Johannesburg, 12 Jan 2005
Vodacom`s much publicised 3G network was switched on, on Sunday, December 19, 2004. The 3G products and services are available to all customers - contract as well as pre-paid customers with the initial service offering targeting business and high speed data customers.
Says Alan Knott-Craig, Vodacom Group Chief Executive Officer: "With high-speed and wireless data access becoming available at much cheaper rates, it will literally open a new universe of communication. Where data communication on Vodacom`s network is currently 5% of all traffic, it has the potential to jump to between 10% and 20% - if you are not in 3G, you are not in the game."
The launch of 3G has enjoyed much consumer and media attention, especially since Vodacom announced its partnership agreement with the World`s Largest Mobile Community, Vodafone, to bring world class products and services to South Africa. "This places Vodacom in an enormously strong position as we will be able to leverage Vodafone`s purchasing economies. The result will be a lower cost base, giving us better margins that will make us highly competitive. In the end, it is the customer who will benefit most," Knott-Craig said.
The first of these products to be launched is the 3G Vodafone Mobile Connect Card, which slots into a laptop and connects via Vodacom`s high-speed 3G data network. The Vodafone Mobile Connect Card takes advantage of Vodacom`s 3G Network, offering connection speeds that are up to 7 times faster than a 56K PSTN modem dial-up connection. When you move out of an area with 3G coverage, it will keep you connected by seamlessly switching to a GPRS connection. The card enables customers to access business applications such as internet based e-mail accounts, browse any web page, send and receive SMS`s, chat using your existing instant messaging service, monitor your usage for 3G and GPRS and connect you to your company network using your company`s existing VPN solution. Initial offers from Vodacom on the Card will be 1 Gigabyte of free data per month which is the approximate equivalent of 200 000 emails; the ability to browse 25 000 websites; download 10 000 word documents; or download 20 000 PowerPoint slides.
Vodafone live! will be the cornerstone of Vodacom`s 3G consumer offering and will be launched early this year. Vodafone live! will bring with it exclusive global and local content plus picture messaging, games, polyphonic ringtones and much more world leading brand infotainment, all accessed through an icon-based, colour menu on integrated camera phones. Vodacom 3G will provide added speed bringing services like video conferencing, real-time 3D Java games and video messaging to life.
With much speculation in the media regarding tariffs, Vodacom came to market with an even cheaper tariff than the already reduced GPRS tariff of R10/megabyte. For 3G the cost is less than 60c/megabyte or R599/gigabyte, per month, with a SIM card and the Vodafone Mobile Connect Card included, on a two year contract. The R599/month includes a free CD with software that needs to be installed onto your laptop before you insert your data card into the PCMCIA slot and a user manual to guide you effortlessly through the installation process. It will enable customers to send and receive emails, send SMS`s, download and work on attachments, browse the internet and connect to company networks.
The initial 3G network roll-out comprises some 470 base stations and covers most areas in: Johannesburg, Sandton, Midrand, Pretoria (CBD, Eastern suburbs and Centurion), Cape Town (CBD, Bellville, Durbanville, Southern suburbs), Durban (Airport, hotels and major shopping malls) and selected holiday areas (e.g. Sun City, Hermanus, Mossel Bay, George, Knysna, Plettenberg Bay, Port Elizabeth). Customers should check the coverage in their area with the local Vodashop.
In 2005 Vodacom will expand and improve the 3G coverage in cities like Johannesburg, Pretoria, Port Elizabeth, Cape Town, Durban and Bloemfontein, and also add new areas of 3G coverage.
Vodacom`s offering is part of a Global Solution via the partnership with Vodafone. Customers will be able to use their card in any of the Vodafone networks around the world. Being an Internationally accepted standard, there is a far bigger demand for the product, which will drive down prices and benefit the consumers. There are also more developments happening around GSM and 3G evolution in the standards bodies around the world. UMTS is a Universal standard accepted by the whole world.
Share