3G Wireless for Vodafone New Zealand

Europe : A revolution in the way New Zealanders can use their mobile phones hit today with the unveiling of 3G enabled services by Vodafone New Zealand.

Vodafone live! boasts a new range of 3G powered services including Video Calling (allowing customers to see each other in real time while talking on a mobile), Mobile TV and Vodafone live! MusicStore which can be experienced on any one of the 30 3G mobile phones which will be available over the next year. A new high speed Vodafone Mobile Connect 3G/GPRS datacard completes the line up of flagship products and services launched today.

"This marks a fundamental change in mobile communications as we step into an era where customers can turn their mobile into a one-stop-shop for entertainment, information and doing business remotely. With the introduction of Video Calling people have an even wider choice of communications both here and around the world," Vodafone CEO Russell Stanners said. "We're investing hundreds of millions of dollars to bring our customers mobile services that will open up a new world of communication.

"What customers can now do when they are mobile has just expanded dramatically. Customers will experience the mobilisation of entertainment, information and business in the same way that voice was fi rst mobilised with the introduction of the mobile itself."

From today, customers with a 3G mobile phone in the 19 centres across New Zealand which have 3G coverage will be able to access any of these services.

Coverage is available in Auckland, Whangarei, Hamilton, Christchurch, Wellington, Queenstown, Dunedin, Hastings, Napier, Nelson, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Rotorua, Taupo, Tauranga, Mt Maunganui, Wanganui, Pauanui, and Whangamata.

There are five key components making up Vodafone's launch. They are: the 3G mobile phone range, Vodafone Mobile Connect and Video Calling, Vodafone live! MusicStore, Mobile TV - all three on Vodafone live! with 3G.

3G mobile phone rangeCustomers can choose from a range of five 3G mobiles in store today priced from $749 to $999. By Christmas there will be more than 15 available and a total of up to 30 within one year of launching. Mobile phones are the key to unlocking 3G services.

"We have clear leadership in handsets and our road map will ensure our customers always have the best and latest in mobiles. Never seen before in New Zealand, Vodafone's 3G mobile phones combine groundbreaking features, with an intuitive and easy to use interface. With these mobile phones this whole new world of communication and entertainment is just a press of a button away," said Stanners. "Check out the range and compare."

Vodafone live! Video CallingThe face of a typical mobile call changes forever with the introduction of Video Calling - once the domain of science fiction. This new service enables callers to see each other, and their surroundings, in real-time on screen, giving new meaning to 'seeing' what callers are saying.

Vodafone live! MusicStoreFull music tracks are now available through New Zealand's largest mobile music store, ready to be downloaded instantly to your mobile phone.

Serious stereo quality music straight to your mobile is a reality through Vodafone live! MusicStore which hosts 300,000 full music tracks. Partnerships with two of the world's major record labels and independents, make full music tracks and videos available to instantly purchase, download, listen to and store on a Vodafone 3G mobile phone.

"Vodafone live! MusicStore will be New Zealand's largest mobile music shop," said Stanners. "When we look at the way people want to consume music it's clear that using their mobile device to purchase, download and listen
to music while on the move will be a big win for them."

Mobile TV on Vodafone live!Mobile TV makes it possible to select from an extensive range of entertainment, news, sport and an impressive line-up of streamed (watch now) and downloadable content to view on their mobile. Partnerships include SkyNews, Sky Sport, Pulp Sport, TV3, C4 and the animated hit-show 'bro'Town'.

Vodafone is also introducing a brand new entertainment format to New Zealand called 'Mobisode' - a made-formobile drama series available weekly to download through Vodafone live!. This includes the new made-for-mobile drama inspired by the blockbuster TV series '24'.

Video Calling, full music tracks and Mobile TV are new, exciting and represent the future of consumer entertainment and are only available on Vodafone.

Vodafone Mobile Connect 3G/GPRS datacard
The Vodafone Mobile Connect 3G/GPRS datacard is unrivalled in New Zealand offering easy access to internet, email and offi ce applications direct from your laptop at with broadband-like speeds, around seven times faster than GPRS.

In conjunction with the launch of Vodafone Mobile Connect 3G/GPRS datacard, Vodafone has also introduced flat rate pricing, providing customers with complete cost certainty and significant savings. In addition, international
data roaming rates have been slashed by two thirds.

The Vodafone Mobile Connect 3G/GPRS datacard is the only wireless data card that can be used throughout New Zealand and the world, offering travellers access to their office wherever their business takes them.

Vodafone customers using 3G mobile phones can get all the ground breaking new services while they are in 3G coverage. When they move out of 3G coverage, all the 2G voice and data services work exactly as they did on a 2G mobile phone.

"Designing and launching these products and services has been an exciting undertaking for us - this is just the start of a whole new mobile experience for our customers. It's here, it's real and we just can't wait for people to try it for themselves," said Stanners.