OREANDA-NEWS. . July 17, 2013. EMT has covered 95 percent of Estonia with 4G making ultra fast mobile internet available to almost everyone.

According to Valdo Kalm, CEO at EMT, fast build-out of the 4G network fosters Estonian information society, and it is also a prerequisite for addressing urban-rural digital divide.

"The fact that ultra-fast mobile internet is available almost everywhere throughout the country makes it possible to use public and private e-services anywhere, and anytime," Kalm said.

The need for LTE is growing rapidly. Today, 30% of mobile internet subscribers opt for an 4G plan, and this number will certainly plummet as users can now be sure that they can connect to the 4G network almost anywhere. Fast build-out of the 4G network is also important for those who already have a 4G capable device as they now can take advantage of all its features.

Estonia has become the first European country to have 4G LTE available throughout most of the country.

EMT's 4G LTE network is built by Ericsson. Hans Vestberg, Ericsson's CEO, said during his visit to Estonia last week that Estonia is ahead of many countries in terms of networked society, and a good example of how to successfully use e-government services and take advantage of e-democracy.

EMT launched the first 4G network in Estonia in 2010. Now, 95 percent of Estonia is geographically covered by EMT's 4G LTE network. EMT is currently the only Estonian carrier that offers 4G services not only for modems and routers, but for smartphones as well. These smartphones are priced from EUR199, there is a variety of phones available and the selection is growing steadily.