EE celebrates signing up two million 4G customers

EE claims to have signed up two million subscribers to its 4G services since launching them in October 2012, with business users making up a significant portion of its user base.

The mobile operator said hitting the milestone means the firm has the fastest 4G sign-up rate in the world.

Four thousand businesses and three quarters of its new and existing SMB customers have now opted for 4G, including household names such as IKEA, Microsoft, Renault and Tate and Lyle, the company claimed.

It has also shed light on some of the usage patterns it's noted since the service was switched on. For instance, average data use across the EE network has grown 70 per cent over 2013, with social media and video accounting for much of this.

Meanwhile, the number of voice calls made via the EE network increased by 25 per cent in 2013.

Olaf Swantee, CEO of EE, said he was heartened by the pace at which his firm's 4G services have been adopted.

"We're incredibly proud of being the first UK operator to bring 4G to the UK and, in just over a year, exceeding our target by reaching two million 4G customers across the country," he explained.

"We continue to have particular success converting our existing base to 4G, with approximately two out of three new 4G customers moving over from Orange and T-Mobile plans.

"This year, our network priority is to deliver the benefits of superfast mobile internet to more of the UK and invent even more innovative ways for our customers to make the most of their 4G experience," he added.

News of the achievement comes hot on the heels of EE's announcement in September that it had hit its target of signing up one million customers before the end of 2013 four months early.

The rate at which EE has accrued its two million-strong bank of 4G subscribers has undoubtedly been buoyed by the speedy rollout of its superfast network across the UK.

The number of towns and cities benefiting from EE's 4G network now stands at 160, while its double-speed 4G offering is now available in 20 UK cities too.