Europe
Portugal : Vodafone begins the roll-out in Portugal of the new 3G
Broadband technology HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access).
3G Broadband is being deployed
at 1.8Mbit/s which offers peak transfer rates for customers of around
1.4Mbit/s in downlink mode, approximately 4 times the speed currently
available on 3G. This will offer mobile users the very first opportunity
to experience the current standard DSL rate.
At this stage, 3G Broadband
technology access is available to a selected group of individual and
business customers in Lisbon, Cascais, Funchal, Ponta Delgada and
the principal urban areas of the Algarve.
During the year, 3G Broadband
will be progressively extended to other cities (Porto, Braga, Coimbra,
Aveiro and Leiria this June) and regions of mainland Portugal and
the islands, reaching the main urban areas by the end of the year.
When a customer moves into areas still without 3G Broadband coverage,
the Vodafone 3G Broadband Mobile Connect Card automatically switches
to 3G or GPRS, which are available throughout Portugal.
For use of the 3G Broadband
network, Vodafone will launch the Vodafone 3G Broadband Mobile Connect
Card that can be used when this technology is made commercially available.
This data card will be
available at the usual outlets at a basic price of 249.90 euros or
199.90 euros for customers who sign up to a 12-month contract.
With the commercial launch
of this technology, Vodafone will also introduce new price plans for
Broadband usage: 1GB 3G Broadband and 4GB 3G Broadband (price plans
attached).
Marking the occasion, António
Carrapatoso, Chairman of Vodafone Portugal, said that “once
again, Vodafone is demonstrating its leadership in non-voice services
by deploying 3G Broadband at speeds of up to 1.8Mbps. 3G Broadband
represents an important step in the history of mobile communications
in Portugal, maintaining the country’s position in the European
vanguard of the development of mobile Broadband data services.”
Vodafone has always been
at the forefront of the introduction of new technologies and the development
of mobile data services. It pioneered the implementation of the 2.5G
(GPRS), 3G (UMTS) and 3.5G (HSDPA) networks in Portugal and was the
first operator to offer 3G services in Portugal with the launch of
the Vodafone 3G Mobile Connect Card.
3G Broadband Price
Plans
3G Broadband
1GB 3G Broadband
4GB
Monthly Charge
49.90 euros 74.90 euros
Discount (activations up to 30/06/06)*
20%
Monthly Charge incl. discount*
39.90 euros 59.90 euros
Included calls Download
Upload 1GB 4GB
200MB 1GB
Speed up to 1.8Mbps