Vodafone Australia
Encyclopedia
Vodafone Australia is a mobile telephone company, a subsidiary of Vodafone Hutchison Australia
. Vodafone Australia was formerly a wholly owned subsidiary of Vodafone Plc (which is based in the UK
).
On 10 June 2009, after ACCC
approval, Vodafone Australia merged with the Australian subsidiary of Hutchison 3G
(known by its '3' brand) to become Vodafone Hutchison Australia Pty Ltd, owned by Hutchison Telecommunications Australia (a subsidiary of Hutchison Whampoa
) and Vodafone Group PLC on a 50-50 basis.
Phone products include prepaid and postpaid
mobile services, on GSM and 3G
UMTS mobile networks. Vodafone live!
is Vodafone's mobile Internet
service.
As of 30 June 2011, Vodafone claimed 7.2 million mobile telephone customers connected across Australia (including customers connected to virtual network operators
).
Vodafone's Globalstar
integrated satellite/digital service covers 100 per cent of the Australian continent and up to 200 nautical miles (370.4 km) from the mainland.
Different outlets include:
The company previously held the naming rights to Vodafone Arena (now Hisense Arena), a mixed-sports venue in Melbourne
.
Australia) announced that they would be merging their operations into a 50-50 joint venture called VHA Pty Ltd. All products and services offered by VHA would be marketed under the Vodafone brand, as well as holding exclusive rights to the 3 brand during and after the transition process. The merger was expected to be completed by mid-2009, and has been approved by the ACCC, although this as not yet taken place.
Vodafone Hutchison Australia
Vodafone Hutchison Australia ' is a mobile telecommunications company that operates the Vodafone, '3' and Crazy John's brands in Australia...
. Vodafone Australia was formerly a wholly owned subsidiary of Vodafone Plc (which is based in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
).
On 10 June 2009, after ACCC
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is an independent authority of the Australia government. It was established in 1995 with the amalgamation of the Australian Trade Practices Commission and the Prices Surveillance Authority to administer the Trade Practices Act 1974...
approval, Vodafone Australia merged with the Australian subsidiary of Hutchison 3G
Hutchison 3G
3 is a brand name under which several UMTS-based mobile phone networks and Broadband Internet Providers are operated in Australia, Austria, Denmark, Hong Kong, Macau, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, and the United Kingdom...
(known by its '3' brand) to become Vodafone Hutchison Australia Pty Ltd, owned by Hutchison Telecommunications Australia (a subsidiary of Hutchison Whampoa
Hutchison Whampoa
Hutchison Whampoa Limited or HWL of Hong Kong is a Fortune 500 company and one of the largest companies listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. HWL is an international corporation with a diverse array of holdings which includes the world's biggest port and telecommunication operations in 14...
) and Vodafone Group PLC on a 50-50 basis.
Phone products include prepaid and postpaid
Postpaid
Post Paid: A model of cellular service whereby the customer is charged for usage in the prior month , and hence does not feature any limitations on volume of service used...
mobile services, on GSM and 3G
3G
3G or 3rd generation mobile telecommunications is a generation of standards for mobile phones and mobile telecommunication services fulfilling the International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 specifications by the International Telecommunication Union...
UMTS mobile networks. Vodafone live!
Vodafone live!
Vodafone live! was the brand name for the multimedia portal service of mobile phone operator Vodafone, which was initially developed by Japan's J-Phone under the J-Sky brand...
is Vodafone's mobile Internet
Mobile Web
The Mobile Web refers to the use of Internet-connected applications, or browser-based access to the Internet from a mobile device, such as a smartphone or tablet computer, connected to a wireless network....
service.
Coverage
The GSM mobile service on 900 MHz and 1800 MHz covers 94.52% of the Australian population. The 3G 2100 MHz UMTS network is available in metro areas of major cities and some larger regional centres covering 10% of the population. Expansion of the 3G UMTS network using 900 MHz to equal or surpass the GSM coverage is due to be completed by 31 August 2009 http://www.vodafone.com.au/personal/services/coverage/maps/index.htm http://maps02.pdslive.com.au/VCATPublic/Kiosk.html. 21 October Vodafone publicly announced their plans to improve Coverage in all major capital cities across Australia by building another 1,150 new 900MHz Network Towers on top of the 350 900MHz Towers already existing. http://www.vodafone.com.au/stelprd/groups/webcontent/documents/webcontent/vfa2_media_release_network.pdfAs of 30 June 2011, Vodafone claimed 7.2 million mobile telephone customers connected across Australia (including customers connected to virtual network operators
Mobile virtual network operator
A mobile virtual network operator is a company that provides mobile phone services but does not have its own licensed frequency allocation of radio spectrum, nor does it necessarily have all of the infrastructure required to provide mobile telephone service...
).
Vodafone's Globalstar
Globalstar
Globalstar is a low Earth orbit satellite constellation for satellite phone and low-speed data communications, somewhat similar to the Iridium satellite constellation and Orbcomm satellite systems.-History:...
integrated satellite/digital service covers 100 per cent of the Australian continent and up to 200 nautical miles (370.4 km) from the mainland.
Retail
Vodafone phones are sold in almost 16,000 retail outlets across Australia, with 170 Vodafone-branded stores (2005 figures).Different outlets include:
- Authorised service dealers
- Petrol and convenience stores
- Selected newsagencies
- AllphonesAllphonesAllphones is an Australian based company which begun in Mile End, South Australia in 1989. Allphones entered NSW in 2001 there are now over 170 stores in Australia, making it Australia’s largest independent Mobile Phone Retailer....
- Harvey NormanHarvey NormanHarvey Norman is a large Australian-based retailer of electrical, computer, furniture, entertainment and bedding goods. It is effectively a franchise and the main brand owned by Harvey Norman Holdings Limited...
- TandyTandy (Australia)Tandy was an electronics retailer in Australia, owned by Woolworths Limited.-History:Tandy was originally founded in the United States in 1950 as Tandy Leather Company. In 1963, Tandy changed its business to electronics when it acquired control of RadioShack, a forty year old electronics business...
- Dick Smith ElectronicsDick Smith ElectronicsDick Smith is an international electronics retailer, founded in 1968 by Richard "Dick" Smith. Today, it is a subsidiary of Woolworths Limited, incorporating Tandy, and the remaining Dick Smith Powerhouse Stores...
- KmartKmart AustraliaKmart Australia Limited is a discount department store chain owned by Wesfarmers. It operates 172 stores in Australia and 15 in New Zealand, with its head office located in Mulgrave, Victoria. Wesfarmers uses the Kmart name under licence from Sears Holdings Corporation.-History:Kmart Australia...
- TargetTarget (Australia)Target Australia Pty Ltd is an Australian department store chain owned by Wesfarmers . It operates 172 Target stores and 119 Target Country stores making 291 combined stores with its head office located in North Geelong, Victoria. It sells clothing, cosmetics, toys, homewares, electrical and...
- WoolworthsWoolworths LimitedWoolworths Limited is a major Australian company with extensive retail interest throughout Australia and New Zealand. It is the:* largest retail company in Australia and New Zealand by market capitalisation and sales...
- Video EzyVideo EzyVideo Ezy is Australia's largest video and DVD rental chain with over 550 stores within Australia as well as over 140 stores in New Zealand and 200 throughout South-East Asia. It was founded in 1983.- Competition :...
- PricelinePriceline (Australia)Priceline is a health and beauty retailer with stores in every state and territory in Australia. The Priceline brand has two store types; a traditional Priceline and Priceline Pharmacy. As of March 2010 there were over 330 Priceline branded stores throughout Australia...
Sponsorship
Vodafone Australia is involved in sponsoring a number of Australian sports teams:- Rugby union: the WallabiesAustralia national rugby union teamThe Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
and all Australian Super 14Super 14Super Rugby is the largest and pre-eminent professional Rugby union competition in the Southern Hemisphere...
teams - Motorsports: TeamVodafone (V8 Supercars)
- Cricket: Australia national cricket team
The company previously held the naming rights to Vodafone Arena (now Hisense Arena), a mixed-sports venue in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
.
Merger of operations with Hutchison Telecoms
On 9 February 2009 Vodafone and Hutchison Telecommunications (Australia) Limited (owner of 3Hutchison 3G
3 is a brand name under which several UMTS-based mobile phone networks and Broadband Internet Providers are operated in Australia, Austria, Denmark, Hong Kong, Macau, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, and the United Kingdom...
Australia) announced that they would be merging their operations into a 50-50 joint venture called VHA Pty Ltd. All products and services offered by VHA would be marketed under the Vodafone brand, as well as holding exclusive rights to the 3 brand during and after the transition process. The merger was expected to be completed by mid-2009, and has been approved by the ACCC, although this as not yet taken place.