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Posts tagged vodafone
Vodafone 3G now reaches 94 percent of Australians
2 years ago
Vodafone has completed the planned upgrade to its network, expanding 3G coverage to 94 percent of the population from 80 percent and adding 2G EDGE services and upgrading 2G coverage in the extended 3G coverage area.
All the new 3G coverage is at 900MHz. Vodafone in May announced completion of the upgrade from 63 percent 3G coverage to 80 percent using the 2100MHz band.
It had originally planned to turn on both upgrades simultaneously late in 2008 but decided to split them and delay them in order to ensure there would be minimal disruption to services, especially in the run up to the Christmas period, CTO Andy Reeves, told iTWire
The upgraded coverage is available to all users on the Vodafone network whether direct customers of Vodafone or an MVNO. However to avail themselves of 3G services in the extended coverage area they wil need a 3G phone operating at 900Mz. Vodafone presently has 18 models available and Reeves said that the Vodafone range had included a number of 900MHz phones for some time.
The network presently provides HSPA at a theoretical maximum downstream bandwidth of 14.4Mbps and Reeves said there were no plans at present to upgrade to higher rates. However he said that Vodafone used the name network equipment from Ericsson as Telstra so the upgrades that Telstra has installed (21Mbps and plans announced to go to 42Mbps) would be available to Vodafone. Vodafone is quoting typical bandwidths of 300kbps to 3.0Mbps.
Reeves said that most HSPA modems previously sold by Vodafone would be able to exploit the maximum available bandwidth.
The upgraded network will not be available to customers of 3, Vodafone’s partner in the new joint venture, VHA. Reeves said two tenders had been issued for consolidation of their networks (Vodafone has a network sharing arrangement with Optus and 3 with Telstra) but he was unable to say when tenders were likely to be awarded or when 3 customers would gain access to the expanded Vodafone network.
Lycamobile signs deal with Vodafone Netherlands
2 years ago
European MVNO specialist Lycamobile has signed a network partnership contract with Vodafone Netherlands allowing it to use the latter’s infrastructure, including its own HLR (Home Location Register), its second such agreement in the country. Lycamobile already has in place a deal with T-Mobile in the Netherlands, having launched a low-cost international mobile calls service targeting non-nationals in 2006. The MVNO has signed up 1.3 million pay-as-you-go customers with T-Mobile, but will launch a Vodafone-backed service before the end of the month, having received the go-ahead from the market regulator OPTA. ‘We are delighted to have signed this partnership deal with Vodafone Netherlands, and chose them for their dedicated partnership approach to the MVNO market and their superior network coverage and quality. Thanks to the full MVNO technical architecture Lycamobile has developed, we are able to provide an enhanced low-cost, high-quality mobile service to our Dutch customers. It’s all about adding value and supplying a premium product without any compromises,’ says Lycamobile’s CEO Milind Kangle.
To support the launch Lycamobile is investing EUR5 million (USD6.6 million) in a high-profile marketing programme comprising print, broadcast and online advertising, direct marketing as well as PR campaigns. All of these activities will be revolving around Lycamobile’s brand icon called ‘Globeman’, a sociable, culturally aware and empathetic figure. According to some unsubstantiated press reports, the MVNO could look to migrate its existing base from T-Mobile to Vodafone as the T-Mobile contract is run down.
Vodafone signs MVNO deal with ERG Petrol
2 years ago
Vodafone has signed a deal to provide network capacity to a new MVNO from oil group ERG Petroli. From April, ERG will offer the mobile services at its petrol stations, under the name ERG Mobile. The mobile service will be integrated with ERG’s existing loyalty programme, allowing users to accumulate benefits with top-ups. ERG will handle the full customer relationship and pricing, while Vodafone will provide a platform for integrating the two companies’ systems. ERG services will include voice, SMS, roaming and data. This is Vodafone’s sixth MVNO agreement in Italy.
