From Vodafail to Vodafast: Telco promises ‘thrilling’ 4G speeds as it finally switches on LTE service
Voda has switched on its 4G LTE network in all main cities – Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, as well as Newcastle, Wollongong in NSW, today.
The third largest telco has finally moved to deliver a faster 4G service – almost 2 years after Telstra’s 4G service went live – but is looking to make up for lost ground, claiming its superfast wide-band network will deliver “mobile data speeds never before experienced” in OZ.
Vodafone’s Head of Network Product Management, Rob Glennon, says its 4G network demonstrated trial speeds of up to 100Mbps – not seen on any other network here, in a company blog.
Optus too is upping the 4G ante this year, and is promising 70% coverage by year end and new LTE technologies, as Aussies use mobile internet even more.
Vodafone 4G coverage will hit “selected” metro areas of all the main capital cities only, but the troubled telco says its wide-band 4G network coverage will treble by year’s end.
Vodafone’s boss put it up to rivals Telstra and Optus today claiming the fastest 4G speeds locally and “many parts of the world.”
“Vodafone customers in 4G areas with compatible devices will have access to speeds that are among the fastest not only in the country but many parts of the world,” said Vodafone CEO Bill Morrow.
“We’re offering a leading-edge 4G network to customers on the best value plans in market.”
New customers will be able to join its new 4G service from next month.
“We have invested heavily in our 3G and 3G+ networks and we know our wide-band 4G rollout is going to thrill our data-hungry customers,” Murrow added. “Australians have told us loud and clear they want a fast and reliable network.”
The telco is claiming the fastest network speeds on the back of its 2 X 20MHz contiguous spectrum holdings.
“We’ve been single-minded in our determination to improve our network, enhance our customer service and offer the best value mobile services in the country.”
The 4G announcement comes in the wake of the telco’s expansion into regional Australia and major expansion of its call centre operation in Tasmania.
In 2011-12, Vodafone suffered a PR nightmare after its 3G network crash banged, leading to the telco being dubbed ‘Vodafail’.
