Vodafone NZ pre-STK (pre-'SIM2') SIM card (25mm × 15mm), circa 2002 compared with 1996 5¢ coin.

Vodafone NZ post-STK (post-'SIM2') SIM card.

Vodafone New Zealand is a British owned telecommunications company, a subsidiary of Vodafone Plc operating in New Zealand. It is New Zealand's largest mobile phone operator, based in Auckland. The company was formed in 1998, after Vodafone purchased BellSouth's New Zealand operations. The company employs 1,300 people and has operations in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch and has an extensive dealer network across the country.

The company has invested millions of dollars in their 3G network and has continued to maintain its 2G network improving capacity in congested urban areas. In October 2006, Vodafone bought ihug, New Zealands third largest Internet service provider.

[edit] Market share

At the time of purchase in November 1998, BellSouth had 138,000 customers. As of November 8, 2006, the company had about 2.1 million customers and a market share of 55% [1]. The company's main rival is Telecom New Zealand, New Zealand's largest telecommunications company. Telecom had the advantage that they had a 6-year head-start on BellSouth, however this advantage has slipped away in recent years.

After Vodafone took over Bellsouth, they expanded the coverage of the network to compete better with Telecom. Vodafone has constantly increased its market share and now surpasses Telecom in mobile customers. However, despite having a seemingly huge customer base, the number of active customers is lower due to abandoned pre paid accounts left by tourists.

[edit] Coverage

Vodafone operates a GSM (2G) mobile phone network at 900MHz and 1800MHz and a UMTS (3G) network at 900MHz and 2100MHz. They state that "around 97% of New Zealanders live, work and play" are within coverage.[2].

[edit] GSM Coverage

All over New Zealand, Vodafone operates GSM services via the 900MHz band. In certain areas with high demand there are additional GSM service operating in the 1800MHz band, usually from exisiting 900MHz cell sites, to provide more capacity. Areas with dual-band (i.e. both 900MHz and 1800MHz service) includes most major business districts and large shopping malls. In recent years Vodafone have also established some cell sites that only provide 1800MHz service where it is difficult to release spectrum for more 900MHz cell sites. Most phones sold since the mid-1990's support both bands.

Vodafone's main competitor, Telecom, does not provide GSM service. They decided to skip GSM and go straight to UMTS. However Two Degrees, a recent entrant to the industry, does provide GSM service alongside Vodafone in both the 900MHz band. Two Degrees also has a roaming agreement with Vodafone allowing Two Degrees customers to access Vodafone's GSM network in areas where Two Degrees does not have their own GSM service. There is currently no such agreement in the reverse direction, even though there are certain areas where Two Degrees has service which Vodafone does not currently serve.

[edit] WCDMA Coverage

In the main centres Vodafone operates WCDMA service via the 2100MHz band. WCDMA service is often provided from the same cell site as 900MHz and/or 1800MHz GSM services. Unfourtantly most of the exisiting 900MHz sites were built in the 1990's when it was not expected that a 2100MHz network would have to be built. Hence the exisiting 900MHz network was not at all opitmised for 2100MHz service. Due to the fact 900MHz and 1800MHz signals travel farther than 2100MHz signals, there was many areas beyond 2100MHz coverage where WCDMA phones would have to hand down to 900MHz or 1800MHz GSM service. In recent years Vodafone has established many 2100MHz WCDMA sites to enhance 3G coverage.

In rural areas, however, Vodafone has built out 900MHz WCDMA service alongside their exisiting 900MHz GSM service. In theory 900MHz WCDMA service should have roughtly the same coverage area as 900MHz GSM service -- so instances of WCDMA service being handed down to GSM should occur far less often in rural areas due to the simalar coverage footprint of the two services. However many older WCDMA phones only support 2100MHz service so these phones will hand down to 900MHz GSM even though there is WCDMA service avaliable at 900MHz.

Telecom does provide WCDMA service, but mainly in the 850MHz band with some 2100MHz service in the main centres. Two Degrees does not yet provide WCDMA service, but they plan to provide it using the 2100MHz band in the main centres. Two Degrees' roaming agreement with Vodafone covers both GSM and WCDMA service -- however the WCDMA roaming is disabled until Two Degrees' own WCDMA network is switched on.

[edit] Phone numbers

In New Zealand all mobile phone numbers start with 02. Vodafone is allocated the 021 prefix with other networks being allocated other prefixes — such as 022 to Two Degrees, 027 to Telecom and 029 to TelstraClear. However Number portability was introduced to the New Zealand market with effect from 2 April 2007 which means that customers can bring, for example, their 021 prefixed number to Telecom. Within New Zealand, the network is sometimes referred to in speech by its prefix -- i.e. 'Are you with 021?' instead of 'Are you with Vodafone?'.

[edit] 021 Prefix

Generally the convention for 021 numbers is that 9-digit numbers are allocated to post-paid customers, whereas longer 10- and 11-digit numbers are allocated to pre-paid customers. The idea was to make the post-paid numbers easier to remember, and to allow for a large number space for pre-paid customers. However in recent years Vodafone has allowed customers to transfer post-paid numbers to a pre-pay account and vice-versa.

The general rules for Vodafone phone numbers are as follows:

• 021 0xx xxxx (10-digit pre-paid)
• 021 02xx xxxx (11-digit pre-paid)
• 021 1xx xxxx (10-digit pre-paid)
• 021 2xx xxxx (10-digit pre-paid)
• 021 3xx xxx (9-digit post-paid)
• 021 4xx xxx (9-digit post-paid)
• 021 5xx xxx (9-digit post-paid)
• 021 6xx xxx (9-digit post-paid)
• 021 7xx xxx (9-digit post-paid)
• 021 8xx xxx (9-digit post-paid)
• 021 9xx xxx (9-digit post-paid)

Assuming all numbers follow the above rule, it can be assumed that there are nearly 3 million possible numbers for pre-paid customers and approximately 700,000 possible numbers for post-paid customers. In total there are approximately 3.7 million possible combinations of phone numbers available to Vodafone, not counting 11-digit combinations (or 4.6 million including the 11-digit combinations). With the current population of New Zealand currently below 4.6 million, this it is possible in theory to provide everyone in New Zealand with their own 021 prefixed number.

[edit] 029 Prefix

Vodafone used to operate the 029 prefix on behalf of TelstraClear, in addition to their own 021 prefix. TelstraClear customers, mostly corporates, used to be able to get mobile numbers under this prefix. These customers, however, would be billed by TelstraClear instead of being billed directly by Vodafone. In 2007 this agreement lapsed, and in 2008 some of these customers were transitioned to Telecom New Zealand who serviced these initially by CDMA2000 technology. Those TelstraClear 029 customers not transitioned to Telecom New Zealand remained with Vodafone.

[edit] Comparison with Telecom 027 Prefix

Telecom New Zealand, Vodafone's main rival, has fixed 10-digit numbers under their 0272-0278 prefix, which means they have approximately 7 million possible numbers. Telecom originally had mixed 9-digits and 10-digits number using the older 025 prefix, following the same idea Vodafone is currently using. Telecom later introduced the 027 prefix with fixed 10-digits to simplify the numbering system when they introduced their CDMA network. They have phased out the older 025 prefix since the prefix was attached to their now redundant AMPS and TDMA network.

[edit] 3G launch

On Wednesday August 10, 2005 Vodafone introduced a brand new 3G network, using the UMTS technology now becoming widespread in Europe. Using this standard, Vodafone now offers video telephony, music downloads, TV downloads including mobisodes (made for mobile phone TV episodes) and much more all from its Vodafone live! portal.

[edit] Criticism

Vodafone New Zealand has been heavily criticised^[1][2] following the announcement of their iPhone plans, which were revealed to be among the most expensive in the world^[3][4]

iPhone 3G was launched in the USA on July 11 2008 for a suggested retail price of $US199 for the 8GB model.

In order to receive the device for the "$199 worldwide" promised by Apple, New Zealand users would have to sign up for a 24-month contract at $250 a month.^[5][6] Disappointed fans also planned protests outside Vodafone stores in response to the iPhone plans and pricing.^[5]

[edit] See also

• ihug
• Vodafone
• Vodafone Australia
• TelstraClear (Former main reselling partner)
• Telecom New Zealand (Competitor)
• 2degrees (Competitor)

[edit] External links

• Vodafone New Zealand's homepage
• ihug's homepage
• Vodafone's parent

[edit] References