the Premier League, or athletes competing for Swisscom at the Olympics – it shows the importance of content in the 5G era.

Tellingly, operators are also planning to subsidise 5G devices to get them in the hands of consumers. Ovum says 43 per cent of operators will subsidise the cost of 5G smartphones and a third will do so with tablets.

Both Three and Vodafone have made Mixed Reality (MR) a key focus in their early showcasing of 5G to the public, but 5G will also make it easier to produce traditional sports content.

5G broadcasting

5G allows broadcasters to deploy wireless and autonomous cameras around the arena and beyond, reducing the number of cameras and cameramen required, and offering a wider range of creative options.

5G is far more suited to broadcasting than 4G because of the enhanced capacity and because operators will be able to use network slicing to guarantee a minimum standard of speed and throughput. What’s more, 5G make outside broadcasts far more efficient. At present, broadcasters use on-site trucks and fibre connections to capture images and audio and for production.

EE used 5G to broadcast the Wembley Cup, while Intel and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) held trials of 5G broadcasting at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics earlier this year. Golf is another sport looking to see how 5G can enhance its broadcasts.

“5G is not just a new wireless technology from a network equipment provider, it’s a fundamental transformation of mobile networks, infrastructure and business models,” said Ed Barton, chief analyst, consumer and entertainment at Ovum.

“It will drive the creation of new applications and services, which in turn will require new operating and business models, force changes across operator technology setups and emphasizing the need to integrate the new with the old. Our discussions with the World’s leading operators prove that it’s already a challenging journey. The industry has two years or less to get it right if it is to hit the ground running.”

• Watch more with the best sports streaming sites

Competition in the UK mobile market has never been as intense as it is today. Regulatory changes and the presence of four major mobile operators – EE, O2, Three and Vodafone – have helped to drive innovation in the sector and reduce prices for consumers.

But Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNO) play a vital role in this equation. Virgin Mobile, Tesco Mobile and Sky are but three major MVNOs to have had an impact, with numerous smaller MVNOs helping to serve market niches.

All four major networks host at least one MVNO and the operators themselves are getting in on the act, with Vodafone launching the VOXI sub-brand to serve younger customers and Three offering no-frills SMARTY SIM-Only plans.

MVNO market

All of this accounts for a vibrant market, but this does not mean it doesn’t have its challenges. Although MVNOs don’t have to operate their own infrastructure, they too have to wrestle with growing demand for mobile data. Meanwhile, the abolition of roaming charges within the European Union poses a threat to margins.

Although mobile network operators (MNOs) compete with MVNOs at a retail level for customers, there is no desire to see anyone fail. After all, the loss of a wholesale customer is a loss of income.

At MVNOs Europe, there was an acknowledgement that both sides of the divide needed to work together to ensure everyone could thrive. That might mean additional support or more flexible partnership agreements.

“We see MVNOs as a buoyant market,” says Nick Wootten, director of MVNOs at BT. “There’s growth in SIM-Only deals and consumers are buying handsets differently through leasing. MNOs have their own MVNOs and around 1 in 4 contracts aren’t from MNOs.

“[But] growth and use of data is a challenge … regulation is a challenge.

"Data has been growing at a rate of between 20 and 30 per cent depending on the segment for a few years now. How do we meet that? The days of a flat rate are gone."

“Every partnership is different, and we try and find a [price] model that works for each,” adds Lynda Burton, director of wholesale at Three.

“We are generally moving away from [flat rate] pricing. It could be a wholesale tariff, it could be a network slice [with 5G], it could be revenue share. It’s about the partner finding something that works. If the MVNO isn’t successful, then we aren’t successful.”

European view

This situation is replicated across Europe too. MVNOs are especially popular in countries where there are fewer traditional operators to choose from and sub-brands are also more common.

“We consider every customer project as a standalone project and we work out the pricing,” agrees Deutsche Telekom’s head of MVNO Steffen Oefner. “We don’t have a one-size-fits-all approach but a portfolio of pricing models.

“We’ve seen very successful MVNO models launched in the past few years, but I see a nice playing ground for multiple small niche partners and they need efficient systems to plug into. They don’t want large telco systems that we have.”

“It’s no fun for us to see a partner fail. Even if we have a long-term agreement in place, we would have a chat.”

Thick or thin MVNO?

Some MVNOs have built ‘thick’ MVNOs that give them more control over elements like billing, SIM cards and network components while still using their host operator’s network of masts and radio infrastructure. Recent examples include Virgin Media and Sky Mobile in the UK.

The main advantage is that ‘Thick’ MVNOs are able to roll out new services more rapidly than ‘thin' MVNOs which are much more reliant on their wholesaler. There has been some concern among MVNOs that MNOs are slow to react to market trends, something which can have a knock-on effect on their own businesses.

However, operators are working to offer more services for ‘thin’ MVNOs so they can focus on their customer proposition.

“The market is becoming a lot more complex and data usage is increasing,” continues Burton. “We’ve created a white label platform that makes it easier for partners to integrate with us and determine what differentiates them from the competition. We make it as simple as possible to for them to focus on that.

“When we talk about white label platforms, we extend that to services too. For example, we offer fraud and credit risk services and we launched an MVNO with Superdrug [earlier this year]. Its experience is in retail, not telecoms, and they have two million loyalty subscribers. It found these customers would be willing to adopt a Superdrug mobile service if it was available. That’s an example of us using our knowledge to help.”

BT believes MVNO partners can benefit from its current focus on converged networks, which sees the combination of fixed, mobile and wireless connectivity.

“We are talking to our MVNOs about convergence,” explains Wootten. “We offer white label solutions for home broadband for example.”

Roaming challenge

At MVNOs Europe, several of the presentations focus on the challenges facing MVNO as a result of reduced roaming income. It’s clear that EU regulations that prohibit additional charges for using a mobile phone in another member state have not only eliminated a revenue source but have also increased data use abroad.

Once again, the message from mobile operators was a willingness to work with MVNO partners to find a model that helps solve these challenges. One way is to take advantage of the economies of scale afforded to larger operators in roaming negotiations.

“We have a third of the customers in the UK which gives us leverage to negotiate with foreign operators,” explains Wootten. “We’re not looking to profit, but to pass it on at cost and MVNOs will benefit from this too.

“We don’t tend to offer wholesale bundles for roaming but we give the best cost base for MVNOs to build their proposition.”

“Our footprint and the partnerships we have, we offer MVNOs the chance to buy roaming form us or not,” adds Oefner. “The approximate cost with us is less than 10 per cent. It’s a sizeable number, but is it one that can be managed? Sure. We work with our partners to find solutions.”

One of the main arguments in favour of the EU legislation is that although there will be some short-term pain caused by the loss of roaming revenue, long-term income will increase as consumers become more comfortable using their phones abroad – especially in non-EU countries.

MVNOs, especially those that made roaming their key differentiator, might struggle in the short-term but can still gain as operators work to reduce costs.

Three is keen to point out that it started offering inclusive roaming before the legislation came into effect and therefore its costs are below the regulated rate in the EU, and it has favourable agreements with operators outside the bloc too.

“The difference is that outside the EU, the MVNO can charge and get some revenue,” explains Burton. “For a [MVNO] partner, the importance is to get their technology right and monitor usage so they can create the right packages.”

“With RLAH people are getting used to roaming and will roam in other markets like Asia,” agrees Oefner. “So, we’re looking at solutions to see how to bring the price down.”

Brexit impact

There is one elephant in the room, however. It is unclear what the UK and EU’s future relationship be after Brexit and this means that roaming legislation may not be covered.

Operators on either side of the divide will not be required to offer access to their networks at a regulated rate and this could mean higher costs for consumers.

However, there is a belief among operators that little will change regardless of the outcome of negotiations, with Switzerland cited as a possible example of what will happen if nothing is agreed.

“Brexit creates general uncertainty for us, but I don’t see much impact,” suggests Wootten.

•   Here are the best mobile phone deals for November 2018   

BT CTIO Howard Watson has reiterated the company’s vision of converged networks, placing 5G at the heart of smart infrastructure that can provide ubiquitous connectivity to all its consumer and business customers.

Ever since the £12.5 billion acquisition of EE in 2016, BT has worked to integrate its fibre, Wi-Fi and 4G networks into a single infrastructure, and recently launched its first converged products.

It sees convergence as a way of differentiating itself from the competition through new services and to make its existing networks more efficient at a time when traditional revenues are being squeezed.

•  Everything you need to know about 5G   

Converged vision

“[These] networks will be intelligently designed to cater for customers’ desire for an end to end

“For years, our industry has been dominated by dividing lines between fixed and wireless, copper and fibre, licensed and unlicensed, broadcast and unicast and hardware and software,” he told Broadband World Forum (BBWF) in Berlin.

“At the end of the day, as BT CTIO, it is my job to create a network that will suit the needs of customers who [don’t care] about whether it’s mobile, fixed or wireless: it’s about how they get their connectivity as a whole.

“We buy smartphones to connect to mobile networks, yet up to 80 per cent of data consumed by those devices is transmitted via Wi-Fi. The future is about how multiple access technologies in fixed, can be collected into a converged, software driven infrastructure that customers want.

“[These] networks will be intelligently designed to cater for customers’ desire for an end to end integrated experience where their appetite or data isn’t constrained if they are on the move.”

The role of 5G

BT’s convergence vision centres on a single core network which will lower operational costs for BT and encourage an agnostic approach to technologies by eliminating the need to log in to different networks or manually switch.

There are also plans to upgrade BT’s nationwide Wi-Fi network and to launch a converged hardware portfolio that allows consumers to access the best possible signal – whether its wireless or cellular – intelligently.

BT is also upgrading its phone network to IP voice, moving as many mobile phone calls as possible to Voice over LTE (VoLTE)

5G is central to this vision, with EE launching the UK’s first 5G test network in Canary Wharf earlier this month.

“We’ll be prioritising 5G rollout in areas our customer need it most, rolling out faster speeds and higher capacity so we can handle more connections than ever before, added Watson.

Industry collaboration

He sees plenty of overlap between Wi-Fi 6 and 5G and hopes to be able to combine the strengths of the two standards in its converged network.

“Those of us who work at the 3GPPP and at the Wireless Broadband Alliance [standardisation bodies for 5G and Wi-Fi respectively], I urge them to work together,” he said. “Our labs are working hard to see how Wi-Fi 6 can act as a slice of 5G, enabling seamless connectivity.”

Network slicing is one the defining characteristics of 5G, enabling operators to partition infrastructure into several different virtual networks for specific applications. This means that a mobile network at a football stadium might have a slice for the public and another for emergency services.

“If we can deliver the right SLAs, latency and network monitoring then this has the power to transform how we use networks,” Watson declared, adding that BT Labs might be talking about trials at next year’s event.

“I feel like we’re at the start of a bold new era and as the BT CTIO and an engineer, I don’t think there’s ever been a more exciting time to be involved in the industry.”

• Here are the best BT broadband deals for October 2018

Speed isn’t everything when it comes to video performance on mobile networks, says OpenSignal, which found that European operators in general deliver a superior experience to their global rivals.

With video a major source of mobile traffic around the world, streaming is becoming an increasingly important metric for network benchmarking and in terms of how consumers choose an operator.

OpenSignal, which aggregated data from more than eight million devices, ranked countries out of 100 based on how quickly video loaded and how it stalled or stuttered at various resolutions.

•   Everything you need to know about 5G  

Mobile video performance

The most interesting finding is that once a threshold of 15Mbps is reached, speed has little impact on the quality of video performance.

This means that South Korea, which has the world’s fastest mobile networks, ranks only 16th in the video index, while European nations concerned about falling behind in the race to 5G, perform well. Eight of the top ten nations are European, with the Czech Republic occupying the top spot.

However France was the bottom ranked European nation, while Germany, Italy and the UK all finished in the bottom half. OpenSignal says this reflects a wider trend in more ‘developed’ European countries where 4G speeds and availability are stagnating and even falling.

It says that the prevalence of unlimited data plans, the availability of new spectrum, aging infrastructure and low levels of investment amid intense competition and declining revenues could be contributory factors in some of these countries.

In the UK, EE and Vodafone offer the best video experience with a rating of 62, while O2 scored 58 and Three 56.

However no country achieved a rating of ‘Excellent’, which was 75 or above.

“Europe put in a particularly impressive performance in our video experience analysis, beating the East Asian mobile powerhouses at their own game. But none of the countries we analysed made it into the Excellent range, meaning the mobile industry still has work to do when it comes to a great user video experience,” concluded OpenSignal.

“We've seen that countries with extremely powerful LTE networks in terms of speed and availability aren't necessarily providing the best video experience, and if Europe's operators want to break into the Excellent category, then building out faster and faster LTE-Advanced networks isn't necessarily the answer.”

•   Here are the best mobile phone deals for October 2018 

4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) networks have been available in the UK since 2012, offering a significant improvement over the 3G networks that were struggling to satisfy growing appetites for mobile data.

Over the past six years, 4G has enabled a data revolution with its superior speeds and greater capacity allowing for new types of application and services. 3G has long been relegated to a fall-back option should no 4G signal be available

But what is 4G? How do the networks stand-up against each other? And what developments are taking place?

What are the differences between 4G frequency bands?

Multiple frequency bands power 4G in the UK, each offering different characteristics.

The 2.6GHz band is one of the two frequencies that were auctioned off by Ofcom in February 2013. 

It has a greater data capacity than the other two bands so it can deal with loads of people connecting at once, but it doesn't fare so well over long distances, making it ideal for cities and other compact, densely populated areas but not so good for rural locations.

The 800MHz band is the other spectrum that was sold at the same time. It was used to provide analogue terrestrial TV, but has been freed up since the big Digital switchover.

While it doesn't provide the same data capacity as the 2.6GHz band, the 800MHz frequency can easily travel over long distances and will be used to provide broadband speeds to rural areas where telephone exchanges can't reach.

Being low frequency it's also better at penetrating walls than the 2.6GHz or 1800MHz bands, so it will provide an improved signal when indoors.

The 1800MHz band is used by EE and Three and strikes a balance between coverage and capacity (falling between the extremes of the 2.6GHz and 800MHz bands) which makes it a good 'middle-ground' for getting 4G around the country.

The most recent developments have seen 2100MHz spectrum EE uses for 3G refarmed for 4G ahead of a future 5G launch, and O2 win 2.3GHz airwaves at an auction earlier this year. 

Ofcom's 2013 4G spectrum auction laid the foundations

The 4G spectrum auction held by Ofcom at the beginning of the 2013 saw winning bids from O2 (Telefónica UK), Vodafone, Three (Hutchison Whampoa) and of course EE. BT also came away with some spectrum of its own, before it acquired EE in 2016.

Remember, more MHz means a better connection, so the more 'x GHz' of spectrum, the more widespread and robust a network can be.

Vodafone spent the most at the auction- a whopping £790,761,000 and came away with 2 x 10MHz of 800MHz spectrum, 1 x 20MHz of 2.6GHz spectrum and a further 1 x 25MHz of 2.6GHz spectrum.

EE spent £588,876,000 and secured 2 x 5MHz of 800MHz spectrum and 2 x 35MHz of 2.6GHz spectrum, which is less spectrum overall than Vodafone has.

Don't forget that EE can also call upon the 1800MHz spectrum that it's been using since before the other networks even launched a 4G service though.

O2 spent £550,000,000 on 2 x 10MHz of 800MHz spectrum. The company completely neglected the 2.6GHz band which may hurt its inner city performance, but with its extensive network of Wi-Fi hotspots in cities the bubbly brand thinks it will be OK without it.

Three spent £225,000,000 on 2 x 5MHz of 800MHz spectrum. Like O2, the company passed on the 2.6GHz band, however Three also has access to some 1800MHz spectrum, as noted above.

BT was something of a surprise bidder and secured 2 x 15MHz of 2.6GHz and 1 x 20MHz of 2.6GHz spectrum. While it was unclear what BT planned to use it on at the time, it appeared as though it was intended to be used with an 'inside-out' MVNO before it opted to purchase EE.

EE 4G's route to leadership

It’s hard to imagine now, but the arrival of 4G was delayed by legal arguments about the format of the Ofcom spectrum auction detailed above.

However, EE, formed by the merger of T-Mobile and Orange in 2010, wanted to launch 4G using its significant combined spectrum assets and was granted permission by the regulator to launch LTE on 1800MHz on 30 October 2012.

For almost a year EE was the only provider of 4G services in the UK and in 2018 it is the UK's largest LTE operator in terms of coverage and capacity. Its network covers 90 per cent of the country's landmass and there are plans to cover 95 per cent by the end of the decade.

Tariffs were initially launched at a premium but although they are now generally more competitive amid stronger competition in the market. It divides its price plans into 'EE Essential' and 'EE Max', the latter of which offers EE's fastest available speeds.

EE's network is frequently named as the UK's fastest, with the operator offering speeds in excess of 450Mbps in certain parts of the country to those with a compatible smartphone.

Recent figures from OpenSignal suggest that EE offers an average of 29Mbps on 4G and 25.9Mbps across 3G and 4G.

In terms of extras, EE may no longer offer two for one cinema tickets every Wednesday, but it will give you access to BT Sport and Apple Music.

• Here are the best EE mobile deals

O2 4G

O2 launched its 4G network on August 29 of 2013 and it now reaches 99 per cent of the UK population.

This means it has gone beyond the obligation attached to its 800MHz licence, which required it to deliver a signal to 98 per cent. 

However there have been concerns that its lack of 2.6GHz spectrum would limit capacity and O2 has regularly finished at the bottom of several independent tests. According to OpenSignal, average speeds are 14.6Mbps - the slowest of any UK network.

It has worked hard to improve service by investing £2 million on its network every day and it has eased capacity concerns by winning 2.3GHz spectrum at the Ofcom auction earlier this year.

It is also testing out 5G and is densifying its network in London through a small cell partnership with Arqiva.

It has embarked on a customer-centric strategy that has seen it voted best network for coverage by uSwitch users, while subscribers still have access to exclusive deals, competitions and vouchers as well as the ability to purchase gig tickets early through O2 Priority.

• Here are the best O2 mobile deals

Vodafone 4G

Vodafone also launched its 4G network on August 29 2013 (the two have a infrastructure sharing agreement known as 'Project Beacon') with its service initially available only in London before expanding to to other major UK cities.

With sizeable chunks of both the 800MHz and the 2.6GHz band, Vodafone should have the capacity to deliver a fast, reliable 4G connection to customers in both urban and rural locations.

Coverage has since increased to 99 per cent of the UK population, while OpenSignal says its average 4G speed is now 21.92Mbps.

In terms of extras, Vodafone offers customers a choice of Spotify Premium, Netflix or Sky Sports Mobile TV to sweeten the deal.

• Here are the best Vodafone mobile deals

Three 4G

Three was the last UK operator to roll out 4G in December 2013. It had long argued that 4G was simply a technological upgrade and that it preferred to focus on customer experience rather than generational shifts.

This was reflected in its pricing policy: 4G was made available to any Three customer with a compatible handset at no extra cost. This differed significantly from its rivals, all of whom offered a premium for LTE.

Three now has 10 million customers who consume an average of 7GB of data a month – 3.5 times the industry average - while it has 99 per cent population coverage thanks to 14,500 sites

The combination of Three’s generous data allowances and competitive prices have made it a popular choice for mobile users, but there’s no escaping the fact that Three’s 4G has its downfalls.

Over the past few months, OpenSignal saw Three’s average 4G speed fall by 3Mbps to 18.8Mbps but its 3G speeds continue to impress, rising by 1Mbps to 7.8Mbps.

Three has a keen interest in 5G as it believes its spectrum holdings mean there is the opportunity to lead the UK market for the first time.

• Here are the best Three mobile deals

4G coverage: Can all of the UK get it?

Initial rollout of 4G focused on urban areas with large populations, but significant investments by all four operators in their network infrastructure means that 99 per cent of the UK population can now receive 4G.

There has also been investment in 3G networks, with EE and Three among those to roll out DC-HSPA.

Attention has now turned to geographic coverage, with EE promising to deliver 4G to 95 per cent of the UK's landmass. Any further expansion of coverage may depend on spectrum licence obligations or public subsidy.

Ofcom’s most recent figures suggest 64 per cent of the UK’s geographic area is completely covered by all four operators, while 11 per cent is uncovered by any operator at all. 

What are 4G download speeds in the UK?

The answer to this question depends on where you live in the country and what network you're on.

EE promises speeds of up to 60Mbps on its 'Essential' plans and up to 150Mbps on its 'Max' tariffs although in some extremely limited areas, 429Mbps is on offer. OpenSignal claims the average speed is 29Mbps.

The same report suggests Vodafone has 21.92Mbps, Three 18.8Mbps and O2 14.6Mbps. But again, these speeds will vary wildly depending on location.

Speed increases have been static over the past few months although this can be partly attributed to the fact that operators have been working on availability by expanding coverage and densifying infrastructure in urban areas.

Why is 4G so fast?

4G's impressive speed increase is achieved with the use of OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Divison Multiplexing), a transmission technology used by the likes of ADSL, Wi-Fi, DVB-T, DVB-H and DAB.

Not only does it reduce latency (the amount of time taken to buffer and connect to webpages), but it also minimises interference and is able to cram greater amounts of data into the same slice of radio bandwidth.

Simply put, this enables 4G/LTE phones and tablets to stream video and play online games like never before, largely because 4G has been designed primarily as a data network, rather than a voice one and it uses the same TCP/IP protocols that underpin the internet.

The upshot for you is that the data is 'flatter', as in it's easier for the networks to stream, so should theoretically be cheaper. 

Speeds have been advanced through technologies like  MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) technology, which uses multiple antennas on transmitters and receivers like 802.11n Wi-Fi equipment, and Carrier Aggregation, which binds multiple spectrum bands together.

LTE-A and the future of 4G

Although 5G is on the horizon, operators around the world are still investing significant amounts in their 4G infrastructure. Not only will it take time for 5G to become mainstream, but many of the early services will use new radio technologies on top of the 4G core network.

As mentioned above, Massive MIMO and Carrier Aggregation are the primary methods of improving speeds and the theoretical maximum of LTE-Advanced (Or 4G+ as some people like to call it) is close to that of 5G.

Some countries, most notably Japan, South Korea and the US, have enjoyed LTE-A for some time but several operators in the UK have been boosting their networks over the past few years, and we won’t be that far behind the curve with 5G.

5G networks are expected to go live in the UK in 2019 – with EE possibly first to market again – offering faster speeds, greater capacity and lower latency.

• If you're keen to know about the next generation of networks, check out our guide to everything you need to know about 5G

EE has launched new home broadband deals offering to connect up thousands of rural homes across the UK to superfast internet.

The company is upgrading its 4GEE Home Router to boost internet speeds in remote locations, with  as 580,000 rural homes across the UK could be connected up to its superfast 4G network, letting customers experience speeds of over 100MBps for the first time.

EE says that the new offering has been designed specifically as an alternative for those in rural communities that have yet to be connected with traditional fixed line broadband access – or where customers can only receive slower fixed broadband speeds.

The company's 4G network which currently covers 90 per cent of the UK, with the company aiming to boost this to 95 per cent soon.

Speedy

“As our network continues to expand into some of the most remote parts of the UK, we’ve seen the amazing impact that 4G connectivity can have on rural communities," said Max Taylor, EE managing director of marketing.

"Our newest 4G home broadband router and antenna takes this one step further, ensuring thousands of families in rural areas across the UK could enjoy the benefits of superfast broadband inside their home for the very first time – whether video-calling the grandparents or streaming their favourite TV series.”   

The new service will be available from today to EE customers, with introductory packages starting from £35 to £60, with a 4GEE Home Router included. Any current EE pay monthly customers signing up to the new offering will get an extra 5GB of mobile data per month.

• Check out our list of the best broadband deals in February 2018

Mobile was a bright spot in BT’s less than stellar quarterly results. BT’s mobile division EE revealed operating profits of £137m for the second quarter of the year, a rise of £54m from the previous year’s figures.

That’s in stark contrast to the results of the BT group as a whole: revenue fell 1% to £5.9bn,while pre-tax profit for the quarter fell to £666m, compared to £671m for the previous year.

 The company was bullish about its plans for mobile. The report points out that 4G rollout continues apace. “Our investment in 4G continues, with our geographic coverage now reaching 86% of the UK’s landmass.  We have announced that we will upgrade more than 600 sites by the end of our financial year through converting 2G spectrum to provide airwaves into superfast 4G speeds.“ 

Better ARPU performance

The number of mobile customers now stands at 29.7m, a reduction of 500,000. This is entirely down to 1.3m of prepaid customers, as the net postpaid increase was 900.000 – thanks to 279,000 new customers. There was also a slight increase in average revenue per customer, both in postpaid and prepaid.

BT is confident that its plans for integrating EE into the business are proceeding smoothly. According to the quarterly report, “At the end of the first year we had achieved run rate savings of £150m.  Progress in the first half of this year has raised the run rate savings to £250m and we remain confident that we will achieve our stated objective of £400m by the end of the fourth year.”

• Best current mobile phone deals

UK network EE has announced it will soon allow you to spread the cost of a wireless charging pad when you buy your new phone, making the announcement on the day Apple is set to announce the iPhone X and iPhone 8. Coincidence? We think not.

Belkin's Qi Wireless Charging pad will soon be up for grabs alongside whatever handset you buy from the company for £29.99 in the UK. And while that news in and of itself may mean little to worldwide readers, the implications it seems to have for the upcoming iPhone X and iPhone 8 are of course interesting.

Considering rumors suggest both the iPhone 8 and iPhone X are set to have wireless charging capabilities using the Qi technology, this only adds more fuel to those very high flames.

Perfect timing

Add to Plan is a scheme EE runs that allows you to buy accessories such as cases, headphones, VR headsets and fitness trackers alongside your phone and spread the cost over the course of your contract.

Apple is specifically named by EE alongside Beats and a number of other accessory manufacturers too, but that's probably because you can buy Apple branded wireless charging cases for existing iPhone handsets.

Other Android handsets are capable of using Qi wireless charging including the Samsung Galaxy Note 8, but announcing this on the day of the new iPhone launch suggests the network may be hinting at what we'll see launch this evening.

For all today's Apple news, you can keep up with the iPhone X live stream as well as our iPhone 8 live blog too.

• iPhone X deals: what we know so far

UK carrier EE has confirmed it's upgrading its 2G network to 4G to give an overall boost to its mobile internet speeds, and it could be because of the iPhone 8 (or iPhone X as it's looking more likely to be called). 

EE already boasts some of the fastest mobile network speeds in the UK, with widespread support for CAT 9 devices such as the Samsung Galaxy S8, Galaxy S7 and iPhone 7 Plus with theoretical download speeds of over 400Mbps.

However, its latest move will see the introduction of CAT 12 support, giving us a potential insight into the capabilities of the yet to be announced iPhone X that would make it Apple's fastest ever iPhone.

Ready for next-gen smartphones

The really interesting part is the revelation that “600 EE sites [are] being upgraded to support next generation ‘CAT 12’ smartphones set to hit the UK market in 2017.”

Now we're fast approaching the end of the year, with only a few high profile launches left. 

While EE could be preparing itself for the arrival of the Google Pixel 2 or Huawei Mate 10, tomorrow's iPhone 8 launch is the one in our mind as it's this handset which will have the widest appeal. 

The timing of the announcement does seem to be convenient considering Apple's Special Event is on September 12, but EE customers with the new iPhone may have to wait before they're able to take advantage of the improved speeds.

EE says "more than 600 sites across cities including London, Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh and Cardiff, will be upgraded with the latest 4G spectrum over the next six months."

We'll be reporting live from the iPhone 8 launch in Cupertino, so stay tuned to TechRadar to find out if the new iPhones are the fastest ever. 

• Everything you need to know: iPhone 8 | iPhone X

Buying a state-of-the-art phone will not only give you improved speeds for downloading apps and streaming video, you’ll also be helping all those still using older devices.

TechRadar attended a Gigabit LTE showcase in London where the next generation of network was demoed, and it’s good news for every mobile user – no matter how old your smartphone is.

Gigabit LTE is a stepping stone on the path to 5G, and UK carrier EE already provides the superfast connection in some major cities in the UK where users can get speeds of up to 400Mbps+ if they're lucky – that is some seriously quick download times!

Roberto Di Pietro, VP of Business Development Qualcomm added “Gigabit LTE will give us an average user experience which is much better than what we have now – for both new and legacy devices – even in crowded areas.”

A better experience for all

The improved experience for all is down to the fact handsets that support Gigabit LTE use data far more efficiently, spending less time on the network to perform their tasks and thus freeing up more space for other users.

You’ll need a handset compatible with the new network technology to take advantage of this though. At the moment only the Sony Xperia XZ Premium in the UK can do so, but Qualcomm expects a number of major manufacturers to launch phones before the end of the year which can offer the same support.

The carriers in your country will also need to provide a Gigabit LTE network. It's limited at the moment, but there are 26 operators in 18 countries planning or trialing Gigabit LTE as we speak - so within the next year or so the service will be more widely available.

What this means is as more and more people upgrade their phones to ones that support Gigabit LTE, the rest of us on older devices will still benefit as more space will become available for our phones to use.

• Read our in-depth Sony Xperia XZ Premium review

EE is currently turning on additional 800MHz spectrum to boost indoor coverage across the UK. However, this additional spectrum has not been made available to their MVNO partners, including their parent company’s MVNO BT Mobile.

The 800MHz spectrum deployment began in late November with 700 sites going live, with a further 3,000 expected to turn on the new bands by the end of 2017. Because of its low frequency, the spectrum not only travels further, but also is much better at penetrating objects such as walls and foliage – therefore making it ideal for both rural and urban VoLTE coverage.

A spokesperson from EE said, ‘We have an ambition to agree VoLTE services with our MVNO customers in the future and are currently reviewing our delivery plans for the next 12-18 months. 

Infrastructure work to come

Significant infrastructure work needs to take place before this service can be offered, and of course we’ll ensure our MVNO customers are informed of developments. In the meantime our MVNO customers with 4G access continue to benefit from the EE 2G, 3G and 4G networks services they enjoy today.'

The spokesperson also highlighted that this would be dependent on the MVNO’s requirements, stating that  BT Mobile was ‘very keen’ to use the additional VoLTE bandwidth. A spokesperson from Virgin Media told Mobile that 'The terms of our agreement with BT/EE are confidential, but we will have access to this spectrum in future.' Virgin Media signed a new full MVNO deal with BT and EE two weeks ago.

To avoid confusion, EE has also ‘blocked’ phones that cannot run with VoLTE from detecting the new frequencies, to avoid any confusion caused by bars displaying on the handset, while being unable to make phone calls.

• The best EE deals

Rumor has it Apple is ready to drop the headphone jack on the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus – and the UK's largest mobile network has announced a new scheme, which hints it may be the case.

EE has launched its new Add To Plan scheme that allows you to link audio accessories to your contract and pay them off over an 11 month period.

It means you can buy wireless Bluetooth headphones from £3 a month. EE will never charge over the RRP of the device, it's just spreading the cost over the best part of a year.

The scheme includes top selling brands such as Beats, B&O Play as well as Skull Candy headphones.

Hint, hint

It makes sense to start this scheme just before Apple announces it won't have a 3.5mm headphone jack on the iPhone 7 and we'd expect EE to have prior knowledge of the announcement.

Rumors suggest your new phone will come with a pair of wireless earbuds, but this scheme with EE will allow you to buy a high quality pair of headphones to use with the phone.

Add To Plan won't just work with headphones though – fitness trackers, smartwatches and VR headsets will also be included within the scheme.

You'll need to start a new 24 month contract with EE to make use of the deal and you will have to live in the UK.

EE is certain to be stocking the iPhone 7, but be sure to come back at 10:00 PDT, 13.00 EDT (18:00 BST in the UK, 03:00 Thursday September 8 AEST if you're in Australia) to find out everything you need to know about the iPhone 7.

• What we know so far: iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus

EE customers can now get free access to BT Sport, the first proper tie-in between the two brands since BT took over the double-lettered network.

However, it's not as simple as 'Got EE? Have some football!' as there are a few caveats if you want to be checking out a spot of sport on the go – we spoke to EE to find out exactly what you'll need to qualify, and what's actually on offer here.

You'll be getting access to BT Sport 1, BT Sport 2, BT Sport Europe and ESPN – but is it really free? Will you get anything extra? And where can you actually use it?

• Behind the scenes of BT Sport's 4K Ultra HD revolution

1. It's free for six months on EE

Once you activate the deal, you'll be getting access to the four portals listed above for six months – after which you'll need to pay £5 per month to keep watching on your EE device.

BT Mobile offers the same thing for the lifetime of the contract – there were some questions about whether this was actually a limited offer, but we've spoken to BT and they've confirmed it's for as long as you take the mobile service.

If you're on EE and want some BT Sport right now, the good news is the offer is live and ready to be taken up as an option.

2. It's only for phones and tablets

Here's the bad news for anyone that's got Sky and has been holding out on paying the rather expensive fees to add in BT Sport: you're not able to watch BT's channels on the big screen as part of this deal. It's only offered on phones and tablets, and Chromecast screen sharing will be disabled too.

However, EE promises that it's able to tell if you're watching on a phone or tablet, and will optimise the stream for either screen. So the smaller, lower-res displays will get about 1.2Mbps, but the iPad Pro devices of this world, with a bunch more pixels to play with, will get streams up to 2.5Mbps to keep the sharpness up.

3. It'll use your data allowance

This won't come as much of a surprise – it would have been a massive bonus if it didn't take your bytes to watch this sport. EE told us that the rise of watching football on the go inspired the offer, with a big spike in catching some action on the go showing there's an appetite for it.

However, make sure you've got a decent bundle if you're going to be keeping up with the latest sporting shenanigans – you could be munching up to 2GB of data on a phone if you're going to watch the whole match and hoover up the half time show too.

4. Not for all on EE

While EE is touting this as a big deal for its customers, it's not great if you've chosen a pay as you go tariff.

EE has confirmed to us that this is only for customers on pay monthly plans – so if you topup whenever you fancy it, you're not going to get the BT Sport deal. Similarly, if you're a 4G Wi-Fi broadband customer, that's also excluded.

However, there is a glimmer of light: EE has confirmed it's 'looking' at a pay as you go option in the future.

5. How to activate EE's BT Sport deal

Right, you've read all that and decided you fancy the free six month trial. It's now pretty simple: you'll just need to text 'SPORT' to 150 from any EE handset.

If that's not possible (perhaps you're running an iPad) then you'll need to phone the call centre and talk to an actual human. Urgh.

Once that's done, you'll download the BT Sport app (which is available on iOS, Android and even Windows Phone) and enter the details you've been given – sport is then spurting into your eyeballs.

…. There's more to come

While the company wouldn't be drawn on precisely what, EE did confirm to us that it was exploring some other options with BT for the future – although it's hard to see what that will be precisely, given EE already gives access to BT Openzone Wi-Fi hotspots (which would have been the obvious choice).

Marc Allera, EE's CEO, confirmed as much with a recent statement: "The BT Sport offer is the first in a series of benefits we've planned for this summer which together will highlight EE as offering an unrivalled network experience for those wanting to make the best from their smartphone.""

The big question here lies with EE TV and BT Sport – to steal Bacon's parlance, it seems a no-brainer that those that have streaming service on their phone should be able to watch it on their EE tellybox too… we'll keep poking to see if that's on the way.

Luke Bannister is the current World Drone Prix champion. He's 16 years old.

Once you've gotten over young Luke's abundance of talent, and the $250,000 he netted as champion, let us tell your more about the world of drone racing.

This burgeoning sport, which has visited Dubai, LA, Miami and now the hallowed turf of London's iconic Wembley Stadium, doesn't just deal in big prize money - there's an awful lot of cool tech involved too.

Techradar grabbed an all-access pass to the FPV (First Person View) Freestyle Drone Race in London to see how a teenager could bag a quarter of a million by flying something that many consider a toy.

The drones

The core component of FPV Drone Racing, these quadcopters are capable of speeds of over 100mph and some surprisingly impressive handling - in the right hands.

As we were told during our briefing, putting a rookie at the controls of one of these would be like putting a learner driver in a F1 car. Unlike an F1 car though, these drones don't cost millions.

In fact, they're actually not that expensive at all. Speaking to professional drone pilot Danny Mijnders, aka Metal Danny, he explained the actual drones themselves only cost around £300 (around US$420, AU$550).

"If you're starting out, you'll probably need around £800 (around US$1,100, AU$1,400) for all the kit including an entry level racing drone, controller, repair kit, spare parts etc," he told us.

You can even pick up a racing drone off the shelf. It's a great way to get into the sport, but the professionals build theirs from parts and there's a surprising abundance of manufacturers for all the different components.

The technology

At the heart of the drones we saw zip around Wembley was Qualcomm's Snapdragon Flight chip, which squeezes a huge amount of tech onto a single board, allowing the drones to be smaller, lighter, safer, faster and fly for longer.

The chip is small enough to fit in your pocket and provides the brains for navigation, motors, imaging and connectivity.

It's called First Person View Drone Racing for a reason, as the pilots don't just stand on the ground and watch their drone in the sky, but strap on a pair FPV goggles transporting them virtually to the cockpit of their drone.

We had a go at controlling a drone using the FPV goggles. Not a racing drone, mind; instead I was at the controls of a cheap toy drone which I attempted to land in a bin - and ultimately failed.

It's definitely not easy, and we've got a huge amount of respect for the pilots who somehow stay in ultimate control at speeds of over 100mph.

The fans

Each drone was equipped with EE's live streaming Action Cam, allowing fans to ride on board with the competitors.

We took a seat in the away dugout of Wembley Stadium, donned a pair goggles and skipped through the channels to select our competitor of choice.

The start line was in the player's tunnel, and we watched as the flying machines zipped out through the double doors and into the vast expanse of the arena, gliding through gates, slaloming round large inflatable bollards and setting off possibly the loudest smoke cannon we've ever witnessed.

We could jump between drone cams mid race, and your world gets turned upside down when the drones hit the freestyle zone, where competitors must perform a trick before continuing with the lap.

And of course, there's always a 100mph collision, crash or showboat-gone-wrong to keep you entertained.

While the pilots enjoyed crystal clear footage, our goggles were lacking the same level of detail. The great thing about the live streaming technology is that you can also watch the action on a tablet or your mobile phone, with a stream quality much closer to that of the pilot's.

It also means you don't have to wear the fashionably questionable headset.

The pits

Wandering down the tunnel back into the bowels of Wembley we took a right, into the away dressing room, which was serving as a temporary pit stop for the drone racers.

Tools, drones, spare parts and battery charges littered the sides as pilots made final adjustments, and in some cases repairs, to their quadcopters.

There is a surprising range of tuning that can be done, depending on the style of circuit. Ones with long straights and few corners call for larger propellers and higher speeds, while courses which are turn heavy require the drones to don smaller rotors for increased control and handling.

The future?

Attending the Freestyle Drone Racing event was certainly enjoyable, but there are questions over whether it can become a popular spectator sport.

The fast-paced nature and aerial dominance of the drones limits crowds. We were confined to heavily netted areas during races, which is sensible considering the speed the drones were going. They could inflict serious injuries if something went wrong.

That means you're not going to see a stadium such as Wembley filled to rafters as drones whizz overhead. There will need to be more separation, but with live streaming we could see fans stay on their sofas and enjoy the action from home.

It has all the right ingredients; high speeds, competitive races, and a certain element of danger and risk, and we can't wait to see where it goes from here.

Check out Parrot's new fixed-wing drone:

EE has staked its claim in the international calling market, going up against the likes of Lycamobile and Lebara.

The network has launched new International and International Extra packs, removing the need for international callers to use additional apps, extra SIMs or calling cards.

EE goes international

Instead new or upgrading EE customers can us the plans, starting from £10 a month, to call both international landline and mobile numbers. This will cover destinations such as Australia, India, Ireland, France, China and USA, with users required to pay a premium on top of current contracts for a minimum term.

Sunetra Chakravarti, editor of Mobile Choice, believes that EE’s move to offer calls to popular international calling destinations might see more operators do the same.

She said: ‘EE are taking on the likes of Lyca and Lebara for a share in the international calling pie. The just-announced calling packs and add-ons are incredibly reasonable and include countries that are some of the most called ones.’

‘Consumers don’t buy bundles and contracts for minutes, it is data that is most important for them, so this new route EE are taking is interesting and might pave the way for other  mainstream networks to do the same.’

 ‘Virgin Media have a similar package for their landlines as do O2 for continental Europe but where EE score is through their choice of countries on offer and that all important call price of 1p/minute which is a mantra for international calling card companies and MVNOs’.

EU roaming charges scrapped

The announcement comes in the same week that the European Parliament voted to end roaming charges by June 2017. The ruling will see networks unable to charge consumers for making cross continental calls, however the regulation will rely on the co-operation of mobile operators.

EE’s international calling packs see the network continue to compete with rivals in the roaming space. It comes as Vodafone announced it was scaling up its 4G data roaming, enabling consumers and businesses to use bundled calls, texts and data in eight new countries.

• The best EE deals

It's been a sci-fi sort of week: Apple's acquired Star Wars technology, Google's been copying Star Trek and robots took a step closer to becoming the killer bots we've seen in so many movies. But that's not all. We've been watching Vine videos on our wrists, discovered some potentially massive moves by EE and O2, and watched the Large Hadron Collider smash things into other things with gay abandon. Oh, and there's some obscure thing called Black Friday too. It's the Week in Tech!

About Face(shift)

Apple has reportedly bought facial capture specialists Faceshift, whose technology appears in the new Star Wars movie. The tech is designed to make animated characters look more human, and while the most obvious uses for it are in special effects and gaming there are more unusual applications too. As Rob Edwards points out, "prior to Apple's acquisition, Faceshift was also working on software for consumers, including a Skype plugin that would support real-time avatars for video chat". As ever, we asked Apple for comment; as ever, Apple told us "we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans".

Block party

It could be new-trousers time for ad-based businesses if EE and O2 do what they're thinking of doing: both companies are considering the routine blocking of adverts on their networks. According to EE chief executive Olaf Swantee, "this is not about ad blocking, but about starting an important debate around customer choice, controls and the level of ads customers receive. This is an important debate that needs to happen soon". Meanwhile, O2 is said to be in the "well advanced" stages of testing tech to block ads network-wide, zapping them before they're downloaded to save users' data allowances and reduce congestion.

Star Trekkin' across the Googleverse

We've long suspected that today's engineers are hugely influenced by the sci-fi they watched when they were growing up, and now we have proof: Google's techies loved the Star Trek communicator so much, they tried to build their own. Speaking to Time, Google senior vice-president Amit Singhal explained that the little wearable was fashioned after the pin-and-badge communicator worn by Star Trek's Starfleet to speak to each other and the ship. Sadly, it's just a prototype, and it won't be available outside Google's own labs.

Vine: Watch this

The Apple Watch should be ideal for Vine clips, and vice versa – so it's great to see the Watch getting some love from the latest Vine update. As Parker Wilhelm explains: "The Vine experience on the Apple Watch is simplified in comparison to the smartphone and tablet version, showing vines saved to a user's favorites as well as featured vines getting a lot of buzz. While only saved and featured videos are currently visible on the smartwatch, users can still like and re-post vines to their feed with just a tap on the wrist".

CERN's Super Smash Bros

There ain't no party like a particle physicists' party, and there's one kicking off right now in Switzerland: CERN's Large Hadron Collider broke records this week as it created almost twice as much energy as in previous experiments. The ultimate goal is to simulate the matter that existed just after the Big Bang, which reached temperatures of several trillion degrees. We've achieved very similar temperatures using a Breville toastie maker.

Rebellious robots refuse to help humans

Here's one for the 'Skynet is coming' crowd: engineers at Tufts University in Massachusetts are working on robots that will say no to humans "as long as there's a good reason to do so". As Duncan Geere explains, it's to stop them blindly following orders from cheeky children or anybody who might want to make them act badly. "If you were looking forward to a world where robots would do all the dirty work, performing as mechanical slaves for humans, then you're not gonna like this," he says.

None more black

Have you bagged a Black Friday bargain yet? This year's Black Friday started a tad early when Amazon, and other retailers both online and in the bricks-and-mortar stores, decided to run their deals over a week or more – and we've been tracking the very best bargains on offer. You'll find the best Black Friday and Cyber Monday savings right here.

Wi-Fi calling seems to be a big focus for the mobile phone networks to tackle the problem of not having enough signal in your home. It's a smart idea and now both EE and Vodafone have launched the service, but what does it all mean?

It's readily available on EE as long as you have one of a number of phones and it'll be launching on Vodafone with limited devices in the coming weeks.

We've spoken to the people in the know to bring you all the details on Wi-Fi calling - the service that keeps your smartphone connected in more places.

What is Wi-Fi calling?

Wi-Fi calling allows you to use a Wi-Fi network to make and receive phone calls, rather than using the traditional mobile network.

This benefits those in poor signal areas, such as rural villages and underground stations, as you'll be able to harness the power of available Wi-Fi networks to stay connected.

It's not just calls that are supported though, you can also send and receive texts.

Doesn't that already exist?

Before you all go 'this has been available for ages from the likes of Skype, Viber, Three, O2 and more recently WhatsApp', let us explain.

Three and O2 have their own applications allowing customers to make and receive calls and texts over a Wi-Fi network.

All your activity is kept separate, which can ruin message flows and confuse call logs, as you'll need to check two apps for potential missed calls and new texts.

A similar case is found with Skype, WhatsApp and Viber, although these services don't necessarily link directly with your phone number and provide more standalone communication platforms.

Both EE and Vodafone's Wi-Fi calling works exactly the same as the mobile network, meaning you may not even notice you're actually using a Wi-Fi network rather than the mobile one - although you do get an icon in the status bar alerting you to the fact.

That means your text conversations remain uninterrupted and your call log stays complete - without the need to switch to a different application when using a Wi-Fi network to connect to your friends.

Any limitations?

A word of warning here, if you start a call on Wi-Fi and then venture outside of your network's range the call won't automatically transfer to your mobile network - you'll get cut off, and vice versa.

EE says it's working on a seamless transition between mobile and Wi-Fi, but it will only be possible when it launches VoLTE (voice over LTE) later this year.

VoLTE allows 4G networks to carry voice calls and text messages, which are currently limited to the existing 2G and 3G services - and they don't work well with the Wi-Fi calling setup.

Another thing to point out is that EE's Wi-Fi calling is limited to the UK only for now - so you won't be able to take advantage of it when travelling abroad.

Which networks support it?

Both EE and Vodafone have launched Wi-Fi calling on the respective networks - Vodafone isn't fully here yet but it's coming soon.

O2 and Three may follow suit, but they're currently pushing their TU Go and InTouch apps, which offer similar functionality with seperate applications.

An O2 spokesperson told us, "We regularly review our products and services based on customer feedback. In the meantime, we're flattered to see others following our lead on wifi calling."

Meanwhile there's light at the end of the tunnel at Three with Danny Dixon, director of customer strategy, telling us; "Seamless connectivity on mobile and Wi-Fi is a key part of our future strategic direction and we've developed Three inTouch in such a way that we can evolve it to support embedded voice and text over Wi-Fi.

"We are currently developing this aspect and will be confirming more details and launch dates soon."

What phones does it work with?

At the moment only a handful of handsets have been enabled by EE - these are the HTC One M9, Samsung Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge, Galaxy S5, iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 5S, 5C and Microsoft Lumia 640.

EE previously confirmed to TechRadar that it was working with HTC before we heard of the One M9 getting support - and there was a suggestion the One M8 may see it at some point too.

Your handset has to come from EE, as it needs the network's software build installed to enable the Wi-Fi calling feature. If you buy yourself a SIM-free S6 from elsewhere for example, sticking an EE SIM card into it won't give you this functionality.

Vodafone's Wi-Fi Calling service has not launched yet and we don't have official word on the compatible handsets just yet.

Meanwhile Three's inTouch app is available on Google Play and Apple's App store, and O2's TuGo offering can be downloaded on iPhones running iOS 5 and above, Android 2.3 and above, Windows Phone 8 and desktop web browsers.

How do I enable Wi-Fi calling?

We can only speak for EE at the moment, so once you receive your Wi-Fi calling enabled handset from the network you will need to text "wifi calling" to 150 to set it up.

You will need to able to flick the switch on the Wi-Fi calling option in the settings menu of the phone app. On the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge (and probably the S5 too once the update arrives) just open the phone app, hit 'more' in the top right corner, 'settings' and then scroll to the bottom of the list to turn on.

Your handset will then automatically switch to Wi-Fi calling when it connects to a saved network.

What does it cost?

Nothing! Well, nothing additional on top of your phone contract and home internet bill. The same goes for O2's TU Go and Three's InTouch, which are free apps customers can download and use.

It's worth noting if you've not got unlimited calls or texts, calls and messages made over Wi-Fi on EE and Vodafone will come out of your monthly allowance.

 Most mobile network operators (MNOs) use ETSI Class 3 (C3) point-to-point (PTP) dish antennas when designing microwave backhaul links. However, a 2009 study by CommScope revealed that a significant proportion of antennas failed to meet their published specifications – usually the declared sidelobe, or off-axis gain performance, along with cross-polar performance.

This affects the quality of the network as it can degrade link performance and therefore capacity, which can be compromised by increased interference between links. Interference reduces data throughput affecting quality of service (QoS), which in turn can cause customer churn and reduce operator revenue.

CommScope also found that underperforming C3 antennas can significantly constrain an operator’s ability to reuse spectrum, potentially limiting the number of links that can be deployed for a given amount of spectrum in any geographic area.

As a result of these findings, CommScope developed the first ETSI Class 4 (C4) antennas in 2010 designed to offer major improvements over existing sidelobe or off-axis gain standards.

Last year it got the chance to trial the potential benefits of its C4 antennas on UK operator EE’s live network using iQ-link XG link planning software from Comsearch.

Dipesh Rattan, product line manager, Microwave Antenna Systems at CommScope, says: ‘We believe our Andrew family of antennas can provide value and benefit in terms of QoS and capacity for end users. We worked with EE to agree a joint analysis and study on data across the 10GHz, 32GHz and 42GHz bands.

‘We have products in each of these bands, so we got a lot of support from EE to get the data from its live network and analyse it. This enabled us to create accurate simulations and conduct frequency-planning analysis. The results are truly compelling with a lot of benefits in terms of using microwave backhaul network for improved QoS and costs,’ argues Rattan.

Significance for 4G

This has increased significance with the roll out of 4G LTE networks because, as Donald Gardner, product line manager, Microwave Antenna Systems, CommScope, observes: ‘An LTE network has a lot more cells in any given area and that means you have a lot more cells to backhaul, so more links are needed.

‘It is mostly data being backhauled, so you need a lot more capacity on the backhaul and that sets up a perfect storm, because if you need more links and more capacity, but you use a C3 antenna, it doesn’t fit the bill.

‘But if you use C4 antennas with a lower sidelobe you can get a lot more links in any given area. The key thing for us was: this all works well in theory, but how to prove it? We were incredibly fortunate that EE and Andy Sutton’s team allowed us to profile this on a real network.’

Andy Sutton, principal network architect at EE, takes up the story: ‘The focus was on microwave line-of-sight PTP wireless radio backhaul using C4 antennas. Most PTP microwave links use C3 antennas, which have a certain radiation pattern envelope (RPE). C4 antennas have a much tighter RPE envelope. (See image below).

‘From EE’s perspective our interest was in how to make the best use of our 10GHz, 32GHz and 40GHz microwave bands to deliver the higher capacity required for 4G LTE backhaul. One of the most common techniques for increasing link capacity is to implement wider RF channels.’

In particular, EE is looking to upgrade its 32GHz and 40GHz radios from existing 28MHz channels with higher capacity radios using 56MHz channels.

The wider point here that if EE uses spectrum outside its self-owned spectrum bands it would incur substantial additional operating costs. ‘We are looking to find the optimal TCO,’ says Sutton,’ so we want to use microwave in the spectrum bands we own to get lowest cost. And the advantage of using the tighter RPE of C4 antennas is that we can deploy a greater number of links in a given frequency band within any given geographical area.’

‘Because of the tight RPE patterns and low sidelobe patterns of C4 antennas, it allows the microwave link to be available for a longer time and it is also more immune to interference than C3 ones,’ says Rattan.

‘The C4-based microwave link adds more capacity as the link is both available for longer and has a higher throughput for a longer time. They also enable a tighter use of frequency channels, so you have a more efficient microwave backhaul network.

QoS improvements

Tests showed that thanks to their lower sidelobes and superior RP performance, C4 antennas improve QoS by reducing the interference level and boosting network availability - producing a 582-hour QoS (dropped call) improvement.

‘In short, the C4 product enables a better utilisation of existing spectrum resources, as it allows better capacity on these links for wider channel radios and this means more traffic can be carried on the microwave backhaul links,’ says Rattan.

For example, the study showed a total of 148 links which couldn’t be assigned channels (i.e. too much signal frequency congestion to be used) in 10GHz and 44 links in 40GHz. When the C3 antennas were replaced with C4 ones 46 links were recovered in 10GHz (31%) and 42 in 40GHz (96%).

The point here is that if C3 antennas were to be retained, to free up the congested links EE would have to either find and pay for Ethernet lease lines for the backhaul or buy additional licenses for a minimum of two channels from regulator Ofcom (if spectrum is available).

However, at least 88 of these 192 congested links could be recovered just by using C4 antennas in the existing spectrum. Using established EE cost models - the TCO over five years for a microwave radio link is US$23,000 and corresponding Ethernet backhaul cost of $93,000 - the study showed that there is a potential to save $70,000 over five years using microwave links instead of Ethernet leased lines; providing a saving of at least $6.1 million for 88 links over five years.

Sutton says: ‘We want to maximise the use of our own spectrum assets, so deploying as many microwave links in those band as possible helps minimise our costs, while maintaining network performance and optimising our TCO. By deploying a lot more links in the 32GHz and 40GHz bands we can evolve our network in the most efficient way.’

He notes that swopping out the antenna can be done at the same time as the higher capacity 56MHz wide channel radios are installed as part of EE’s ongoing upgrade programme. Gardner adds: ‘The installation is identical as for a Class 3 antenna, but it is a far, far better product.’

Class 4 upgrade potential

In fact, the CommScope study showed that of the 4,096 links in EE’s 40GHz network, 2,315 are candidates for the higher capacity 56MHz radio upgrades (the remaining 1,825 links did not have sufficient fade margin to meet the availability objective with new radios).

However, 68 of the 2,315 links could not be upgraded to 56MHz using existing C3 antennas, but all could be upgraded if a Sentinel C4 antenna is used, as it helps achieve a higher signal-to-noise ratio on the microwave link.

Other tests showed that the low sidelobes of Sentinel C4 antennas could improve the frequency reuse in an existing network. Tests showed if C4 antennas are used in the 40GHz network fewer channels are required than for C3 antennas.

Assuming the same network geometry, by freeing up two channels up to 3,000 new links could be deployed. This provides a much higher spectral efficiency and makes possible a substantial future network expansion just using existing available spectrum.

Gardner also points out: ‘There is also an opportunity, albeit not a big one, but an opportunity nevertheless, to reduce the size of some of the antennas from 3-4ft (0.6m) diameter down to half that size (0.3m) by using C4 antennas. This is because the RPE of C4 antennas allows you do this without incurring additional interference. This in turn reduces the size and weight loading on the tower and therefore reduces the tower lease costs.’

So, what next for EE? Sutton says: ‘We are working on the detailed business case for C4 antennas to determine how broad a roll out to do. We have identified the sites where we can use our spectrum in the 10GHz, 32GHz and 40GHz bands and we expect to start work this year.’

Gardner sums up: ‘We think the benefits of using C4 backhaul antennas are quite compelling for operators. Capacity is finite so in reality the industry has to make the best use it can of its existing spectrum and infrastructure. Andy is trying to make the best use his, so other MNOs will want to do the same.’

Rattan adds: ‘What we’ve seen from different operators is that they are looking hard at TCO. As they move from 3G to 4G and beyond the density of microwave links is going up by the day but spectrum is finite. The challenge for MNOs is to add more density while the capacity grows, also bearing in mind that at the same time MNOs are under pressure to maintain or reduce costs.’

Summary of C4 microwave radio link backhaul antenna performance

In conjunction with EE, CommScope studied the benefits of deploying Sentinel Class 4 antennas for wireless backhaul point-to-point in the 10GHz and 40GHz band in a network of 4,000 and 2,000 links. The core findings were:

• Over US$5 million in total cost of ownership saved over five years

• US$44,000 TCO saved in license fees over five years

• US$4.5 million TCO over five years based on optimising capacity by freeing congested channels

• 3,000 more radio links can be added to the network – when none had been possible before

• 582 hour QoS (dropped call) improvement

• 96% and 31% of frequency congested links in 40GHz and 10GHz respectively were assigned a channel

• A strong opportunity to trade some of the above by reducing antenna size and thus reducing TCO on tower lease costs.

Image source: Shutterstock/ Supphachai Salaeman

• 10 ways to improve your Wi-Fi performance

The introduction of the BenQ-manufactured EE Harrier and EE Harrier Mini was the start of a new breed of own-branded handsets from Britain's largest network, continuing the ornithological theme that started with the EE Kestrel, built by Huawei.

The EE Rook is the latest addition to the flock. This time made by ZTE, it's a smartphone that fills the ultra-budget end of the spectrum, and yet still features stock Android Lollipop 5.1, 4G connectivity and a quad-core processor for less than the price of a meal for two.

This is clearly somewhat of a my first smartphone. But even casual users is search of a no-frills experience expect a phone that never lets them down – and is that really possible at this price?

There isn't much competition for the Rook. The Smart First 6 from Vodafone is underwhelming, and Three's Acer Go is very similarly specced. Microsoft is offering perhaps the most compelling alternative in the form of the Lumia 435 – though none of these can connect to 4G networks.

Retailing at just £39 for existing EE pay-as-you-go customers (or £49 for everyone else) the EE Rook is a tenth of the price of the Samsung Galaxy S6, yet still packs in a 64-bit quad-core 1GHZ processor, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage, 5-megapixel camera, and a 800 x 480 resolution 4-inch screen.

Design

Not a great deal of design inspiration was required when ZTE put together the Rook for EE. It's a rather nondescript slab of black plastic, although it does manage to avoid looking either tacky or childish. Build quality is what you would expect for this price, although to give it credit, I have tested more expensive phones that flexed and creaked more than the Rook does.

The Rook measures 126 x 64 x 10.3mm and weighs 130g, meaning it doesn't feel awfully chunky in the hand, and weighs just enough to stop it feeling like a toy. Up front there's a front-facing camera, proximity sensor and notification LED above the 4-inch WVGA screen, and three capacitive buttons below.

On the left edge there's a volume rocker that rests just under your thumb or forefinger, while on the right side there's a dinky little power / wake key. Both feel perfectly responsive, and protrude enough to be easily found at a fumble.

A 3.5mm headphone socket sits on the top edge, and so (less orthodoxly) does the micro USB port. This makes the handset a little uncomfortable to use when charging, and is certainly more restrictive when trying to make a call whilst plugged in.

On the back of the Rook there's little to report: a speaker resides in the bottom left, while the fixed-focus 5-megapixel camera is centred near the top – but there's no flash. Unsurprisingly, there's also a rather large silver EE logo, but no nod to ZTE, the actual manufacturer.

The rear panel is easily removed, exposing a microSDHC card slot, microSIM slot and a replaceable 1500mAh lithium-ion battery – over 800mAh lower in capacity than the Motorola Moto E, which despite being around twice the price, is about the best 4G capable alternative.

Key features

Like every other carrier-branded smartphone, the EE Rook has little to make it stand out. The speaker is tinny and quiet, the camera and video capabilities are incredibly basic, and there's no HD screen like you'll find on the (albeit it slightly more expensive) Honor Holly.

It feels best to address the screen now, rather than dwelling on it. The colour is OK, and brightness is passable. Even the 800 x 480 resolution isn't terrible, and would have been considered pretty nice before iPhones with retina screens came along. The biggest problem? Viewing angles.

Look at the Rook's screen from any direction other head-on and the contrast disappears, making it almost impossible to share a video or photo with friends. It's almost as if ZTE rooted through the cupboards for an old screen that would fit and went "that'll do." It makes the inclusion of the Miravision enhancement an almost laughable addition, and is clearly where most of the budget was cut.

The real stand-out here is the inclusion of 4G connectivity, which means super-fast serving of videos, music and other media, but with no HD screen, limited power and lacklustre audio credentials, there's little to truly take advantage of the EE's 150mb/s maximum quoted speeds.

Call quality was passable, though the earpiece was as treble-heavy as the loudspeaker, which would suffer considerably in a busy environment.

Interface

One area where the EE Harrier did impress was with EE's decision not to screw around with Android Lollipop. And with the latest 5.1 software onboard, the same is pleasingly true of the Rook.

There are a few pre-installed applications from Amazon, as well as Deezer, Lookout security and EE's own account-checking app, but other than these (non-removable) apps, Lollipop has been left as Google intended.

Despite the super-cheap price, this latest version of Google's OS means that the Rook is compatible with the latest features and accessories, including Android Wear, Google Fit and the rest of Mountain View's app suite.

The app drawer works just as you'd expect, and appears with no delay. The notifications pane and quick settings pull down smoothly, and with the aesthetically pleasing animations you'll find on more powerful and much pricier handsets.

Delve into the settings menu, and there are two little inclusions worth mentioning. Firstly, the display menu has the addition of an option called MiraVision – a picture quality enhancement setting that attempts to improve the screen settings, or set them to the user's preference. It's similar to the Bravia settings found on Sony smartphones, but makes very little difference on the Rook in practice, because the screen is of such low resolution and quality to begin with.

The second addition is a set of sound enhancement equaliser modes found at the foot of the audio settings menu. The BesAudEnh mode creates a more dynamic sound through headphones, while the BesLoudness toggle boosts the volume of the inbuilt speaker (from pathetic to weak).

BesSurround claims to give an impression of more enveloping sound from the built-in speaker, but the effect was virtually indistinguishable through the Rook's diminutive speaker. Lastly, a Lossless BT mode allows for high quality music streaming to Bluetooth headphones.

So far you may be thinking that the Rook looks mediocre at best, but it does have a surprisingly sprightly processor at its heart. It's not exactly a benchmark buster like the HTC One M9, but considering where phones were just a couple of years ago, the 1GHz quad-core 64-bit ARM Cortex-A53 processor from Mediatek is perfectly capable of grinding through day-to-day tasks such as browsing, social network surfing and light media consumption.

Performance

The coupling of 1GB of RAM and an ARM Mali T720 GPU means that a bit of light gaming is even on the cards. However, with 8GB of system memory, and less than 3.5GB free straight out of the box, you may well run out of storage space quicker than you'd like once a few apps are installed (especially if they won't install onto a microSD card).

To give the phone the industry-standard workout, I installed the GeekBench 3 app and gave it the once over. I ran through the sequence of tests which revealed a single-core score of 488 and a multi-core score of 1,348, which actually pegs it slightly higher in the single-core test than EE's own more expensive Harrier Mini, while the multi-core score almost keeps up with the far pricier Huawei Ascend G7 which scored 1,398.

In real-world use, the Rook provides a good enough user experience. Swiping through home pages, menus and apps is as smooth as you'd expect from far more expensive Android handsets, though the limitations of 1GB of RAM show once you start to zip in and out of too many apps.

As far as the 4G performance is concerned, the Rook is compatible with EE's speedy 4G network, supporting speeds up to 150Mbps (but not the 300Mbps available in some cities around the UK). If you're thinking of taking the Rook onto another 4G network, it must support LTE at 800, 900, 1800 and 2600MHz. If you don't have 4G in your area yet, then there's always the far more widespread 3G to rely on.

Battery

Whilst it may only have a 1,500mAh Lithium-ion battery, the Rook's battery life wasn't as bad as I had expected. It easily lasted 24 hours if I didn't try and tax it with constant video streaming or gaming, although under load the battery ran down considerably quicker.

TechRadar has a standardised battery test which consists of running a 90-minute HD video at full brightness after fully charging the smartphone on test. After running this test the Rook's battery life dropped to 70%.

I would be surprised if anyone plans on watching movies of this length on the EE Rook, but the possibility is there, should you wish. If you're only using this phone for its basic features, you might even stretch the battery life to two days, as I found it rather frugal when in standby mode.

The essentials

With the latest version of Android Lollipop 5.1 on board, the EE Rook gets the software side of things pretty spot-on.

The stock phone dialler, contacts manager, and messaging app are all greatly improved and easy to use, and although the earpiece meant that call quality was quite tinny, I didn't find the signal overly poor.

Whether you preference Android's stock browser or Google Chrome, both are on hand for web browsing, which despite the limitations of a 4-inch screen is a smooth enough experience when compared to many other current smartphones.

Where software is concerned, there is nothing else particularly mind-blowing to report. Music is handled by the stock Android app, and the same goes for photos with either the Google Photos or Android gallery app on hand.

Camera

£50 can barely buy you a good compact camera, so to expect much from a smartphone at this price is wishful thinking. It has a 5-megapixel camera on the rear, and a rather pathetic 0.3-megapixel camera up front.

With a slow interface and fixed-focus optics, it seems that this is another area where ZTE cut corners when making the Rook for EE. Even in the most perfect daylight conditions, pictures feature an awful lot of noise and digital smearing, which makes most of the pictures look rather artificial. The lack of flash means that indoor shots always appear grainy and lacking in detail.

I had hoped that the camera would at least be good enough for social sharing, but the photos are only passable if you leave them un-cropped. Any zooming in exposes the lack of detail to an unusable degree.

A very underwhelming panorama mode is available, and the HDR mode is largely a waste of time – it gives photos a bright, unnatural feel rather than improving the overall contrast.

I did get a brief moment of pleasure from the multi angle viewing mode, which asks you to drag the camera from right to left around a stationary object to create a "3D" image. You can then view the photo from various angles in the gallery. However, if the subject is moving you'll just end up with a small video, not a multi-angle photo. Unfortunately, you can only view these pseudo-3D images on the phone, and the resolution is very low, so the feature is largely pointless.

The Rook's front facing camera is as poor as you would expect with 0.3-megapixels. It's barely good enough for a video call, let alone the oh-so-important selfie that will be paramount to any teenager attracted by the pocket money pricetag.

Video recording is barely worth a mention, with a maximum "fine" resolution of 864 x 480, and a number of other lower resolution options available – all the way down to a bewilderingly poor 177 x 144 pixels.

If you're looking for a more capable camera on a cheap smartphone, then you'll need to pay that bit more for a Motorola Moto E or Microsoft Lumia 640.

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There's not much to be had for £50 these days, and while there are some disappointing areas of the EE Rook, there are also positives shining through.

We liked

The quad-core 64-bit processor is surprisingly nippy, and provides a smooth experience for day-to-day apps and web browsing, without showing too much slow-down when zipping between menus.

Although the screen viewing angles are poor, the resolution is higher than some ultra-cheap smartphones around.

The latest stock version of Android Lollipop is very welcome indeed, and all the Google apps you'd expect are included too.

We disliked

The limited space means that you won't be able to install many games, and watching anything longer than a quick YouTube clip on the 4-inch screen becomes something of a chore.

The fixed-focus camera is really awful, so this phone can only be recommended to users completely uninterested in smartphone photography.

The screen viewing angles are poor and the speaker is both quiet and tinny – not best suited for sharing media with friends, that's for sure.

Final Verdict

If you're an existing EE prepay customer, the Rook can be had for under £40, and is only £50 to anyone else. At this price you're getting a full Android smartphone with access to apps, videos and maybe even the odd game, making it a perfect budget smartphone or even backup device should your main handset fail.

Being the only phone at this price point with 4G, it offers quick internet access when you're out and about, and the Rook would even serve well as a portable Wi-Fi hotspot for larger devices.

Old-hat screen technology, poor speaker and camera aside, there certainly are positives to be found in the Rook, and (with help from ZTE), EE has crammed in as much tech as is feasible for a tiny price.

If you're willing to spend a little more, consider Motorola's Moto E, or the Honor Holly, both of which still come in under £100.

First reviewed: August 2015

Fast frame rates and 4K video are the big hit features for action cameras, enabling you to capture high-quality footage. However, once the action has been captured that footage still needs to be edited and uploaded, and this process usually takes place some time after the event. That's set to change with the arrival of the 4GEE Action Camera, which features the same tough build and latest video technology, but incorporates a 4G network connection that enables you to broadcast live video as the action is happening.

Build and features

Sporting a box-style design similar to the GoPro Hero4 and Veho Muvi K2, the 4GEE features a waterproof housing to protect the camera from the elements; the housing uses the familiar lever lock system to access the camera.

On top of the housing is a window through which you can see the camera's small LCD, which displays shooting modes and other settings. On either side of this screen is a start/stop record button and a power/menu button. This simplifies the three-button setup that usually appears on box-style cameras, and it makes navigating the menus and selecting options quick and easy.

The case also features two mount slots, one on the base and the other on the back, which enable you to connect the GoPro Mount adapter. The adapter features a ready to go strap loop, so straps can be quickly added and used to connect the camera to your chosen support.

The camera can be easily used with any of the existing GoPro accessories. Out of its housing, the camera is a similar width and height to the GoPro, but it's twice the depth, and weighs in at 128g compared with the Hero 4's 75g.

On one side of the camera are the USB and MicroSD card slot – there's no direct HDMI connection. A slide cover on the back gives access to the battery, under which is a slot for the SIM card – a contract is required in order to use the 4G live streaming feature, and you can add the data contract to an existing EE contract, or pay as you go.

As well as the camera the kit also includes the Viewfinder watch, which enables you to start and stop recording, take photos and watch a live video stream direct from the camera; you can also use it as a regular watch.

Handling

The option to position the mount adapter on either the base or the back of the camera makes the 4GEE extremely easy to mount. However the extra depth does make it a little more cumbersome that the sleeker GoPro Hero, especially when it's chest mounted.

The extra bulk also means that attaching the 4GEE to a bike or vehicle requires a little extra care in order to avoid vibration or wobble, although again you have plenty of flexibility when it comes to positioning the camera. The additional depth does hinder mounting directly to a standard cycling helmet, but if you're attaching it directly to a bike or vehicle this isn't much of an issue.

Setting up the camera is quick and easy, and the interface is intuitive to use: switch on, press the power button to scroll through the modes, and the yellow button to start recording.

The 4GEE can be used on its own, but the easiest way to adjust video settings is via the 4GEE Action Camera app. Once loaded you have quick access to all settings, including video resolution from 1080p at 30fps to 480p at 120fps.

Pairing the camera with phone is straightforward. On the camera simply select Pairing, then select the phone icon on the camera's LCD and the camera is primed. Switch to your phone and locate the camera in your mobile device Wi-Fi options, select it and the two are paired. Connecting the camera to the Live View watch is equally simple.

Once the mobile pairing is done, you can boot the separate kkeegle app in order to set up the live streaming functions. Again this is relatively straightforward, and it only needs to be done once.

The app enables you to set up a direct stream from the camera over the 4G network, and invite people to view it. After this initial setup, every time you switch the camera to the live stream setting anyone in your group of contacts in the skeegle circle will be sent an email with a link to watch the stream.

The whole process is quick and simple, and once it's done you'll be able to go out riding or surfing and broadcast the events live without the need to take your mobile phone.

Image Quality

The 4GEE's small lens produces the typical action camera look, with fish-eye distortion and crisp contrast. The footage itself is well saturated, with bright vibrant colours.

Dynamic range is good, with plenty of detail in shadows and highlights, and the auto exposure works well as you move from bright conditions to shade. Where the camera really excels is in the rendering of highlights – it manages to retain detail in bright clouds where other cameras would struggle.

Comparing the auto exposure adjustment against other cameras, the 4GEE copes just as well as both the GoPro Hero4 and Muvi K2. In lower light conditions it is possible to see that the sensor struggles, with colours becoming subdued and noise becoming evident, but this is pretty standard for this size of camera, and for action cameras as a whole.

The 4GEE's video looks fine direct from camera, with good colours and sharpness. However detail within the footage is lost, especially in scenes such as grassy fields, which simply become a sea of green without detail. Large areas of single colour will also lose definition, and this is especially apparent when compared with the more subdued footage of the Muvi K2 and Hero4.

The big feature is the live view streaming, and when this mode is selected the resolution drops down to 720p at 30fps, although this is still a decent resolution, and more than adequate for playback on most mobile devices.

The quality and delay of the stream varies depending on the quality of the signal strength, but under full 4G the quality is surprisingly good. If the signal drops to 3G then the footage does become pixelated, as you'd expect, but it's still just about viewable.

The live view watch is a nice addition in theory but the quality of streaming through the watch is low, especially when compared with the Sony AS100V. The watch is also short on features, and feels more like a gimmick than a useful accessory for the camera.

Image quality falls down when the frame is filled with grass or other areas of mostly flat colour.

Dynamic range is good – there's plenty of detail visible in these bright clouds.

The auto exposure adjustment handles transitions from sunshine to shade pretty well.

The camera performs best in urban settings with plenty of contrast and detail.

We liked

The facility to broadcast live footage is a novel feature in action cams, and something that will appeal to many. Where this camera really excels is in its ability to make the action camera format truly accessible to the mass market. Both the camera and the app are easy to use for novices, and the monthly contract option will make the 4GEE attractive to those who can't afford to buy an decent action camera outright.

We disliked

Throwing loads of extras into the bundle might make it feel like you're getting value for money, but the live view watch leaves much to be desired. The quality of the stream is overly pixelated and slow, which is a shame when so much thought has been put into the rest of the product. Video quality is variable from the camera, and while footage shot in urban environments looks good, footage of fields or other expanses of similar colour lack definition.

Final verdict

The 4GEE Action Cam brings an exciting new angle to the wearable camera market with the ability to broadcast live via the 4G network and the skeegle app. The camera, live view watch and app make up a nice package, and initial setup, connection and use are straightforward, making it a good option for the non-tech savvy.

Its size and weight does make it one of the larger action cameras on the market, but the use of the GoPro-style mount and the ability to change the position of the mount gives it an edge over the likes of the Veho K2 and Toshiba Camileo X-sports in terms of flexibility – the camera can be attached to almost anything. Video quality ranges from good to mediocre, and while the resolution and frame rate options are rather limited, they'll suit the needs of most users.

At the £299 upfront price you'd expect something to rival the features and quality of the TomTom Bandit or GoPro Hero4, but the 4GEE comes nowhere close. On contract at £10 a month the 4GEE becomes more appealing, packaging the action camera experience in a fun kit, albeit one that will appeal to families rather than to serious extreme sports enthusiasts.

EE has gone big on hardware in 2015. As well as a phone line-up that offers more tech for your money than any of the big names, the EE Harrier Tab is a pretty compelling alternative to premium mid-sized tablets like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 and budget stars like the Tesco Hudl 2.

What EE really wants you to do is to sign up for one of its data contracts. Spend £16 a month on a 2GB data deal and you only have to pay £30 for the tablet itself. This means that at the end of your 24-month contract you'll have spent £414 total.

Sounds a bit rich? You can also grab one with no commitment beyond an initial £10 2GB data top-up for £199.99. That makes it a cool £150 cheaper than the 4G Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4, and just £50 more than the weaker Vodafone Tab prime 6.

Is it a steal? If you want a 4G tablet, yes. However, if you'd be happy with a Wi-Fi-only one, Samsung's Tab 8.4 is absolutely worth spending an extra £40 on.

Unlike most low-cost gadget series, the EE Harrier Tab doesn't trade away all design distinctiveness in favour of saving some pennies. Looking just like a blown-up EE Harrier phone, it has a brushed aluminium rear and a 'check out my bling' gold ring around the camera lens.

It's all for show, though. This is a plastic tablet, aside from the glass that covers the screen. On the plus side, it does feel less flimsy than its Harrier phone brothers and doesn't seem like it's been made on a dangerously tight budget. Just a reasonably tight one.

While a fake metal style is sure to put some of you off, the EE Harrier Tab isn't ridiculously shiny unless it sits under bright sunlight, and otherwise has the sort of design we're after. The screen surround sits pretty tight to the actual display while leaving enough room for your thumb to rest. This gives it an up-to-date look without making it impractical.

At just 310g, it's light enough to use in one hand without getting arm ache halfway through reading an article. Being a widescreen tablet, the Harrier Tab can still feel a bit awkward when compared with, say, an iPad mini 3, but the simple solution is to hold it a bit higher. It's narrow enough for adult hands to grasp it from side-to-side, anyway.

The Harrier Tab is based on the basic tablet blueprint that offers pretty much the perfect balance between screen size and portability. And for all its relatively loud finishing touches, it doesn't add too much to that generic tablet schematic.

It's not waterproof, the back cover is non-removable, and the SIM and microSD slots sit under a plastic flap on the side. These last two are important parts of the Harrier Tab's arsenal. 4G tablets at £200 are very rare, but having an SD card slot gives the Harrier an advantage over the Nexus 7.

Key features and performance

The EE Harrier Tab's screen is, as with any tablet, one of its most important features. This isn't a display that's out to trash all competition with insane sharpness and super-rich colour. Instead, it does what the Moto G did for the phone market: it provides a good baseline level of quality that can be compared with much more expensive devices without looking like an embarrassment.

It has an 8-inch Full HD IPS LCD screen. That equates to 275ppi: not so sharp you have to kiss the screen with your eyeball to see the pixels, but not pixel-poor enough to make it an issue unless you're looking for reasons to complain.

Colour performance is at a similar level. Shades appear fairly subdued and relaxed next to top-end tablets like the Sony Xperia Z4 Tab, and I don't expect it fills out the entire sRGB colour gamut.

However, it's also quite pleasant to look at. Try-hard over-saturated displays can look far more jarring than relaxed ones like the EE Harrier Tab's, and it has a natural-looking tone.

The white balance is on the warm side too, which only makes the display all the more easy-going.

It seems to be a quality panel too. The EE Harrier Tab doesn't lose all brightness as soon as you view it from an extreme angle, and being IPS, there's no severe contrast shift. From one angle the blacks go a bit blue, but it's an angle you'd never view it from unless you were trapped under a bookcase, and texting your nan became your only hope of survival.

It's a nice screen, roughly taking what Asus did with the Nexus 7 and blowing it up to eight inches instead of seven. The only elephant in the room is the Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4, which has a larger, sharper display, better colour, and a squatter aspect ratio some will prefer.

The Wi-Fi-only version of that tablet is available for £249, just £40 extra when you factor-in the £10 top-up the Harrier Tab demands. Bear this in mind.

The EE Harrier Tab also packs in far fewer bonus features than its Samsung rival. There's no Wi-Fi ac, IR transmitter or fingerprint scanner.

Would we expect them in a £200 tablet that has clearly invested in a good screen? Of course not, but a few do offer the odd bit extra. The cheaper LG G Pad 8.0 has IR, for example. It also has a pretty rubbish screen, though, so let's not big it up too much.

The Harrier Tab picks its battles, and only a few of them. One obvious, deliberate point is that the tablet has dual speakers, firing to each side of the screen to give you a stereo effect when watching films and playing games in landscape orientation.

Front speakers are very welcome when they sound good, but unfortunately the Harrier Tab's don't. Their front-facing position is a red herring as they sound as thin and tinny as lower-grade phone speakers, and offer fairly poor top volume. The Tesco Hudl 2 in particular offers far better speakers than these.

Storage in the Harrier Tab won't blow you away either, but asking for more than the supplied 16GB from a £200 4G tablet is like expecting someone in the lunch queue to buy your meal every time you visit the sandwich shop.

You get just under 10GB to play with after the system has had its way with the memory, and we're pretty happy with that, given you can also plug in a microSD card to store a larger media library.

The software mirrors exactly what you get in EE's Harrier phones. The only EE app here is My EE, which is a basic account portal to let you find out what's up with your EE SIM, contract, and so on.

If the Harrier Tab only had this, it'd have the least offensive bloatware garb of any network-branded tablet. However, EE has also signed up with a bunch of third parties, preinstalling their apps as 'system' apps you can't get rid of. Damn.

These include Amazon (five apps), Deezer, and the security suite Lookout. I hope EE is getting something out of this, as I doubt many people would choose to have this exact array installed. It's hardly the motherload of bloat, though, and doesn't kill the internal storage by any means. Or compromise performance.

Android Lollipop has caused quite a few performance issues in lower-cost phones and tablets, but here it performs as well as any rival Android for day-to-day use. Apps are quick to load, and, unlike other Lollipop-enabled devices, the homescreen didn't take an age to pop in.

On occasion, certain transition animations become slightly jagged, but I didn't stumble on any annoying issues: a relief.

If you currently use an Android 4.4 KitKat, you may find the Harrier Tab lacks that extra hit of zippiness, but this is really a characteristic of Android Lollipop. It looks and feels great, but just isn't as laser-fire fast.

The EE Harrier has Qualcomm's 2015 mid-range mobile computer CPU, the Snapdragon 615. It's a bit like an upscale Snapdragon 410, used in loads of budget phones, but with double the number of cores to let it cope with the extra demands of a 1080p device.

More pixels means more power needed, in other words.

The Snapdragon 615 is an octa-core CPU, with Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 1.5GHz and 1GHz. There are four of each. These cores aren't as powerful as the Cortex-A57s you get in more expensive devices, but there are a lot of them. There's also 2GB RAM backing up the CPU. That's the usual amount for this processor, but it's still a good load for a cheaper tablet.

Don't get too excited about the 64-bit CPU, though. There are few benefits to having a 64-bit Android device at this point, even if the architecture has something to do with the generational speed improvements in Qualcomm's 2015 Snapdragon range.

In Geekbench 3, the EE Harrier Tab scores 2324 points, significantly outperforming the Vodafone Smart Tab Prime 6. It's very close in performance to the Tesco Hudl 2, which uses a quad-core Intel CPU to get roughly the same level result.

The quad-core Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 does significantly better, generally scoring around 2700-odd points. Of course, there's an argument it has greater need for that power as it has a much higher screen resolution.

In AnTuTu, the Harrier Tab scores 32338 points, which is a very solid score and close to the Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4's results.

Where it falls down is the Java Sunspider benchmark, which is roughly a guide on how quickly a device can render web content. It completes the test in 1602ms, far slower than the Tesco Hudl 2 (> 800ms). This proves that sometimes it's better to use a device with a small amount of powerful cores than loads of fairly low-power ones.

The important question here is whether it affects the EE Harrier Tab's real-life performance. And it doesn't, not seriously anyway. There's actual more interface lag in the Tesco Hudl 2 than here. The Snapdragon 615 also has a reputation for getting quite hot, but I had no issues of that sort.

This isn't the most efficient, longest-lasting tablet in town, though. It has a 4650mAh battery, which is expected from a tablet of this size.

In TechRadar's full brightness video test, which involves playing a 90 minute 720p video, the EE Harrier Tab lost 32% charge. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 lost just 13%, although it was particularly good at lasting a long time during video playback.

This means you'll get through three films at max brightness before the Harrier Tab dies. However, you'll see substantially better results if you turn the brightness down.

At one point I used the Harrier Tab to stream a film off Netflix using 4G, and it only lost around 20% charge over the space of an hour. The display is clearly pretty hungry at max brightness.

The essentials and camera

The EE Harrier Tab has two cameras, an 8-megapixel rear camera and a 2-megapixel up front. This is the sort of setup you get in a lot of budget phones. Some probably even use the same sensors.

Given a very simple scene, the Harrier Tab can produce a reasonable shot. But it craps out far more duds than hits. Its dynamic range and metering are very poor, resulting in dead-looking shots. And it has a tendency to get the white balance quite wrong, resulting in a purple/blue hue across images.

There's not too much shutter lag to the EE Harrier Tab camera, so using it doesn't become frustrating in that respect. However, it does struggle to focus on anything close up. To get anything approaching a macro-style photo, I had to use the digital zoom, which radically cuts down the detail in the final shot.

Colours are generally a little muted. Among mobile device cameras we're talking about an entry-level performance, and a fairly poor one at that.

There are also issues common to most tablets. Handling the EE Harrier Tab for anything but 'wide angle'-style landscape shots feels quite awkward, and is going to do nothing for your street cred.

Then there's the screen. While you might assume the big display will be great for previewing images, on a sunny day its reflectivity makes seeing what's on there a bit tricky. For a tablet, its visibility is fine, but let's not forget: only the iPad Air 2 offers a proper anti-reflective coating among tablets.

It doesn't have an oleophobic layer either. It loves fingerprints, in other words.

Tablets never excel as cameras in my opinion, but they are great at other things. The EE Harrier is a fantastic web browser, offering the stock Android browser and Chrome, plus the standard Android Lollipop keyboard.

The real winner is 4G support, of course. If you can afford the data allowance, for streaming Netflix or just reading the odd article, it's a smash. The EE Harrier Tab doesn't try to get too flash with multi-tasking like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4, but it's no great loss when Lollipop makes switching between apps easy.

The EE Harrier Tab is a tablet of greater taste than its shiny-as-you-like fake metal rear might suggest. It doesn't have an EE-heavy interface, performs very well, and has a practical design that is both light and practical.

If the idea of a 4G tablet appeals, this is one of the best budget options. It is much better than the Vodafone alternative, the Smart Tab prime 6, thanks to its higher-quality screen.

However, if mobile internet is something you can live without, the Tesco Hudl2 is an even better buy at a jaw-dropping £99. And if you can afford a bit more, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 offers a bunch of worthwhile benefits.

We liked

General performance is good, with none of the app loading pauses and icon pop-up problems we've seen in cheaper Android Lollipop devices.

Having 4G at this price is great too. While EE's deals generally mean keeping a tight rein on your use, watching films and videos on a large screen like this is much more rewarding than on a 5-inch phone.

A lot of that is down to the screen. While the pixel density is not Retina-like, it's not far off, and the display has a relaxed, natural tone that doesn't try to overcook its colours.

We disliked

In bright sunlight, the fake metal glints in a way that looks a bit gaudy. We didn't expect real metal at the price, but pretend metal should do its best not to scream at you.

Battery life isn't anything like iPad-grade. You won't get close to 10 hours unless you use the EE Harrier Tab very lightly, with fairly low screen brightness.

Like a lot of lower-cost tablets, the cameras are poor too. But do you really want to use a tablet as your main camera?

While we're happy with the EE Harrier Tab prioritising the basics over fluffy extras, it's a shame there's no IR blaster, which can be used to control TVs and so on.

Verdict

Aside from a cod-metal back, there's little flashiness to the EE Harrier Tab. With this in mind it has all the elements needed to made a decent, modern tablet.

The screen is good quality and the right size, with enough power to make it perform well, and the design is both modern and practical.

The price isn't as insanely aggressive as the Tesco Hudl 2 and you can get a few more features from non-4G tablets at the price. But it's a good buy if you want something with mobile internet skills.

First reviewed: July 2015

EE is recalling a number of its Power Bar portable chargers over risk of overheating.

All Power Bars with the model number E1-06 are being recalled, after EE identified that this particular batch poses a fire risk. If your Bar has any other number on, the company says you're safe.

If you do have an E1-06 model (written on the side of the Bar) then EE says you should immediately unplug it from any handset or mains.

You should then return it to your local EE store - you'll be issued with a replacement at a later date. EE's also suspended its swap program while it investigates the problem.

"It's our intention to replace these chargers once we've completed our investigations; we'll be in touch once these have been concluded," said EE. "We're really sorry for any inconvenience this may cause."

Just a few days ago, a medical student burned her hands after her Power Bar exploded while charging her laptop. We suspect this recall isn't a coincidence.

EE's full guidelines can be found here.

If you bought the HTC One M9 on EE you'll now be able to take advantage of the network's Wi-Fi calling.

EE's Wi-Fi calling allows you to make calls and texts over your Wi-Fi connection meaning you won't need to eat into your monthly allowances and can have signal all over your home or even on the London Underground.

The only issue is you will need to have bought the phone directly from EE's retail channels – if you haven't you won't be able to get the service.

As for those who have, just update your software when you next get a notification and it'll be bunged in.

We're hoping EE keeps supporting more handsets – at the moment it's only the HTC One M9, iPhone 5C, iPhone 5S, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, Samsung Galaxy S6, Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge, Samsung Galaxy S5 and the Microsoft Lumia 640.

• Everything you need to know on Wi-Fi calling

EE has just added a new smartphone to its line up called the Rook, and it's the most affordable 4G smartphone available in the UK right now.

The Rook costs £49 for new customers, but if you're already on EE you can get it for just £39. Bear in mind you'll need to get £10 credit to buy it though - so it'll be £59 for new customers and £49 for existing.

The design isn't much to lust over but under the hood is a 1GHz quad-core MediaTek processor, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage, microSD support of up to 32GB and a 1,500mAh battery - plus Android 5.1 Lollipop.

Low cost 4G

There's a 4-inch display with a 480 x 800 resolution, a 5MP rear shooting camera and a lacklustre 0.3MP snapper on the front - that said for this cheap price you really can't knock it.

The best part comes is the 4G connectivity which we've never seen at this low price.

There are also a selection of accessories to go alongside the phone including a car charger, memory cards and sadly even a selfie stick.

• EE previously revealed an action camera.

We must warn you before you continue reading, this is about to get ugly. Those of a nervous disposition may not want to continue as we've just witnessed the most awkward rap battle of... well, of the day.

Both Tesco Mobile and EE managed to enter into the worst rap battle of all time after London based band The Tailormade kicked it all off on Twitter. Clearly The Tailormade are intent on initiating the apocalypse as the band teased both the companies into the fight with the following tweet.

Tesco was first to kick off the proceedings teasing the rival network for its reliance on the actor Kevin Bacon in its marketing materials.

EE had no other choice - it had to point out Bacon doesn't really rhyme with shakin' even though it totally does.

Quick, get some aloe vera for that sick burn. Tesco was clearly put off its game as it failed to light up the crowd when it cracked out the word "bantz".

EE then freestyled the awful rhyme of "thyme" and "time." FRESH.

Tesco then cracked out the line that most sounds like something your mum would say when trying to look cool in front of your mates.

Then EE dropped out with some facts and figures. We're not sure if we can forgive them for saying "SOZ" though.

But Tesco wouldn't let it drop – they couldn't let EE get away with that top banta.

Finally it all got a little sad as Tesco tried desperately to keep it going and EE blissfully ignored them. Just put the dog to sleep guys.

So we've all learned something today. Now both social media managers can go back to handling the thousands of angry tweeters they deal with every day.

Hot on the heels of its duo of low-cost, 4G Harrier smartphones, EE has launched a complementing tablet to prop up its affordable onslaught on the mobile devices industry.

The EE Harrier Tab sports an 8-inch full HD display, 1.5GHz octa-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, microSD slot and a 4650mAh battery. Oh, and it obviously has superfast 4G capabilities too.

It's taking over from the Huawei-made EE Eagle which launched last year, inheriting its £199.99 PAY G price tag, while pay monthly deals start at £18 per month for 10GB of data if you want the Harrier Tab for free.

Stacks up well

You'll find Android 5.1 Lollipop on board, while for camera fans a 2MP front snapper is joined by an 8MP rear facing option.

All this means it stacks up surprisingly well against the iPad mini 3 (starting at £319) which boasts a 7.9-inch 1536 x 2048 display, 1.3GHz dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM, although it does sport larger internal storage options and a sizable 6470mAH battery.

If you're tempted by the EE Harrier Tab it's on sale now in store and online.

EE has been revealing new hardware left, right and center for the last year with in-car Wi-Fi devices, phones and tablets galore – but no-one really saw this coming.

The next device from EE is an action camera designed for those who do extreme sports and want to show off their activities to the world through live streaming.

It's called the 4GEE Action Camera - catchy right - and it's set to do battle with the likes of GoPro and Sony in the world of small, compact and durable shooters.

EE claims the Action Camera is also useful for those who want to share content with their family, but it's clear the main market here is those who want to live stream their active lifestyles.

This isn't made to look particularly pretty. EE has designed this camera to take a few knocks if you're out doing some active live streaming. You're meant to be diving off of cliffs, throwing yourself around in the sky and landing on a big pillow when using this little beast.

On top you'll find a blue power button, with a yellow one on the other side to record. Once you're in the menus these then turn into navigation buttons but there's not really much to do in these menus.

You're just looking to hit record, live stream and maybe pause for a few moments.

It's pretty chunky compared to some of those offered by GoPro, but I expect that's to pack in all the connectivity technology needed to make the live streaming element possible. If you're using one of these you don't need it to be particularly slim, I'd rather have it feel tough and sturdy.

When the 4GEE Action Camera is in its protective case you can throw it around without worrying about it getting damaged. It doesn't look great but it means your camera is more likely to survive the rough and tumble you're going to put it through.

Pictured above is the head connector so you can stick it onto a helmet as well but you'll have to buy this separately.

The EE Action Camera is capable of recording in Full HD as well as taking 13MP stills. There is also the option to record in 60fps to give actions videos a much faster look.

I didn't get the chance to record on the device but we saw some live footage from the top of Wembley stadium that looked great. Look at this guy without a harness wandering around on the iconic white arch.

There was some internet connectivity issues for a little while, but after a few moments it settled down and we were in the Full HD stream where the content looked great. If you were watching on a phone screen you'd be delighted with the quality. Obviously that all depends on the internet quality as well - will you be able to do this kind of streaming directly from Mount Snowden?

This is the first action camera available on the market that can stream directly to the internet. You'll be able to use 4G, 3G and even lower signals to stream your content directly to a service called Skeegle.

There is currently no intention at EE to spread out with further live streaming sites so you'll have to be signing up to a Skeegle account in order to live stream directly.

EE claimed live streaming Full HD content to the service would take 1GB of internet for every hour streamed, which isn't bad.

If you're not intending on live streaming your antics you can just record directly to a SD card up to 64GB. From the looks of it there isn't any on board storage here to record to. EE did push the fact you can then upload your footage to any social networking site you want to from there.

In the box you'll find a few accessories to accompany the 4GEE Action Camera. One of them is the hardy case to protect the camera. There isn't much access to the ports around the camera so you'll need to take it out to get to your SD card. But it does means it's waterproof meaning it can survive up to 60M of the wet stuff.

It also comes paired with a wearable so you can see exactly what you're recording at that time. It's a watch but don't expect an EE alternative to Android Wear – this is just a little screen to catch what you're recording.

From there you're able to switch up your recording by pausing footage, sharing it to a livestream

Early verdict

EE's Action Camera is an interesting concept – being able to stream in high quality from an action cam is a brand new idea and will work wonders for those who are into their extreme sports.

The issue is where you'll be using it though – will you get a full connection when climbing a mountain or will it be possible to use it on the other side of the planet?

All of this remains to be seen but it'd be a much more interesting concept if it was a little cheaper.

You'll be able to pick up the camera from June 16 with a launch deal of £10 a month for 24 months with a free camera. Getting the camera for free is a great bonus but does anyone really want to pay a monthly fee for an action camera? You're going to have to use it quite a bit to do that.

If you're buying it outright it'll cost £299.99 - more than some other action cameras from bigger names, and certainly more than the HTC RE.

If you're into extreme sports and sharing your life in that way though, the 4GEE Action Camera will be right up your street.

EE has announced the world's first 4G live streaming action camera to compete with the likes of apps such as Periscope and Meerkat, as well as GoPro's own tech.

It's a rugged action camera designed for extreme sports and family moments alike.

EE's camera comes with a rugged casing to allow it to go under 60M of water and survive certain drops, although EE hasn't revealed any figures just yet.

The camera takes footage in Full HD, with the option to use 60fps and take still photos from 13MP. There's even the option to toggle between resolution qualities on the fly.

EE-nteresting

Footage can be streamed to Skeegle directly or saved onto a microSD card up to 64GB and shared from there.

As for battery life, EE claims the camera will be capable of three hours live streaming at a time.

Packaged with the camera is a hardy case as well as a watch to see what you're recording. The only functionality on the wearable is a screen showing what you're currently recording, recording controls and the ability to tell the time.

The aim is to produce a camera "where mobile wouldn't survive" and offer users an option to create "live, instant and spur of the moment broadcasts." EE revealed to TechRadar it would be producing more action cameras in the future, this is only the first step.

EE will release the camera on June 16 with pre-orders kicking off from today.

As for pricing it's available on contacts with shared plans including £99 up front and £10 a month from there or £15 a month for 24 months. It'll also be available on pay-as-you-go contracts.

• Read our EE Harrier review.

With its £99 price tag and sub-5-inch display, the EE Harrier Mini is clearly the direct successor to last year's EE Kestrel. But has the market for affordable, respectably built 4G phones moved on too much for the UK network's new phone to wow in the same way?

If you cast your mind back to early 2014, access to the UK's emerging 4G networks was reserved for high-end phones with premium specs and price points. EE changed all of that with the EE Kestrel.

Here was a phone that provided blistering broadband-like data speeds over your mobile network (if you lived in a major town or city, at least) for a fifth of the price of an iPhone 5S.

The subsequent launch of the second generation Moto G and Moto E, plus a whole bunch of cheap Lumias, has all but obliterated the Kestrel's unique selling point – and these rivals offer superior hardware to boot.

The EE Harrier Mini looks to restore the UK network's advantage with some notably improved specs, all for the same low price.

Design

The EE Harrier is a completely different machine to the EE Kestrel, something that's evident from the moment you first open that bright yellow box and hold the device in your hand.

At 138 x 67.9 x 9.5mm, it sits in the hand nicely, and it's not too heavy at 124g. Coming straight from a Sony Xperia Z3 Compact, which has a similar-sized screen, it felt flabbier yet flimsier and a lot less solid. But then, that's no disgrace against one of the best-built phones out there – and one that costs three or four times the money.

From the front, the Harrier Mini is a pleasingly blank slate of almost Nexus proportions, with plain black bezels and an all-glass frontage. There are no capacitive buttons this time, with the three main Android controls handled in the OS itself.

This serves to reduce the size of the Harrier Mini's bezels compared to the EE Kestrel, but it's a shame the manufacturer, Ben-Q, didn't go further. Such are the constraints of building a modern phone to an extreme budget, I suppose.

From the back it's a very different story, with a slightly shiny, brushed metal effect cover that puts me in mind of the HTC One M9. That's dispelled as soon as you touch it, of course, as it's pure plastic.

This slightly chintzy feel continues with the mirrored EE symbol and a slightly gaudy yellowy-gold camera surround.

A final point to make on the rear of the Harrier Mini is its speaker placement. Sitting on the back of the phone is hardly ideal for clarity as it is, but its position towards the bottom also makes it all too easy to cover the speaker with your hand.

The physical side buttons are simple plastic affairs that are a little too spongy and wobbly, but the main issue with them is that they're oddly positioned. We've all grown accustomed to having both power and volume controls on the right edge of our phones, but here the power button has been relocated to the left edge.

It's perfectly reachable, but it might require a surprisingly lengthy relearning process before reaching for the power becomes instinctual. I found that this irritation was exacerbated by the lack of a double-tap to wake function in the Harrier Mini's software.

All in all, the Harrier Mini lacks the restrained classiness and premium feel of Motorola's budget handsets, but at least it's distinctive.

Arguably the biggest and most obvious improvement over the EE Kestrel is the EE Harrier Mini's display. It's both bigger and sharper, with the older phone's 4.5-inch qHD (that's quarter high definition, or 960 x 540) screen replaced by a 4.7-inch 1,280 x 720 example.

No, it's not the Full HD display of the larger EE Harrier, but 720p is more than adequate for screens of this size. The aforementioned Sony Xperia Z3 Compact has the same resolution, while even the iPhone 6 isn't far off.

Basically, the EE Harrier Mini's screen is plenty sharp enough, and we're glad to see such a resolution appearing in the entry-level market.

Unfortunately, though, resolution isn't the whole story when it comes to producing crisp images. The picture appears washed out and even a little murky and grainy, while colours lack the pop and contrast of handsets just slightly further up the cost chain (such as the Moto G).

Still, as budget smartphones go, the EE Harrier Mini's display is pretty decent.

Clearly the main attraction of the EE Harrier Mini will be its £99 price tag which, when combined with the assurance of being an official product of the UK's biggest mobile network, will inspire many an impromptu purchase.

But EE's name on the back of the device counts for far more than just a seal of approval. It means that the Harrier Mini provides access to the most advanced network in the country.

EE's 4G reach is unmatched by the other three major networks, providing high data speeds across a good proportion of the country. Even in areas where you can't get EE coverage, the company is aggressively expanding its reach like no other.

In my part of the country, I have decent 4G coverage through Three when out and about, but this doesn't extend inside my flat. With the EE Harrier Mini it does – albeit fairly weakly.

The other key EE-related feature here – and one that's now far more unique than cheap 4G – is Wi-Fi calling. The EE Harrier Mini is the cheapest way to access this handy feature.

So what is Wi-Fi calling? It really is as simple as it sounds, meaning that the EE Harrier Mini will use an available Wi-Fi connection to make voice calls and send texts where necessary.

You might think that this is nothing special, and that we've had VoIP calling for years. That's true, but true Wi-Fi calling is special because it integrates the feature seamlessly into your everyday usage, with no separate apps or settings.

You won't even notice that it's in operation – it just goes about its business vastly expanding your phone's connectivity without any fuss. It'll be particularly useful for those who suffer from troublesome indoors black spots.

The final key feature of the EE Harrier Mini is also incredibly simple – but sadly all too rare. As before, EE has packed its phone with stock Android, and in this case that means Android 5.0 Lollipop.

We're big fans of Google's latest mobile OS version. It's crisp, stylish, intuitive, and it handles notifications better than any of its rivals.

There's more detail about this interface in the next section, but for now suffice to say that its inclusion in a non-Nexus device still feels bizarrely special. EE deserves praise for leaving well alone – something that Samsung, HTC, and LG in particular seem frustratingly unwilling to do.

Performance

Even if you warm to the EE Harrier Mini's design flourishes and overlook the limitations of its display, you'll realise it's a budget phone the moment you log in to your Google account and start the usual app update process.

This initial procedure instantly highlights the EE Harrier Mini's performance shortcomings. Its 1.2GHz quad-core processor backed by 1GB of RAM will see you through the phone's home screens and single, simple, isolated tasks just fine.

But the moment there's something intensive going on in the background – such as a bunch of apps updating – you'll encounter noticeable stutters and pauses.

If we were to point a finger, it would probably be at that 1GB of RAM, which increasingly seems insufficient for a modern Android-powered phone – though it's still par for the course at this price point.

Indeed, the Harrier Mini holds its own next to similarly priced phones like the Moto E in our standard Geekbench 3 benchmark test. An average multi-core score of 1,499 puts it ever so slightly ahead of the Moto E at 1421, and well ahead of its predecessor, the EE Kestrel, at 1,190.

Going back to that topic of limited memory for a second, now would perhaps be a good time to mention the EE Harrier Mini's severe lack of internal storage. 4GB is simply too small an amount of default storage, budget handset or no – and there's actually only 3.69GB available once the Android OS has taken its slice.

Yes, there's a microSD slot for expansion purposes, but Android 5.0's management of such additional storage remains fiddly and limited. You're completely unable to shift across the core apps that come pre-installed, which leaves you critically short of space for additional apps from the off. I found myself bumping up against the limits and juggling installed apps alarmingly quickly.

In particular, trying to download some of the richer games on the Google Play Store in order to test the phone's performance proved an impossibility without hefty app and media pruning.

Again, this isn't uncommon among cheaper phones, but it's a problem that needs pointing out.

Hardware issues aside, the EE Harrier Mini is a pleasant and fairly slick device to use, and that's largely thanks to the stock Android 5.0 Lollipop OS.

When you consider some of the cheap and nasty smartphones with their ugly custom UIs that you used to get for £100 not so long ago, this really is a massive step forward.

The notification system alone is worth the meagre price of entry, with tactile lock screen and drop-down banners that enable you to reply and interact there and then.

I'm also pleased to see that Google's Ambient Display feature has been included, which provides a low-power black and white preview of new notifications, along with the time. Tap this and you'll be taken to the full-colour lock screen, and from there you can respond to the notification.

The only visible sign of EE meddling with the stock Android 5.0 OS is an ugly ad widget and one for Amazon, both of which can be removed with minimal hassle. EE has packed in its own camera app as well, which isn't the best I've ever encountered – but I'll deal with that in the appropriate section.

Battery life

Peel off the EE Harrier Mini's disconcertingly flimsy back plate and you'll spot its 2,000mAh battery. Like the Kestrel before it, you can't remove this power pack, which is a bit of a shame given the easy access.

However, that's about the biggest complaint I have when it comes to the Harrier Mini's battery. There are no issues with the amount of time it lasts in between charges.

The usual TechRadar battery test involves playing a 90 minute, 720p video with the screen brightness turned right up, and seeing how much battery life it leaves you with.

The average score I got with the EE Harrier Mini was 75%, which is pretty standard for a modern smartphone of this size and nature. More importantly, perhaps, it represents a 5% improvement over the EE Kestrel. Considering that phone had a lower resolution display, that's quite an achievement.

It's also pretty much even stevens with the 2014 Moto G.

Of course, few EE Harrier Mini owners will be watching full-length movies on it day-to-day, I suspect. Fortunately, where the phone's stamina really shows through is in general day to day usage.

I found that I could sail through a day of moderate usage, including taking a whole bunch of photos, watching some brief videos, some light web browsing, making a five minute phone call, and dealing with the usual stream of notifications, with plenty of power to spare.

In fact, switch the phone onto airplane mode or off altogether overnight, and you'll be able to last through a good portion of the following day too.

Thanks to the inclusion of stock Android 5.0, the EE Harrier Mini is a pleasant phone to use for the everyday essentials.

Android Lollipop's regular dialler is much improved over previous versions, with a clean design and a smart dialler that will provide smart contact predictions as you type out the number.

When you hit the call button and connect to those contacts, you'll find that call quality is clear enough – though not as strong as more expensive handsets. You don't seem to get quite the same level of ambient noise reduction as you would if you had spent another £100 or so on a phone, but I didn't experience any dropped calls.

Messaging

On the messaging front, EE has gone with the slightly old fashioned Messaging app from Android versions past. This relic of the Android 4.X era looks and feels a little clunky and out of place on stock Android 5.0 – especially surrounded by the rest of Google's Material Design-inflected apps.

You also get Google's Hangouts pre-installed as standard, which gives you the option of running your SMS messages through it. This is a much more faithful Android 5.0 experience, but it might be a little fiddly and convoluted for some, particularly if you have no interest in using Hangouts' IM and video calling elements.

Either way, you might want to consider downloading Google's new Messenger app from the Google Play Store, which basically provides the simple functionality of the default one with the fresh Material Design flourishes of Hangouts.

Whichever messaging app you choose to go with, you'll be using Google's own keyboard as standard. This is a good thing, as it's quick, accurate, reliable, easy on the eye, and flexible. You can tap out messages or swipe-to-type without having to change anything in the settings, there's a powerful word prediction system that learns from your inputs, and there are even several themes to choose from.

Naturally there are plenty of third party alternatives to choose from on the Google Play Store if you don't get on with this stock keyboard, but most people won't need them.

Browsing

Web browsing on the EE Harrier Mini is a bit of a mixed bag. On the plus side, Chrome is clearly presented as the default browser. The other, generic Android browser is also present, but at least it's kept tucked away in the app menu.

Actually viewing websites here is generally sound, but I encountered a couple of anomalies. At times it almost feels like you're doing so on a much less sharp display.

I noticed an ugly grid-like effect that was particularly visible on certain websites with heavy blocks of colour – particularly reds and greys. The issue wasn't apparent on other devices with displays of a similar size and resolution.

In most situations this doesn't seem to be a problem, I should note, but it appears enough to be a distraction.

I've mentioned how the EE Harrier Mini's single rear-mounted speaker is far from ideally placed, and even unobstructed its output is fairly weedy. It's perfectly loud and clear enough for casual video watching, but we wouldn't recommend consuming anything deeper like movies or music without a set of headphones or speakers.

We've experienced a notable rise in budget smartphone camera quality in recent times, and the EE Harrier Mini would appear to confirm that. It's an 8-megapixel unit, which is much higher than the 5-megapixel standard we've grown used to.

By default, however, you'll find that it's set to take 6-megapixel snaps in a 16:9 aspect ratio. Bump it up to full 8MP and you'll be forced into a squarer 4:3 view, with thick black borders appearing in the app accordingly.

Regardless of aspect ratio, though, you can capture some reasonable images in ideal conditions. It's certainly capable of far more than we used to expect from sub-£100 smartphones – at least when it comes to evenly lit close-to-medium distance shots.

As soon as you switch to taking anything more challenging, such as a landscape shot with any kind of variance in dynamic range, the Harrier Mini struggles. There's an HDR mode here, but it doesn't kick in automatically. This turns out to be a good thing, because it's not very good at all.

Hit the HDR toggle and you're in for some weird, unreal shots filled with fuzzy edges and over-exposed mid-ground elements. You're better off leaving the HDR toggle off most if not all of the time.

The camera app, too, is a bit of a misstep. It appears to be a custom job from EE, and while the controls are intuitive and well laid out, there are a couple of issues.

It can very slow to boot up for one thing – though inconsistently so. Sometimes it was there as soon as I pressed the camera app icon, while sometimes it seemed to take seconds to appear.

Another thing I found irritating was the Motorola-like touch-to-shoot system that EE has employed as its default setting. While you touch the screen to focus, like on any other smartphone, here you'll also automatically take a snap whenever you do.

That would be tolerable if the focusing system was more reliable. As it is, you'll often find yourself taking lots of out-of-focus snaps of the same thing, when all you wanted to do was find the right level of focus and then use the shutter button (which still exists here) to take a single accurate shot.

Fortunately you can toggle this off, but how many EE Harrier Mini buyers will even think to fiddle with the menus in this way, I wonder?

Talking of the menu toggles, I also found that the Harrier Mini would take these touch-to-shoot snaps when I was in fact touching the edge area where the settings commands live.

Again, all of these criticisms should be tempered by the fact that this is a budget smartphone. You're still getting a fair performance for your £100, and you'll certainly take the odd snap that will surprise you with its quality. Regardless of budget, however, the Harrier Mini's camera simply isn't consistent or reliable enough.

Click here for the full-res image

Click here for the full-res image

Click here for the full-res image

Click here for the full-res image

Click here for the full-res image

Click here for the full-res image

The EE Harrier Mini is another strong budget offering and a step forward from last year's Kestrel in many ways, but stronger competition and raised expectations leave us somewhat less impressed this time around.

We liked

The EE Harrier Mini is a neatly designed budget smartphone with a number of stand-out features we're not used to seeing at this price point.

The 4.7-inch 720p display offers a well-sized and unusually sharp picture for such an affordable phone.

We've grown used to seeing 4G in cheaper handsets now, but EE's Wi-Fi calling is a less common – but no less useful – way to boost coverage.

Almost as rare is the device that runs stock Android 5.0 Lollipop, but the EE Harrier Mini joins this exclusive club, and benefits greatly from the clean, polished experience it provides.

We disliked

EE has done well to mask the Harrier Mini's budget underpinnings, but they show through in a number of ways.

From the slightly drab display to some noticeable performance issues when under load, the Harrier Mini can't quite escape its bottom-of-the-barrel parts list.

Nowhere is that more apparent – or more painful – than in the Harrier Mini's lack of internal storage, which bites a lot quicker than we would have liked.

While the 8-megapixel camera initially appears to punch above its budget, it's a little too inconsistent and limited in real world usage.

Final verdict

EE has turned out another strong, pocketable budget phone with a number of stand-out specifications. It's tough to find a phone that ticks as many boxes for just £100.

Box ticking doesn't always equate to real world usage however, and when you put the Harrier Mini to work its limitations soon manifest themselves. Inconsistent is the word that springs to mind here, both in terms of general performance and particularly the phone's photographic capabilities.

Unfortunately for EE, the Harrier Mini finds itself flanked in price terms by the second-generation Moto E and Moto G, and both present slightly more solid, balanced, and appealing packages overall.

First reviewed: April 2015