LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM -- (Marketwire) -- 12/04/12 -- As the UK's first 4G mobile and fibre optic broadband network, EE offers a whole range of services for movie lovers to enjoy. However, as the new headline sponsor of The British Academy Film Awards and its associated EE Rising Star Award, the network has further highlighted its commitment to film.

The network announced it will continue the 16-year partnership it has enjoyed with The British Academy of Film and Television Arts' (BAFTA) through its sister brand Orange. The EE British Academy Film Awards will take place on Sunday 10 February 2013 and will once again promote new acting talent through the EE Rising Star Award - which has previously celebrated the likes of Tom Hardy and Kristen Stewart.

Commenting on the move, BAFTA chief executive Amanda Berry said the announcement would continue a partnership that is rooted in a shared passion for film. "We are very excited about the new opportunities we can now explore with EE," she explained. "(We) look forward to sharing the very best in cinema and engaging with more film fans than ever before."

As well as having the only pay monthly 4G tariffs in the UK - which allow customers to enjoy streaming film and TV content without the buffering one would expect from 3G - EE has a number of other services that support film fans. These include special offers on cinema tickets every week and a dedicated Film Store that allows customers to download films on the go.

EE also offers a fibre broadband service that allows Film Store users to experience their movies seamlessly when moving between indoor and outdoor environments. For example, EE4G customers can start watching something on their phone or tablet while on the bus - then pick it up exactly where they left off on their laptop when they arrive home.

Spencer McHugh, Director of Brand at EE, concluded: "Film is at the heart of what EE will offer customers, from streaming films from our film store over our 4G network to 2 for 1 cinema trips every Wednesday, and therefore our BAFTA partnership is ideal to help us communicate the EE brand values."

The EE British Academy Film Awards takes place on Sunday 10 February 2013, will be broadcast on the BBC that same day and is hosted once more by Stephen Fry.