News / Vodafone and O2 switch on 4G in Lerwick
MORE 4G mobile phone coverage has come to Lerwick after Vodafone and O2 said they switched on the service on Thursday.
O2 said a further three sites – located in the town, to the south of Lerwick and in Bressay – would be upgraded in the coming months to bolster coverage.
In October O2 and Vodafone went live with 4G, which provides high speed mobile internet, in Weisdale.
EE had already switched 4G on in Lerwick ahead of an anticipated island-wide roll-out by summer 2017.
O2 and Vodafone assured customers on Friday that 4G is indeed available to customers in Lerwick, despite online coverage maps showing the town as only receiving the less speedy 3G.
Customers in some areas outwith town, such as Gulberwick, have reported receiving 4G signal.
Vodafone, which shares masts with O2, backtracked last month after wrongly announcing it had turned on 4G in Lerwick, with the network in fact only switching on Weisdale at that time.
EE, meanwhile, said it was set to utilise the forthcoming new country-wide emergency services network to give customers in Shetland access to 4G.
The company was awarded a government contract last year to replace the UK’s existing two-way radio service used by police, ambulance and fire services.
In the last number of weeks the operator has applied for planning permission with Shetland Islands Council to develop the network’s masts in the isles.
EE confirmed its “intention is to enable every site to offer 4G connectivity to consumer customers, though some may be live for emergency services network first”.
Emergency services are expected to start transitioning onto the network from September next year.
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