EE’s latest 4GEE Mobile Living Index reveals 4G improves Brits’ work life balance

Latest 4GEE Media Living Index shows 4G is improving work life balance – 13% of customers say they have one hour’s extra leisure time as a result of being more productive using superfast mobile internet
Over three quarters (77%) of users say 4G has helped them work more efficiently, with one in ten saying they are now twice as productive
Customers saying they conduct more online banking and use more social media (up 6ppts), followed by mobile shopping (up 5ppts), music streaming (up 5ppts) and browsing of news sites (up 4ppts)

Hatfield, UK, 12-8-2014 — /EuropaWire/ — EE, the UK’s most advanced digital communications company, today released the latest 4GEE Mobile Living Index. The Index, which has analysed mobile data use and 4G customer trends since early 2013, reveals that although the amount of time people spend on mobile internet has remained stable, customers are doing more on their devices. Average data usage has also increased by 66% in the last 12 months, outstripping 3G customers on both Orange and T-Mobile plans.

4G is increasingly the preferred connection because of its reliability and fast data speeds. The number of customers using fewer or no public WiFi services since getting 4G has reached 54%, while 30% are using less or no home broadband. 3% of customers say that they have cancelled their home broadband account since signing up to 4G on EE.

The benefits of being able to do more, faster are also clear. 60% of customers say they save time with 4G, with 13% gaining an hour’s leisure time. 77% of customers say they work more efficiently on their 4G devices.

Olaf Swantee, EE Chief Executive, said: “With more than four million customers and over a year of data, we’re in a unique position to understand how 4G is changing the way people use their devices for work and play.

“It is key that we continue to extend the social and business benefits of 4G to as many people as we can. We remain on track to cover another ten million people with 4G this year, bringing change to even more people across the UK.”

Ed Vaizey, Minister for Culture and the Digital Economy, said: “EE’s research provides a fascinating insight into how we use our smartphones and tablets. A 66% rise in average monthly data use in just 12 months is a remarkable leap and shows the difference 4G is making to how we use our mobile devices. The rollout of 4G is crucial for the UK’s digital infrastructure and will have a real impact on our daily lives.”

Key findings from EE’s 4G Mobile Living Index are below. To download the full report please, please visit [insert link].

4G increases business productivity

Over three quarters (77%) of users revealed 4G has helped them work more efficiently, with 16% saying they are now twice as productive. The benefits extend even to those who aren’t provided a 4G device by their employer: 68% of people who have a personal 4G phone – but no work phone – say they are using their device to work more efficiently on their commute.

Social media and messaging

The EE Mobile Living Index highlights a 14ppts increase in share of overall network traffic from social media, driven by the integration of video into major social platforms. The upload speed on EE’s mobile network, which is five times faster 3G, is also encouraging people to share special moments as they happen.

Tango‘s free messaging service has surged in popularity, accounting for 16% of instant messaging traffic on 4G, compared to less than 1% last year. At the same time, WhatsApp, acquired by Facebook in February this year, has seen its percentage of overall 4G instant messaging traffic drop by 16 percentage points.

Mobile mapping

Traffic on the new Apple Maps now represents 70% of mapping traffic on the 4G network, from 60% in the second half of 2013, taking market share from Google maps, which is down 7ppts. This difference is even more marked over 3G where Apple Maps is up 19ppts and Google Maps is down 15ppts.

Video gaming

PlayStation Network is winning the gaming war, accounting for 36% of gaming traffic compared to Xbox Live, which represents just 15%. But app-based gaming programmes are gaining ground. Zynga, maker of Farmville, is now contributing to a large portion of gaming traffic, reaching a 15% share, up by 11ppts, the biggest growth in mobile gaming traffic.

4GEE– the UK loves superfast mobile data

4.2 million people are now enjoying 4GEE, and EE is on track to exceed the six million end of year target.
The introduction of new, great value plans earlier this year has given more people access to 4G than ever before, bringing down the average age and seeing a rise in 18-24 year-olds on our 4G network (27% of 4G users against 24% in December).
The amount of time people spend on mobile internet has remained stable, but customers are doing a wider range of things more quickly. The most marked increase was a 6ppts rise in customers saying they are conducting online banking and social media via 4G, followed by shopping (up 5ppts), music streaming (up 5ppts) and browsing of news sites (up 4ppts)
Tablet ownership is on the increase among 4G customers, while the number of customers who also own a laptop has dropped.

– ENDS –

Notes to Editors:

Findings are based on EE network data and an independent survey of 1,000 4GEE users by TNS.

For more information, please contact the EE press team on:

ee@nelsonbostock.com

0845 373 7070

About EE
EE is the largest and most advanced digital communications company in Britain, delivering mobile and fixed communications services to consumers, businesses, government and the wholesale market. EE has approximately 15,000 employees and 520 retail stores, and serves more than 30 million customers across its mobile, fixed and wholesale businesses.

EE runs the UK’s biggest, fastest and most reliable mobile network, pioneering the UK’s first superfast 4G mobile service in October 2012. EE’s 4G coverage today reaches more than 70% of the UK population. EE’s 2G coverage reaches 99% of the population while 3G reaches 98%. EE’s superfast fibre broadband service covers 54% of the UK population, and ADSL broadband service covers 98.7% of the population.

In the last few years, EE has received extensive independent recognition including being ranked the UK’s best overall network by RootMetrics®, Best network at the 2014 Mobile News Awards, Fastest Network at the 2013 uSwitch Awards, Best Network at the 2013 Mobile Choice Consumer Awards and What Mobile Awards, Network Innovation at the 2013 Recombu awards and Best Network for Business at the 2013 Mobile Industry awards.

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For more information, please contact the EE press team on:

ee@nelsonbostock.com / 0845 373 7070

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