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EE's 4G network to be available in 35 locations by the end of March 2013
Potential 4G adopters in the UK not only need to consider the price of EE's plans, but also the thin coverage currently available. This is slowly being fattened up, however, and today the company has announced that by March 2013, it plans to extend its high-speed network to an additional 17 areas (to make a grand total of 35). Those 17 towns and cities don't include last week's stealthy activations in Derby, Newcastle and Nottingham, or the planned switch-flipping in Belfast, Hull, Maidenhead and Slough before the end of the year. As well as gracing new locations with 4G and bolstering network density, EE is also upgrading its 3G network to support dual-channel HSPA+ (DC-HSPA+ for short). This is expected to be available across 40 percent of EE's network by year's end, and will also be enjoyed by customers signed up with Orange or T-Mobile. So, enough of the suspense -- head past the break for the full list of locales getting 4G early next year.
Jamie Rigg12.13.2012
Sony Xperia U goes on sale at Three UK
We've been twiddling our thumbs waiting patiently for the littlest of Sony's new-look smartphone lineup, the Xperia U, to arrive in earnest. It's a bit of a relief then to see the Android 2.3 phone go on sale at Three UK. You'll be getting what we saw back in Barcelona, including Sony's Timescape interface and the trick color light-up strip. We're guessing that most will see the cheap-as-chips price as the real selling point: the Xperia U costs £170 ($269) without a plan, and it's free as in beer on a two-year contract for £23 ($36) per month. O2, Orange and T-Mobile will expand UK carrier choices soon, but if you're looking for a fresh entry point into Android, Three can take care of you today.
Jon Fingas05.22.2012
Ofcom delays decision on Everything Everywhere's 4G proposal
UKers hoping for a hasty rollout of Everything Everywhere's 4G LTE network are apt to be sorely disappointed, as regulation entity Ofcom has shoved back the final decision on its proposal. We're told that the ruling will be moved from April 17th to May 8th, with the decision made to give stakeholders more time to respond. With the additional weeks, folks like O2 and Vodafone are expected to voice their own thoughts (read: objections) on the matter, likely pointing out that its proposal would give Everything Everywhere the lion's share of spectrum in the 1,800MHz range. For now, we'll have to wait and see what kind of rebuttals are cooked up, and if history is any guide, we're guessing one or two more delays will be making themselves known before we get a definite answer one way or the other.
Darren Murph03.28.2012
Orange UK to bundle iPad with iPhone contract
Want to get both a new iPad and an iPhone? If so, it's time to move to the UK and take advantage of a new bundle offer that Orange UK has come up with. With the offer, customers buy an iPhone and associated contract and get the iPad thrown in for free. For example, a customer pays £66 (US$103.49) for the combo of phone and tablet and gets 600 minutes of talk time, unlimited text messages, 2 GB of data to share on the two devices, and unlimited Wi-Fi on the BT Openzone network. Your choice of iPhone can add a few pounds to the overall cost. If you get an 8 GB iPhone 3GS, the new iPad -- 16, 32, or 64 GB -- is free. Get an 8 GB iPhone 4, and you'll pay £49.99 for the 64 GB iPad, but the others are available for free. If you want to have the latest iPhone 4S, you'll pay a bit more. The 16 GB iPhone 4S adds £49.99 to the price of the 32 GB iPad or £99.99 for the 64 GB iPad. Get a 32 GB iPhone 4S, and the price climbs a bit more -- £49.99 for the 16 GB iPad, £99.99 for the 32 GB version, and £149.99 for the fully-loaded 64 GB iPad. Get a 64 GB iPhone 4S, and you can add another £50 to the price of each of the iPads. There's also a less expensive £25 monthly contract with correspondingly higher prices for the iPad. For more information, visit your favorite local Orange UK retailer.
Steve Sande03.15.2012
Xperia U, HTC One X and One S coming to Orange UK
Orange, the only cellular network that's also one of your five-a-day has announced that it'll be releasing Sony's Xperia U, HTC One X and One S to smartphone demanding Britons in the second quarter of the year. Depending on your point of view, it's either fantastic or terrible that the network bagged the white edition of Sony's handset as an exclusive, but it's going to tempt some of you to the citrus-side of the force. There's no word on pricing, but we'd expect them to cost something we've heard called "money." While you wait for them to arrive, why not decide on which handset you'd rather purchase by reading our splendid hands-ons with each of the handsets? Xperia U / One X / One S.
Daniel Cooper02.27.2012
Orange Tahiti launches today in UK, seven inches of Huawei hardware
Orange has decided to branch out from its branded handset range with a Huawei-made tablet. Running Honeycomb on a 1.2 GHz dual-core Qualcomm processor, it appears to be the equivalent of the T-Mobile Springboard, otherwise known as Huawei MediaPad. Pricing is £70 on a £25 per month, with a smartphone bundle including the San Francisco II for free on a £41 per month tariff. Check the PR after the break, or head to your nearest Orange Shop -- it's available from today.
Mat Smith01.10.2012
UK boards the Acer Liquid Express, Tom Hanks not embedded with NFC
Because phones, like fashion, must always look to the future, Acer's hitching its ride to NFC. The oft-talked about, but still sparsely used tech gets top-billing here as the company refreshes its Liquid line for T-Mobile UK and Orange UK with the Express. It's a solidly mid-range Gingerbread affair, packing an 800MHz Qualcomm 7227 processor, Android 2.3 and 5 megapixel shooter into a 3.5-inch package. Okay, so it's not the best of what's around in wireless, but can you really argue with free (on a two-year contract)? We didn't think so. Follow on past the break for the official presser.
Joseph Volpe11.28.2011
Orange officially acknowledges San Francisco II's existence, set to debut late November (video)
A few days ago, Orange UK technically let the cat out of the bag with its upcoming sequel to last year's penny-pinching San Francisco, and it's finally ready to give us more than just the Help & Support page. Available on both Pay Monthly and PAYG plans near the end of the month (no specific date was given), the device -- also known as the ZTE Crescent -- offers a 3.5-inch WVGA TFT display, an 800MHz ARM11 processor, Android 2.3.5, a 5 megapixel camera and 512MB of RAM. Cost? £99 ($155) on PAYG and free on Pay Monthly with a 24-month term of at least £10.50. Incidentally, you probably won't find too many of these in the city it's named after. Press release below.
Brad Molen11.17.2011
Nokia Lumia 800 hits UK stores, preorder demand leaves Orange UK glowing
As Nokia's first Windows Phone lights up shop fronts across Britain, Orange has informed us that the Lumia 800 has attracted the most attention it's ever seen for a Nokia device. Based on preorders, the smartphone has trumped both the critically acclaimed N95 and the 5800, while we're sure the gratis Xbox 360 for upgraders hasn't hurt demand -- 50 percent of those looking to pick up the polycarbonate phone are already Orange customers. The carrier has told us that an Xbox-based offer for new customers looking to pick up the Nokia-coated Windows Phone is also in the pipeline -- something for UK network hoppers to get excited about.
Mat Smith11.16.2011
ZTE Monte Carlo arrives a month early, now available on Orange UK
Okay, we'll just come out and say it: in the hierarchy of classy names, Skate doesn't hold a candle to Monte Carlo. As the flagship of ZTE's lineup at Mobile World Congress last February, it feels much more appropriately titled with Orange UK's branding. No matter what you want to call it, however, the handset's now available on the carrier's online store -- no doubt a surprise, since we weren't expecting the phone to show up on sale for at least another month. For a device aimed at the budget-conscious, it's got some worthy specs: it's adorned with a 4.3-inch WVGA display, an 800MHz CPU, Android 2.3 and a five megapixel shooter. Will it whisk you away to a luxurious city lined with beaches and gorgeous views? No, but the phone can pull up some pretty pictures of it on Wikipedia.
Brad Molen08.09.2011
Orange UK to offer free weekly iTunes movie download
Orange UK is kicking off its Orange Film To Go promotion this week. The promotion lets Orange customers download a new film from iTunes each week. Starting Thursday, Orange customers can redeem their free movie by texting 'FILMTOGO' to 85060. They can also request a redemption code directly from Orange's website or through the Orange Film To Go mobile app. Once redeemed, the movie can be downloaded to a laptop, PC or an Apple iOS device. The promotion will launch with My Blueberry Nights, The Wrestler, and The Ghost and Che: Part One. Additional download titles will be added each week. [Via 9to5 Mac] Show full PR text Orange launches new customer film offer All Orange customers be they on Orange Home Broadband, pay as you go, pay monthly, mobile broadband or business get a weekly film download every Thursday at no cost* Customers can download a film and watch on a PC, laptop or an Apple mobile device - wherever they are The Wrestler, The Ghost and Che: Part One amongst titles announced at launch Orange Film To Go launches this week, offering Orange customers a film to download from iTunes every Thursday (worth up to £4.49), at no cost*. What's more, they will be able to download a film and watch it on a mobile device where and when it suits them. Orange Film To Go allows customers to be rewarded with great offers and access to films they love. The deal complements Orange's hugely popular Orange Wednesdays offer with which customers can get 2 for 1 cinema tickets every week. Orange Home Broadband customers, as well as Orange mobile customers on pay as you go, pay monthly, mobile broadband or business will benefit from the offer every Thursday by simply texting 'FILMTOGO' to 85060* or via the dedicated 'Orange Film To Go' mobile app or by logging onto the facebook.com/orangefilmclub page. From there they will be directed to enter the response code via the orange.co.uk/filmtogo website to start the iTunes download**, which can then be viewed on a laptop, PC or on an Apple mobile device so that customers have the flexibility to enjoy the film wherever they like. Orange has worked with leading film distributors to select a range of must-watch films to offer at launch including The Wrestler, The Ghost and Che: Part One, with more titles to be announced over the coming months. Spencer McHugh, Brand Director at Orange UK said: "We know Orange customers love film, so adding the Orange Film To Go service to our existing portfolio of film offers is hugely exciting for us. Giving our valued customers a film download every week to enjoy at home or out and about on a mobile device is a great way to thank them for being part of Orange. We've got some fantastic titles lined up for the launch and even more yet to be announced, so we're hoping to see a significant number of our customers taking up this offer."
Kelly Hodgkins08.08.2011
Xperia Mini Pro taunts Orange UK customers with free pricing, 'coming soon' status
Let's assume you're enjoying a warm pint in Notting Hill while texting your mate, when suddenly it hits you: the Xperia Mini Pro (X10) is no longer the beguiling beauty you once adored. If this describes your plight, worry not, because Sony Ericsson's latest Xperia Mini Pro is coming to Orange UK, where along with its 1GHz Snapdragon CPU and Gingerbread OS, it's teasing a free price with qualifying monthly plans. While the citrus-themed network hasn't named an official release date, it's erected a "coming soon" page in anticipation of the QWERTY slider's inevitable debut. If you're hoping for something more definitive, O2 is tempting its customers with a September arrival -- although pricing remains up in the oxygen-rich air.
Zachary Lutz08.01.2011
ZTE Skate coasting into UK retailers... in September
Oh, now it's on. Not too long ago, we learned the ZTE Skate Monte Carlo would be "coming soon" to Orange in the UK. While the citrus-flavored network has yet to pin down an actual release date -- or price -- Clove Technology, a mobile-centric reseller based in England, is telling its customers to expect a September 19th arrival and £250 price tag (subject to change, anyway). Naturally, the announcement of an actual, honest-to-goodness Skate falls in line with ZTE's recent announcement that it would begin selling its hardware -- replete with ZTE badging -- directly to UK consumers. If you've got the gamblin' spirit and are willing to put money on Clove, the pre-order madness has already begun. So, ZTE, who's claiming the coveted "First!" dibs?
Zachary Lutz07.20.2011
Orange UK offers daily 30MB for £3 roaming option for fee weary travelers
Oh Orange UK customers, you lucky dogs, your carrier is giving you a bit of a break as we enter globe-trotting season. No longer are you chained to absurd per-MB roaming charges or unnecessary monthly plans. Instead, you can shell out £3-a-day (about $5) for 30MB of data -- which is plenty for checking e-mail and doing some light browsing. If you don't use any data then you don't get charged (sweet!), but go over that limit and you're back to the normal £3.07-per-MB rate (not so sweet). It's a perfect option for the traveler who only spends a week or two abroad at a time, and it closes the gap with fellow UK provider Vodafone, which offers a £2-per-day, 25MB option. Now, if only others (especially our friends here in the US) would offer sensible roaming plans of their own.
Terrence O'Brien07.16.2011
International Atrix unlocked bootloader uncovered, hackers around the globe rejoice
That Atrix unlocked bootloader that leaked last month had one nagging limitation -- it was only for the AT&T version of Motorola's dual-core device. Now, thanks to the tireless folks who haunt the XDA forums, all of our international friends rockin' the laptop-dockable handset will soon be free of Moto's chains. Project Cheesecake, as the quest was known, has dug up files from a forthcoming Orange UK firmware upgrade that can be applied to any Atrix across the globe. That means even our impatient neighbors to the north on Bell will be able to get in on the unlocking action early. If you can't wait for Motorola to officially get the update out the door, just keep an eye out at the source and more coverage links. The devs are doing some final testing to ensure it doesn't brick phones and creating localized builds, so you're just gonna have to wait a tiny bit longer. [Thanks, Guillermo]
Terrence O'Brien07.14.2011
ZTE Skate dubbed 'Monte Carlo,' will be classing it up on Orange in the UK soon
Odds are that mentions of the Skate caused your mind to immediately wander to roller derbies or marine biology, but that's clearly not the sort of imagery ZTE is looking to evoke with its forthcoming smartphone. After all, the Gingerbread device does seem a step up from the company's usual offerings, and therefore deserves a far classier name -- like the Monte Carlo. The rechristened phone will be arriving shaken, not stirred on Orange -- no word on an exact date at the moment, just "soon." The Android handset has a 4.3-inch screen, an 800MHz processor, and a five megapixel camera. From the looks of the Orange page, however, the giant Android drawing appears missing from the rear of the device. So much for class.
Brian Heater06.30.2011
Orange Sound Charge T-shirt will juice up your phone while you listen to the bass go boom
Orange UK has a long-running tradition of coming up with quirky ways to recharge your phone while enjoying the Glastonbury Festival every year, and 2011 is proving no different. This time around, it's a T-shirt that generates an electric charge from the sound around it -- rendering it ideal for front-row crowd-surfing types -- though the provided tech details go no further than to tell us that piezoelectrics and the absorption of vibration are involved. We find ourselves overcome by the suspicion that you'll never be able to get much meaningful utility out of this rather unstylish garment, but then it does give you a plausible excuse for pushing your way nearer to the stage, and if anyone objects, you can consider it a great conversation starter. So whatever happens, you win, fashion loses.
Vlad Savov06.20.2011
HTC Sensation bids tearful adieu to Vodafone exclusivity
It was fun while it lasted, but Vodafone's expected two-week reign of exclusivity on the HTC Sensation has dropped, leaving the phone ready to be scooped up by other networks. Carphone Warehouse is now offering the dual-core Gingerbread device on pre-order for O2 and Orange with plans starting at £40, expecting to ship the week of June 20th. If neither carrier sounds overly tempting, BuyMobilePhones is also commencing pre-orders for T-Mobile and Three with a minimum tariff of £15; no delivery date was mentioned here, though we hope to be looking at a similar timeframe. Already sold? Head south to the source links, wallet clutched firmly in hand.
Brad Molen06.07.2011
BT and Everything Everywhere will start LTE trial in rural UK this September
Some of the UK's most remote parts still don't have access to broadband of any kind, but later this year, they might have the sort that makes us look on in envy. BT and Everything Everywhere are planning to start an LTE trial in Cornwall, England's most southerly county, which will last from the 1st of September through to the end of December. Connection speeds could scale as high as 40Mbps, though the typical rate is expected to be closer to 10Mbps. Volunteers are now being sought to participate in the trial, though they have to reside (or be willing to move, we presume) in the pretty tiny 4G coverage area near Newquay. BT and T-MOrange have been allowed a temporary slice of 800MHz spectrum to do their experimenting in, which will likely be up for grabs in the LTE spectrum auction that's set for next year. First we take Newquay, then we take the world.
Vlad Savov05.25.2011
Orange and Barclaycard launch 'Quick Tap' NFC mobile payments in the UK
Yay for the UK, it's now one step closer to catching up to the Japan of last decade. Mobile carrier Orange is today launching the UK's first mobile phone contactless payment service, dubbed Quick Tap, for purchases up to £15. It works on MasterCard's PayPass system and requires you to have a Barclays debit or credit card or, alternatively, a credit card from Orange itself. Gemalto is providing the SIM-based NFC compatibility, with Samsung's entirely unrevolutionary Tocco Lite being the (admittedly affordable) launch handset. Then you just need to trust the Quick Pay app to be as secure as promised and you'll be ready to go off and use your phone as a payment terminal at over 50,000 locations, including joints run by McDonald's, Eat, Pret A Manger, Subway, and Wilkinson. A quick intro video and a more expansive press release follow after the break.
Vlad Savov05.20.2011