Vodafone to revamp Oz network

Vodafone has accelerated plans to improve its customer service and mobile network across Australia, writes PC Authority.

The mobile carrier will replace all 2G and 3G equipment at all base stations throughout Australia in an attempt to improve mobile coverage and download speeds.

Vodafone has come under fire in recent months for its unreliable network service, with thousands of customers complaining about customer support and mobile phone coverage.

Vodafone has blamed these issues on the sudden surge in smartphones sales and mobile broadband, which has led to a sharp increase in data use in some areas. The company acknowledges that its customers “could have been better supported by earlier coverage and capacity upgrades”.

According to Computer World, Vodafone has signed up Huawai to help it replace all its 2G and 3G radio access equipment across its entire Australian network as part of its major network improvement initiative.

A statement from the telco says Vodafone will target areas of highest demand first as it seeks to upgrade some 8 000 sites in a project estimated to take 18 months.

The telco will use Huawei's SingleRAN hardware, which can deliver 2G, 3G and long term evolution signals from a single base station site. It will also use the vendor's network equipment at more than 2200 new base station sites.

CIO Australia states that since its merger with merger with Hutchison to form Vodafone Hutchison Australia, some 9 000 people have signed up to a class action against Vodafone due to poor mobile service levels and last month came under fire for possible data breaches.