UK’s first 4G PAYG handset plans coming to EE this month

EE is set to become the first UK network provider to sell 4G Pay as you Go handset plans, bringing a choice of call, text and data bundles and a complete selection of 4G-ready handsets to the 40% of the UK’s mobile users don’t want to sign up to a monthly 4G contract.

Launching on the 30th of October nationwide, EE is taking a pick-and-mix approach to 4G Pay as you Go. Customers will be able to set the amount of data, minutes and texts they require. If you only want a small amount of data, the cheapest deal works out at £8, although you could drain all 100MB of your allowance in less than ten minutes on EE’s fast 4G network. The 30-day bundles will be limited to EE’s basic 4G service, unless you opt for a 2GB or higher package – these bundles qualify for the company’s double speed service.

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Of the 15 handsets comprising the PAYG line-up, EE highlighted the £130 Alcatel Idol S and Nokia’s Lumia 625, which is set to cost £150. The former is one of the least expensive 4G handsets around, with a 4.7in 720p display, dual-core 1.2GHz processor and 8-megapixel rear camera, while the latter is Nokia’s biggest Windows Phone 8 handset to date with a 4.7in display.

New customers taking out a PAYG plan will qualify for 10GB of free 4G data over the first three months of service, in order to test out EE’s fast speeds and work out how much data they will use on average. They will also qualify for an additional 168 minutes of talk time per month, as part of EE’s “2014 for 2014” deal. Both promotions are due to last until the 31st of January.

EE already has a significant head start over rivals Vodafone and O2, having launched a 4G service almost a year earlier and with coverage over 117 UK towns and cities. This latest announcement looks set to extend that lead, with the other networks still concentrating on contract-only plans for the foreseeable future.