Super-fast by summer 2013
Leicester is set to join the UK's super-fast mobile broadband network next summer.
Yesterday, the first 11 UK cities – including London, Manchester, Bristol and Birmingham – saw 4G coverage switched on, but Leicester was not among them.
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The city's exclusion, announced in September, had prompted deputy mayor Councillor Rory Palmer to write to 4G operator Everything Everywhere's chief executive Olaf Swantee to find out when super-fast mobile internet would come to Leicester.
He confirmed it would be summer 2013.
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Coun Palmer described Mr Swantee's response as "fairly positive" and said he would be looking to see if it could be introduced sooner.
He said: "The 4G mobile network will offer very real benefits and improvements for people and businesses and I want to see this next-generation technology in Leicester as soon as possible.
"It is frustrating that Leicester is not part of the first wave of cities to benefit from 4G but it is fairly positive news that I have now received that we will see the 4G network here in Leicester by next summer.
"I will be asking to meet with Everything Everywhere to see if we can speed up this process and get 4G to Leicester sooner.
"We need to see these new communications technologies in our city as soon as possible and that is the case we will be making."
The 4G network promises internet at speeds up to five times faster than the current 3G system that most mobile phone and devices use. That extra speed allows high-quality streaming of audio, video and other content on the move.
Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce chief executive Martin Traynor said: "I was hugely disappointed the largest city in the East Midlands could not take advantage of 4G in the first wave.
"The announcement that Leicester will be enabled by summer 2013 is a very welcome development."
Comments
by Grant2010
Friday, November 02 2012, 9:59PM
“Wake-up, the biggest barer will as always be the cost, only those with sufficient income will be able to afford it. Surly it would be far better to ensure a more affordable means of access is widely available to all.”