EE Launches 4G Connected Products For Businesses And Public Sector

EE has launched five new products for businesses, claiming enterprises, the public sector and SMBs need more than just network to take advantage of the full potential of LTE.

Speaking at an event in London, EE CEO Olaf Swantee said businesses were driving the evolution of 4G and that the technology had the potential to transform every industry as mobility and the Internet of Things (IoT) become commonplace in IT strategies.

Business growth

He noted that while personal data consumption had increased by four times since the launch of 4G three years ago, business data traffic had risen six-fold during the same period.

“We’ve shown consumers across the UK what 4G can do for them and we’ve seen the response,” he said. “[But] the biggest impact has been on business, not consumers.

“Today is the start of 4G as a critical service.”

EE Connected Vehicle turns a car into a Wi-Fi hotspot, allowing field workers to perform tasks in their ‘mobile office’. The product will be used by Staffordshire Police so officers can spend more time on the streets than at a desk, and the ability to create multiple private networks means police cars can share connections with other services, such as the fire brigade, during an emergency.

The operator will also offer ‘rapid site set up’ allowing firms in remote areas to get 4G Wi-Fi much quicker than fixed connectivity, while it will also make an enterprise version of its 4G live streaming cameras available. ‘Wi-Fi in a box’ will make it easier for places like coffee shops to offer wireless access while also ensuring they comply with regulations.

New Products

Finally, EE is working on a secure messaging service and application for the NHS which it claims could save the organisation £585 million a year by reducing missed appointments. Additionally, the application can hold medical records and other information. EE already has contracts with all England and Wales NHS Trusts.

“I still don’t think we’re anywhere near harnessing the power of 4G,” said Magnus Harrison, Medical Director of Burton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. “If we stop people missing appointments, we become more efficient.”

“Just giving 4G to businesses is a benefit but also a problem,” said EE’s CMP for non-consumer mobile Gerry McQuade. “We’ve spent a lot of time in the past two years working with our customers not just selling the technology but how we can create solutions

“All of those products are only really able to be delivered because of the network we have. We are religious about having a network that’s first for speed, coverage and capacity.”

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