EE applies blue sky thinking to Britain's mobile 'not spots'

By Paul Sandle

LONDON (Reuters) - Mobile operator EE said it may put small transmitters and receivers in the sky using drones as part of innovative plans to bring mobile services to the most remote and unconnected parts of rural Britain.

The operator, which has more customers on 4G superfast broadband than any rival in Europe, said on Wednesday it would spend 1.5 billion pounds ($2.3 billion) on its network over the next three years to bring 4G data services to 99 percent of the population.

Chief Executive Olaf Swantee said EE would also use new technologies like voice over wifi and micro networks - small antennas that do not require the infrastructure used by base stations - to extend coverage of its voice services.

It would also use its 800MHz airwaves for voice over 4G connections, bringing service to another 1,500 square miles, he said. "Then we are working on new technologies to reach the real, very difficult areas in the UK," Swantee said.

"We are even looking at air masts, which do not need an official micro site; they are literally flying in the air and providing both transmission and back haul capability as well as coverage capability."

He said it was early days, but EE, a joint venture between Orange and Deutsche Telekom, had started discussions about using the technology, which would see small drones hovering about 30 metres in the sky.

The British government has pushed network operators to work towards eliminating "not spots" - areas where people have not been able to make or receive calls - by threatening to make them allow customers of rivals to roam on their networks.

The operators, including EE which is being bought by BT, responded by agreeing in December to spend 5 billion pounds improving basic service coverage in rural areas.