Vodafone sets October 3G broadband launch in New Zealand;

September 12, 2006

Broadband in your back pocket will become a reality for New Zealanders on 1 October with the launch of Vodafone 3G broadband.

With Vodafone 3G broadband customers will no longer be tied to a specific location to get online at super-fast speeds, says Vodafone CEO Russell Stanners.

"Vodafone 3G broadband connects people - not places. The mobile solutions we are announcing today give our customers the freedom to move around the house, the city and world - all while remaining connected."

Stanners says Vodafone 3G broadband will inject mobility into the world of broadband, providing seamless connectivity at all times, at speeds faster than conventional broadband services.

"A key limitation of conventional broadband is that it is only available at home or in your office. This is incredibly frustrating if you are away from home and desperate to send that email or make that Trade Me bid. Vodafone 3G broadband allows you to take broadband with you and be connected wherever you are."

Stanners says Vodafone 3G broadband heralds the start of another mobile revolution for New Zealand.

"Mobile connectivity will quickly become the preferred way of getting online to access the Internet and critical business applications," says Stanners.

"Vodafone has transformed the way New Zealanders communicate since we arrived in the market in 1998, with the introduction of firsts like TXT, PXT, mobile TV and video calling. The majority of New Zealanders are now always contactable thanks to mobile products and services. Now in the broadband market we are creating an equivalent revolution for customers who want to be connected 24/7. "

Stanners says Vodafone is able to offer super-fast 3G broadband speeds through an upgrade to its 3G network, launched in August last year. New Zealand is one of the first countries in the world to introduce the High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) upgrade.

"This upgrade introduces a host of new features, but the most important is the stunning connectivity speeds," says Stanners.

"From 1 October our 3G network will deliver a theoretical maximum speed of 3.6Mbps. We expect customers to be blown away by the average performance of 800Kbps-1.4Mbps. This is 58 times faster than dial up and considerably faster than most entry level conventional broad band services, and you can connect at these speeds at or away from home."

Vodafone will deliver speeds up to 3.6Mbps in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. HSDPA will also be available in other areas with 3G coverage but will initially operate at speeds below 1Mbps. Speeds in these centres and others will increase over the next 18 months as part of a deployment programme now being developed.

Vodafone's pricing plans offer mobile connectivity at a very affordable price to both dial up users and broadband users looking to gain the benefits of mobility.

Prices start at $29.95 for 200MB or 1GB for $49.95. For an additional $10 per month, customers will receive 'bundle insurance' - a data cap extension for those months they hit or by-pass their limit.

Stanners says the great news for customers is that Vodafone 3G broadband will be available from 1 October and does not rely on unbundling the local loop, which will not come to fruition until mid 2007.

"New Zealand has a really low uptake of broadband. We are proud to be able to offer a competitive broadband service that will help propel New Zealand towards the government's goal of being in the top quarter of the OECD rankings by 2010," Stanners says.