EE, one of UK’s leading mobile operators, on Friday announced it has added a whopping 5.7 million customers to its 4G network in 2014.
The increase in user numbers brings EE’s 4G user base to around 7.7 million users, with the operator’s network now covering more than 80 percent of the UK.
EE revealed it gained a hefty 1.7 million of those new customers in the last two months of 2014 alone, suggesting the holiday season – a time when people often buy new smartphones – may have attributed to the boost.
Rivals O2, Vodafone and Three have also rolled out 4G services in the U.K., though EE remains the market leader with double the subscribers of its nearest competitor O2 which accounts for around 3 million 4G LTE customers.
EE currently offers 4G services in 510 UK towns and cities and 3,894 villages. Hastings, Worthing, Worcester, Scunthorpe, Crewe, Rugby, Bognor Regis, Stratford-Upon-Avon, Bangor and Llandudno, are among the areas to have recently switched on to 4G. The operator plans to hit 98 per cent population coverage by the end of 2015.
The mobile operator also revealed that its 4G+ offering is on the way, and that areas in London and other cities
will avail the new offering in the months to come.
The announcement comes as the T-Mobile/Orange-owned mobile operator continues acquisition talks with BT for a deal worth £12.5bn.