News / 4G in Lerwick today, rest of Shetland by 2017
THIS WEEKEND saw Lerwick leap into the modern age with its first experience of 4G mobile connectivity, giving superfast internet access on handheld phones.
EE, now the UK’s largest mobile operator and part of communications giant BT, has just announced Lerwick is the first of many locations in Shetland that will soon be able to enjoy a 4G signal this year.
The company says that it will complete 4G coverage across the whole of Shetland and all its islands by the summer of 2017.
Shetland Islands Council’s economic development director Neil Grant said the switch was “hugely important” for Shetland, not just for local businesses, but also to make it a place people want to live, work in and visit.
“From local residents to businesses, there is a growing reliance on mobile devices to provide greater access to information and enable easier communication with customers,” he said.
New EE chief executive Marc Allera said the company aims to connect 95 per cent of the UK landmass, including the most extreme reaches of the country.
He said that with 65,000 visitors to Shetland every year, bringing 4G to the islands demonstrated EE’s growing focus on bringing 4G to areas of the UK that people visit, as well as where they live.
To prove his point EE has switched on 4G in the Isles of Scilly, almost 1,000 miles away at the opposite end of the country.
“We’ve seen the difference that 4G can make right across the UK, and I’m delighted to be able to continue making that difference in one of the most remote parts of the UK,” Allera said.
“This project shows the power of the BT Group as a digital champion for the UK, making new investments to bring high-speed communications to even the most challenging locations.”
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