Canberra’s Vodafone network capacity has had some serious capital applied to give it a major boost, catering for growing data demand.
Earlier this year, Vodafone noted that it "secured an additional 15MHz of 1800 band 4G spectrum to boost its holdings in the nation’s capital to 20MHz".
With more spectrum available, Vodafone has upgraded 84 sites to 4G 1800MHz to increase capacity by four times which in turn allows for mobile data to be delivered "at speeds up to six-times faster than before".
Vodafone chief technology officer Kevin Millroy said the quadrupling of 4G capacity means Vodafone’s network "has never been better in Canberra".
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Millroy said: “A great deal of work has been put into improving network performance in Canberra.
“Through our investments, we have been able to drive a wide range of upgrades to deliver greater reliability, speed and performance. If you look at where people live and work, Vodafone is on par with major rivals,” he said. “And we are still building.”
But as they say, that’s not all!
Vodafone explains that "further improvements to the Vodafone network in Canberra are set to continue with Vodafone planning to upgrade 19 network sites in the area within the next 12 months".
Millroy adds: “We are continuing to enhance our network with features including Voice over 4G which provides clearer voice calls, shorter call connection times and the ability to use 4G data while making or receiving a calls.”
Vodafone reminds us that its "4G network now covers more than 22 million Australians and every month carries around 14,000 terabytes of data, equivalent to watching 140,000 hours of streaming video.’
The company is also talking up its ‘network assurance with 30-Day Network Satisfaction Guarantee’
Vodafone notes that its "Red consumer and business customers can enjoy network assurance with Vodafone’s new network satisfaction guarantee".
We are told that, "under the 30-Day Network Satisfaction Guarantee, if a new postpaid customer is not satisfied with Vodafone’s network within the first 30 days, they can cancel their contract, no questions asked. Vodafone will also refund any monthly access fees and monthly handset instalments paid by the customer as long as the equipment and device are returned to a Vodafone store within 10 days of making the claim. The 30 Day Network Satisfaction Guarantee is also available for business customers with up to 9 connections".
In conjunction with the guarantee, Vodafone is also "offering one month of unlimited data3 for new customers signing up to a selected 12 or 24 month phone plan to use within Australia". As you’d expect, a "fair use" policy applies.
Millray said: “We have invested significantly in our 4G network, which is demonstrated in OpenSignal’s ‘State of Mobile Networks Australia’ report (June 2016), where it shows how well Vodafone’s 4G network is performing.
“We are proud to offer a guarantee which highlights our commitment to being transparent about our network performance.”
What about 5G preparations?
Vodafone notes that it is gearing up for 5G, with Millroy noting that "Vodafone has also started building out its fibre network in Canberra to ensure the Vodafone network is ready for future mobile technology, such as 5G".
Millroy concluded: “In addition to upgrading our 4G network in Canberra, we have also started rolling out fibre with the aim of providing faster, more reliable connectivity in the future.”
