Sign up with GoogleWELLINGTON -(Dow Jones)- U.K.-based Vodafone Group Plc. (VOD.LN) Wednesday launched its third generation mobile phone network in New Zealand, as it aims to recapture market share recently lost to rival Telecom Corp. of New Zealand (NZT).
The world's largest mobile phone service provider said it is investing "hundreds of millions of dollars" in 3G services to provide video calling, music downloads and mobile television and other "new world" services.
Vodafone New Zealand Chief Executive Russell Stanners, who launched the service in the country's commercial capital Auckland, told Dow Jones Newswires that there is room for further growth in New Zealand's NZ$2.0 billion-plus mobile market, which has an 80% penetration rate at present.
"The future of communication is going to be exciting and we see more growth with several products slated for launch in both the business and consumer market place," he said.
3G generation technology enables users to download data to their mobile handsets at a faster rate than previously possible, offering better quality sound, pictures and video.
The network will go head-to-head with rival Telecom , which launched its own 3G service in November last year and is spending around NZ$60 million to extend coverage.
Vodafone's 3G services will be available in 19 centers across New Zealand, including the three biggest cities, Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.
Stanners said the company is confident of making inroads into Telecom's recent market share gains through the 3G network.
Telecom Chief Executive Theresa Gattung said on Friday the early launch of its own 3G service was instrumental in it winning more customers than its British-owned rival in recent quarters.
Telecom's fourth quarter results showed it picked up 74,000 new mobile subscribers, almost double the 38,000 secured by Vodafone in the same three months to the end of June.
Telecom said it will extend its 3G network operations to the main towns and cities across the country, doubling its coverage in Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington by Christmas.
Gattung said her company's 3G services, such as high speed access to the Internet, entertainment and information, have proved popular with customers.
Vodafone is still the largest mobile-phone service provider in New Zealand, but its market share dropped to 54.7% at the end of June from 56.3% at the end of Sept., 2004. Telecom, the country's biggest fixed-line phone carrier, saw its share rise to 45.3% from 43.7% over the same period.
Vodafone's 3G network currently covers 36% of the population, and Stanners said the company hopes to eventually have most of its mobile services on the new network.
"We have a coverage target, that can't be divulged now, but we do expect at some point that most of our services will be on 3G," Stanners said.
The world's largest mobile phone service provider said it is investing "hundreds of millions of dollars" in 3G services to provide video calling, music downloads and mobile television and other "new world" services.
Vodafone New Zealand Chief Executive Russell Stanners, who launched the service in the country's commercial capital Auckland, told Dow Jones Newswires that there is room for further growth in New Zealand's NZ$2.0 billion-plus mobile market, which has an 80% penetration rate at present.
"The future of communication is going to be exciting and we see more growth with several products slated for launch in both the business and consumer market place," he said.
3G generation technology enables users to download data to their mobile handsets at a faster rate than previously possible, offering better quality sound, pictures and video.
The network will go head-to-head with rival Telecom , which launched its own 3G service in November last year and is spending around NZ$60 million to extend coverage.
Vodafone's 3G services will be available in 19 centers across New Zealand, including the three biggest cities, Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.
Stanners said the company is confident of making inroads into Telecom's recent market share gains through the 3G network.
Telecom Chief Executive Theresa Gattung said on Friday the early launch of its own 3G service was instrumental in it winning more customers than its British-owned rival in recent quarters.
Telecom's fourth quarter results showed it picked up 74,000 new mobile subscribers, almost double the 38,000 secured by Vodafone in the same three months to the end of June.
Telecom said it will extend its 3G network operations to the main towns and cities across the country, doubling its coverage in Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington by Christmas.
Gattung said her company's 3G services, such as high speed access to the Internet, entertainment and information, have proved popular with customers.
Vodafone is still the largest mobile-phone service provider in New Zealand, but its market share dropped to 54.7% at the end of June from 56.3% at the end of Sept., 2004. Telecom, the country's biggest fixed-line phone carrier, saw its share rise to 45.3% from 43.7% over the same period.
Vodafone's 3G network currently covers 36% of the population, and Stanners said the company hopes to eventually have most of its mobile services on the new network.
"We have a coverage target, that can't be divulged now, but we do expect at some point that most of our services will be on 3G," Stanners said.