Adelaide the winner as Vodafone switches on new 4G
Better data services in homes, businesses, malls and car parks
Vodafone customers in Adelaide can now experience vastly improved 4G mobile phone coverage following the company’s switch on today of new 4G coverage across the city and its suburbs.
The deployment of 4G coverage on low-band 850MHz spectrum means more Vodafone 4G customers will benefit from better indoor and greater outdoor coverage across metropolitan Adelaide – without having to make any changes to their phone’s settings or plans.
More 4G in more places
Vodafone’s Chief Technical Officer, Benoit Hanssen, said that all customers in Adelaide with 4G 850 capable smartphones and tablets will now enjoy better data coverage in more places.
“Customers will immediately notice the difference right across Adelaide and its outer suburbs following a mass switch on of new 4G coverage today,” said Mr Hanssen.
“The type of spectrum we’ve used to roll this out is known as low-band, which means it works better indoors, including homes, businesses, shopping malls and car parks.”
Vodafone customers “won’t need to upgrade their smartphone”
There are now almost two million devices connected around Australia to the Vodafone 4G network. Vodafone says the majority of its customers’ existing 4G devices are already compatible with the new 4G coverage.
“We’ve tested all the major smartphones to see how they perform on our new 4G network, including the popular iPhone 5 and 6 models and Samsung GALAXY. What it means for customers is that they’ll notice the 4G symbol on their phone more often, meaning they have faster download speeds,” said Mr Hanssen.
Vodafone announced in July that it was reallocating its existing 850MHz spectrum, known as re-farming, to boost the company’s 4G coverage to reach 95% of Australia’s metropolitan population by the end of the year.
Low-band spectrum, such as 850MHz, is well suited to providing high quality indoor mobile coverage as the lower frequency signal penetrates buildings better than higher frequency signals. This complements the 4G coverage already provided through Vodafone’s 1800MHz spectrum, allowing customers to experience 4G in more places.
Note to Editor:
Vodafone 4G is available in selected areas and is only available with a compatible device with an active Vodafone prepaid recharge or a plan with Vodafone alerts.