1 Mar 2013

4G network will drive business productivity - Vodafone

8:03 am on 1 March 2013

Vodafone says its new 4G network will help drive productivity in businesses helping more companies to change the way they operate.

The telecommunications company launched the network on Thursday, which it says will be 10 times faster than its standard 3G services.

The network covers 30% of Auckland and is expanding to more suburbs. It will be live in parts of Christchurch in May and areas of Wellington later in the year.

Vodafone says it 65,000 of its customers have 4G-capable handsets, it launched a further six devices on Friday and will have more than a dozen 4G-capable devices available by the middle of the year.

Vodafone chief executive Russell Stanners said as more businesses move to cloud computing they will need to connect to customers with a high speed network.

He said it will drive productivity for businesses, with for example sales staff being able to enter orders and check stock on the spot, rather than having to return to the office.

Mr Stanners said Vodafone is looking to participate in the auction of the 700 radio spectrum, which it needs to roll out 4G in rural New Zealand.