Manx Telecom has announced it is the first Isle of Man operator to launch 4G roaming, with in-bound roaming now available for some visitors to the Island. It’s just one of three big firsts announced by the company, all of which are a result of its continued investment in its mobile telecoms infrastructure, and particularly in 4G. Additionally, the company announced the first Isle of Man trial of 4G+ – the next step in the evolution of mobile technology (sometimes referred to as LTE-A) – as well as the launch of a new ‘Roam’ package, offering significantly better value data roaming for its customers.

The roll-out of 4G roaming for in-bound visitors began on May 24th with Vodafone UK customers now able to roam and enjoy the full benefits of Manx Telecom’s 4G network during their stay. In the next few days, customers from EE, the UK’s biggest 4G network provider, can also enjoy the same benefits, resulting in an improved roaming experience for many TT visitors. More UK and international networks will be added over the coming days and weeks. It’s not just visitors who will benefit, as Manx Telecom customers travelling to the UK and selected international destinations will also be able to access 4G services while roaming, in the very near future.

Kevin Paige, Manx Telecom Customer Services and Technology Director, says the 4G roaming news, 4G+ trial and ‘Roam’ package are all a result of the company’s continued investment in infrastructure. All of these projects, said Mr Paige, were technically challenging, and once again demonstrate the skills and expertise of Manx Telecom staff, and the company’s commitment to investing in technology which helps the Isle of Man maintain its status as a world class international business centre. He commented: “This year we anticipate investing up to ?10million in network and operations, to continue to provide the best possible experience for customers. We were the first Isle of Man operator to launch a 4G network, and we’re delighted to be the first to launch a 4G roaming service which benefits our own customers travelling to popular off-Island destinations, as well as visitors to the Island. Not only is the launch perfect timing for the many TT fans who want to use superfast mobile broadband, but because our 4G network has 99% population coverage – which we believe is a higher percentage coverage than any other 4G network anywhere in the world – it will also demonstrate to visitors, the world class communications technology available to consumers and businesses here.”

Demonstrations of 4G+, the next evolution in mobile technology, started in Manx Telecom’s Strand Street store on May 24th and will subsequently be made available at the Grandstand. This is another first in the Isle of Man and will allow customers to experience the fantastic speeds of 4G+, which could typically be up to 40% faster than 4G depending on network traffic. 4G+ is in its trial phase and customers will need a compatible handset to experience the new speeds, details of which can be found on the Manx Telecom website. 4G+ is provided free of charge to all Manx Telecom 4G customers and the company aims to deliver 4G+ to a number of additional locations by the end of the year.

Al Lugton, Manx Telecom Mobile Product Manager, added: “Our new ‘Roam’ package offering a daily data bundle is a first for the Isle of Man. Once activated by a simple text message, customers will have access to an allowance of roaming data for a full 24 hours and will only be charged on the days they use data. Roam will be available initially to pay monthly customers on a Smartphone or SmartData plan and will benefit travellers to UK, Ireland and Channel Islands. This innovation has been made possible following investment in a major upgrade of our billing platform which enables the introduction of a number of new and enhanced services, all designed to provide even better value, and to make it easier for customers to purchase products and manage their accounts.”

To find the latest information on all Manx Telecom’s new mobile services, visit www.manxtelecom.com/mobile.