Vodafone's History
Vodafone is a UK based telecommunications company, and is currently the world's largest mobile operator. Having gained its first licence in 1982, the Vodafone network was launched in 1985, and was part of the 'first generation' of cellular operators in the United Kingdom. The company's name hints at its long term strategy, being a portmanteau of Voice, Data, Phone, showing that Vodafone's recognition that the eventual use of its networks was likely to be more for data than voice telephony.
Vodafone successfully bid in the first round of 3G licences in the UK in 2000, which allow the transfer of greater amounts of data than the previous technology. Vodafone demonstrated its first 3G call in the UK in 2001, and the same year also demonstrated the first roaming 3G call in the world. The immensely popular Vodafone Live was launched in 2003 to offer a greater range of services to its mobile customers, making use of the 3G technology that the company would develop for its mobile broadband service.
The company was the first in the UK to use the simplified 'plug and play' USB modem as a method of communication for its mobile internet service, offering immediate connection. Vodafone currently offers the highest mobile broadband speeds in Britain, with a theoretical maximum speed of 7.2Mbps. The company has successfully trialled HSDPA plus technology, which will allow even faster speeds, currently proven up to 16 mbps, but expected to be developed up to 21Mbps.
Vodafone currently offer two options for mobile broadband - 'pay monthly' or 'Top Up and Go' (pay as you go). The pay as you go option currently costs £39 initially, which includes a USB modem, and 1GB of usage. After that, customers simply 'Top Up' further usage, priced at £15 per GB, which is enough for around an hour a day of non-media intensive browsing, for a month.
One of the major differences between Vodafone's pay as you go mobile internet service and that offered by some of its rivals, is that purchased data usage doesn't expire within a fixed period. Typically, data is bought in set amounts, but must be used within 30 days. However, the Vodafone service works more like a mobile phone arrangement, allowing customers to only top up when they need to.
Pay monthly contract arrangements are available with a USB modem, or with a compatible netbook computer. The netbook option is only available on the longer 24 month contracts, and currently comes in either a 1GB or 3GB monthly usage option. Despite the long contract, these have been shown to be a cost effective way of upgrading one's computer at the same time, whilst effectively spreading the cost.
Although most providers offer only one speed option in mobile broadband (with each customer's speed depending upon that maximum available at their present location), Vodafone actually offer higher speeds by way of a USB 'Pro' option, delivering the network's highest available speeds. The USB modems that Vodafone offer are also compatible with Micro SD memory cards, to enable simple mobile storage and data transfer. Vodafone expect significant growth in mobile broadband, as a result of the general popularity of netbooks, with a strategy based on offering the highest speeds in the UK.
