Want to be the first in the UK to try 4G? Move to Cornwall

4G networks are already up and running in the US, chucking data around without wires like there was no tomorrow, or tomorrow is today at any rate. But if you want to be the first Joe Public to try it in the UK, you’ll be able to this year – so long as you live in rural Cornwall.



Everything Everywhere (the mutant conglomeration of T-Mobile and Orange) is teaming up with BT to trial the first 4G LTE broadband technology, starting in September. 100 mobile and 100 fixed line customers in a total 25km square area in the St Newlyn East area of South Newquay, who have been unable to enjoy superfast fixed line broadband speeds until now, will be able to try out the new technology, and presumably pirate lots and lots of HD movies very quickly.

Everything Everywhere also says that it will test out 4G handsets and mobile broadband dongles for laptops as part of the test, which is temporarily using 800MHz spectrum freed up by Ofcom.

Think you fit the bill? You can register your interest for the trial now, while the rest of us Brits look on enviously with our cruddy 3G download speeds: as this video from a 2009 trial in Sweden shows, LTE is shockingly fast.


(source)