Europe
: Vodafone is the first operator in the Netherlands to offer UMTS
coverage to more than half of the Dutch population.
Inset
is Tomas Isaksson - CEO, Vodafone Netherlands.
With
a coverage percentage of 55% Vodafone offers a geographical spread
of the Vodafone UMTS network, connecting larger cities, industrial
estates, motorways and railways in the Netherlands.
Thanks
to this, Vodafone customers in more and more locations in the Netherlands
can make use of the UMTS services for the laptop and the mobile phone.
Due to
the expansion of the UMTS coverage, Vodafone customers can now use
the UMTS data card for the laptop, and services such as Video Telephony
and live TV for their handset in the Randstad and other major cities
throughout the country. Before April 2005 the number of Dutch cities
with Vodafone UMTS coverage will be doubled. By means of a unique
Vodafone service, customers can determine whether the Vodafone UMTS
network is active within a particular area or at a specific location.
Based on postal codes, Vodafone's Customer Services advisors can inform
customers whether there is Vodafone UMTS coverage in a specific area.
Outside
the UMTS coverage area the UMTS datacard automatically switches to
the Vodafone GPRS network offering full coverage throughout the Netherlands.
With this, Vodafone customers can always access their normal
office applications, wherever, whenever.