EE-branded 4G Android phone spied, set for cheapo high speeds

EE's planning an own-brand Android phone for money-saving cheapskates who want to pay over the odds for superfast mobile data. It seems like a niche market to be aiming for, but this photo, published by Engadget, purports to be just such a device.

Engadget doesn't seem to have seen the device itself, merely publishing the photo. It doesn't say who took the shot.

Apparently the phone is capable of Cat 4 mobile data speeds, so it'll handle EE's "double speed" deal, where you pay £3 a month extra and get up to 60Mbps downloads, as long as you live in certain areas.

I asked EE if it did indeed have any plans to make an own-brand blower. "Our current focus is on delivering the UK's best value 4G service to consumers and businesses," a spokesperson told me. "As part of this, we regularly review new products and services for our superfast 4GEE network, but we do not comment on rumour or speculation surrounding these."

EE is the most expensive UK network for data, with a 12-month SIM-only deal for 1GB of data setting you back £21 per month, compared to O2's 2GB for the same price, or Three's unlimited offers. There's no bundled goodies to sweeten the deal like Vodafone's free Spotify or Sky Sports either.

It has by far the best coverage, however, with the other networks currently restricted to major towns and cities, and it's the only one to offer double speeds. And if you commit to a 2-year deal, you can bag a free phone for very little extra. The Alcatel One Touch Idol S is free on a £24 contract with 2GB of data -- but a 3G deal for the same cost elsewhere would probably bag you a better phone.

The new EE phone, if it ever appears, may be even cheaper. It looks like an Alcatel phone, but could have been built by literally anyone. Its Android skin looks pretty light, with some EE apps preloaded on the home screen.

Image credit: Engadget