By . Rob Waugh . PUBLISHED: . 08:27 EST, 7 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 08:27 EST, 7 June 2012 . HTC's Android Evo 4G phone: British phone users will be able to enjoy a new ultra-fast '4G' network far sooner than thought . British phone users will be able to enjoy a new ultra-fast '4G' network far sooner than thought. Carriers Vodafone and O2 will fast-track the service after banding together to launch the hi-tech network, which offers download speeds akin to the ones on home broadband connections. No release date was given for the new 'next generation' network to launch. The current model of the iPad has a 4G aerial, but there are no national networks in the UK for 4G. It's also not clear whether any UK network would work with iPad, as there are several competing standards for the technology. Phone company Everything Everywhere . has submitted an application to Ofcom to use its existing 1800MHz . 'slice' of mobile spectrum to deliver 4G services in the UK. But . it's a slightly different frequency to the U.S. networks the new iPad . is built to work on - and it's not clear whether Apple will update its . tablet to work with the UK's network. '4G' is used widely in the U.S., and is the successor to the current 3G network, but built from the ground up for high-speed data. Vodafone and O2 already have a more . basic sharing agreement in Britain, and the deal to pool basic network . infrastructure will increase their national coverage to 98 percent by . 2015 and speed up the roll-out of fourth-generation services, they . said. Vodafone estimates that around . two-thirds of the population currently have access to third-generation . indoor mobile coverage, and the government has been calling on operators . to increase that reach to make the country more efficient to boost the . economy. ‘Faced with a host of macro-economic and . sector threats, the European Telecom sector is finally addressing some . of the basic business model problems they face and laying the groundwork . for a much more profitable recovery,’ Bernstein analyst Robin . Bienenstock said. Olaf Swantee, CEO at Everything Everywhere, said earlier this year, ¿Everything Everywhere¿s vision is to launch 4G for Britain as soon as possible.' Bigger, faster: The third version of the iPad, pictured above is the first to offer a 4G connection - but users in the UK and other territories could miss out, as our networks may not work with new machine . Vodafone and O2, which is owned by Spain's Telefonica , said they would form a joint venture in Britain to pool their infrastructure to improve coverage and speed up the roll-out of a fourth-generation network. Analysts said the pair's move could be replicated in other European markets such as Spain and Germany, which could have a knock-on effect on other operators struggling with fierce competition, regulatory pressure and weak consumer spending. ‘This will create two stronger players who will compete with each other and with other operators to bring the benefits of mobile internet services to consumers and businesses across the country,’ Vodafone UK Chief Executive Guy Laurence said, adding that it would give Britain the 4G networks it will need tomorrow. The super-fast 4G aerial in the new iPad will allow users to connect to the web at near-broadband speeds - but UK users might miss out . The agreement will also help O2 and Vodafone, ranked second and third respectively in Britain, to compete with market leader Everything Everywhere, which runs the Orange and T-Mobile brands, in the fight to have the best network. The smallest operator, 3, has a network-sharing deal with Everything Everywhere.
Hi-tech new network built for fast data speeds .
Offers speeds similar to landline broadband data .
Current model of iPad has 4G but may use different wavelength - and be unable to connect .
Upcoming launch will see new phone handsets hit UK .
By . Rob Waugh . PUBLISHED: . 08:27 EST, 7 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 08:27 EST, 7 June 2012 . HTC's Android Evo 4G phone: British phone users will be able to enjoy a new ultra-fast '4G' network far sooner than thought . British phone users will be able to enjoy a new ultra-fast '4G' network far sooner than thought. Carriers Vodafone and O2 will fast-track the service after banding together to launch the hi-tech network, which offers download speeds akin to the ones on home broadband connections. No release date was given for the new 'next generation' network to launch. The current model of the iPad has a 4G aerial, but there are no national networks in the UK for 4G. It's also not clear whether any UK network would work with iPad, as there are several competing standards for the technology. Phone company Everything Everywhere . has submitted an application to Ofcom to use its existing 1800MHz . 'slice' of mobile spectrum to deliver 4G services in the UK. But . it's a slightly different frequency to the U.S. networks the new iPad . is built to work on - and it's not clear whether Apple will update its . tablet to work with the UK's network. '4G' is used widely in the U.S., and is the successor to the current 3G network, but built from the ground up for high-speed data. Vodafone and O2 already have a more . basic sharing agreement in Britain, and the deal to pool basic network . infrastructure will increase their national coverage to 98 percent by . 2015 and speed up the roll-out of fourth-generation services, they . said. Vodafone estimates that around . two-thirds of the population currently have access to third-generation . indoor mobile coverage, and the government has been calling on operators . to increase that reach to make the country more efficient to boost the . economy. ‘Faced with a host of macro-economic and . sector threats, the European Telecom sector is finally addressing some . of the basic business model problems they face and laying the groundwork . for a much more profitable recovery,’ Bernstein analyst Robin . Bienenstock said. Olaf Swantee, CEO at Everything Everywhere, said earlier this year, ¿Everything Everywhere¿s vision is to launch 4G for Britain as soon as possible.' Bigger, faster: The third version of the iPad, pictured above is the first to offer a 4G connection - but users in the UK and other territories could miss out, as our networks may not work with new machine . Vodafone and O2, which is owned by Spain's Telefonica , said they would form a joint venture in Britain to pool their infrastructure to improve coverage and speed up the roll-out of a fourth-generation network. Analysts said the pair's move could be replicated in other European markets such as Spain and Germany, which could have a knock-on effect on other operators struggling with fierce competition, regulatory pressure and weak consumer spending. ‘This will create two stronger players who will compete with each other and with other operators to bring the benefits of mobile internet services to consumers and businesses across the country,’ Vodafone UK Chief Executive Guy Laurence said, adding that it would give Britain the 4G networks it will need tomorrow. The super-fast 4G aerial in the new iPad will allow users to connect to the web at near-broadband speeds - but UK users might miss out . The agreement will also help O2 and Vodafone, ranked second and third respectively in Britain, to compete with market leader Everything Everywhere, which runs the Orange and T-Mobile brands, in the fight to have the best network. The smallest operator, 3, has a network-sharing deal with Everything Everywhere.
will be able to enjoy a new ultra-fast '4G' launch. The current model of the iPad has a 4G 3G network, but built from the ground up for high-speed data. Vodafone and O2 already have a allow users to connect to the web at near-broadband speeds - but UK users might miss