Vodafone launches its 4G services
Hello iPhone users, the new service, launching on May 29th, ahead of its competitors, will be free for all subscribers until September 30th. For all other customers, 4G will cost €9 per month.
Vodafone announced on Monday the immediate availability of its fourth generation (4G) mobile phone services in seven Spanish cities: Barcelona, Bilbao, Madrid, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca, Seville and Valencia.
The operator is bringing forward the launch of its 4G networks to June, after other companies like Yoigo and Orange announced their plans for this summer . Starting Wednesday, May 29th, users will be able to sign up for the service at the operator's 10 main stores in cities where the offer is valid. From June 4th, subscriptions will also be available at all other points of sale.
According to Antonio Coimbra, CEO of Vodafone Spain, "we will offer 4G coverage to 55% of the population in the cities included in the launch." This coverage will initially focus on urban and business centers. By the end of summer, coverage in these cities will increase to 85% of the population.
For Coimbra, "we will be able to offer download speeds of up to 150 Mbps and upload speeds of up to 50 Mbps in these seven cities." In the other 32 cities with more than 200.000 inhabitants, Vodafone will offer speeds of up to 43,2 Mbps. In cities with between 25.000 and 200.000 inhabitants, the maximum speed will be up to 21,6 Mbps, and in the rest of the country, it will not exceed 14.4 Mbps.
Vodafone's 4G rollout has been carried out in the "high band" of the frequency spectrum, that is, in the 1.800 and 2.600 MHz bands. Later, when the 800 MHz frequency band is freed up (expected in 2014), it will be possible to extend the service and achieve better coverage inside buildings, which currently barely reaches 60%.
The new service will be free for all subscribers before September 30th. It will be included at no extra cost for Vodafone Red, Red Pro, and Red Pro for Professionals plans. For all other customers, 4G will cost €9 per month in addition to their existing data plan.
Of course, to access the service, users will need 4G-enabled devices. For now, the following devices will be able to connect: the new Samsung Galaxy S4, the Sony Xperia Z and SP, the LG Optimus G, the HTC One, the Huawei Ascend P2, the Nokia Lumia 920, and the Blackberry Q10.
Regarding iPhone and iPad users, the carrier has announced that an update will soon be available, granting them access to the service. This will be possible from an iPhone 5 or the fourth generation iPhone and iPad mini. During the presentation, several of the carrier's technical staff conducted various connection, upload, and download speed tests to demonstrate the capabilities of the new service.
Source: abctechnology
