Melbourne the winner as Vodafone switches on new 4G+
Better data services in homes, businesses, malls and car parks
Vodafone customers across Melbourne can now experience vastly improved 4G mobile phone coverage after the company switched on its new 4G+ network (also known as 4GX). From today, 678 new 4G+ sites will go live in Victoria, with another 71 switched on over the next six weeks.
Vodafone announced in July that it would boost the company’s 4G coverage to reach 95% of Australia’s metropolitan population by the end of the year.
More 4G in more places
Vodafone’s Chief Technical Officer, Benoit Hanssen, said that all customers in Melbourne with 4G smartphones and tablets will now enjoy better data coverage in more places.
“Customers will immediately notice the difference right across the city following the mass switch on of new 4G+ coverage today,” said Mr Hanssen.
“The type of spectrum we’ve used for our new network means customers’ devices will work 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 or LTE symbol on their phone more often, meaning they have faster download speeds,” said Mr Hanssen.
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.
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Note to editors:
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.