15/02/13

Medway behind smaller Kent areas for 4G

Medway is not among the places in line for the next round of super-fast mobile coverage.

Despite being the most populated area in Kent, with 265,000 people, the Towns will not be in the latest tranche of 27 places to get 4G.

Instead, the service is being introduced this summer to Ashford, Maidstone, Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells.

The network is at least five to seven times faster than the existing fastest network, 3G, so it allows users to make high-definition video calls or watch high-quality live TV.

But it currently only works on 4G-enabled phones for those who pay a premium tariff with the Everything Everywhere (EE) network. It also requires more phone masts, which are lacking in Medway and have been unpopular with some residents in the past.

EE spokesman Emily Clarke said the areas chosen were where the infrastructure already existed. “It’s down to a variety of factors,” she said. “When the roll-out started before Christmas the focus was on major towns and cities. As we roll out wider it’s about what infrastructure is there already to make things as fast as possible.”

Medway Labour leader Cllr Vince Maple has complained to EE about Medway not being selected.

He said: “Medway is a major conurbation in the South East [with] both a large commuter population and an increasing student population.

“Could you clarify the process that was taken in making this decision and whether the local council or MPs made any representations to encourage Medway to be in your early roll-out?”

Yet Steve Howard, 42, who runs his broadband firm, Medwave, from the Medway Innovation Centre, said the focus should be on traditional internet.

“I’m not sure in practice it’s going to make a whole lot of difference if I can watch EastEnders on the bus,” he said. “I think the far bigger story is the way BT are rolling out fibre-optic broadband in Medway.”

He said there were already hot-spots in Medway with 4G, but they will be kept secret until there is better coverage.

And Tory councillor Chris Irvine tweeted: “What’s point of 4G when broadband and mobile coverage in large part of Medway, ie Peninsula still sadly lacking? #priorities.”

The network is intended to cover 98% of the country by the end of 2014.