Vodafone - delivering the future today

Thursday, 24 July 2008, 11:48 am
Press Release: Vodafone

24 July 2008

Vodafone - delivering the future today

Vodafone has begun testing its VDSL2 broadband capabilities in the country's first unbundled exchange in Ponsonby and plans to have a commercial VDSL2 offer in the market later this year.

VDSL2 gives customers unprecedented speeds over existing copper infrastructure and is just another of the exciting new developments coming out of the unbundling process that has opened Telecom's exchanges to companies like Vodafone.

Vodafone's GM of Fixed line & Broadband, David Joyce, says all of Vodafone's unbundled exchanges are already VDSL2 capable today.

"We are installing equipment as rapidly as possible and every exchange we go into will be able to offer VDSL2 as well as ADSL2+."

VDSL service offers much higher speeds than existing ADSL and even the new ADSL2+ technology Vodafone is deploying. However because of the way VDSL2 works, the optimum range for customers to receive higher speeds is up to one kilometre from the exchange.

"This is a premium service aimed at high-end users who demand greater download and importantly, greater upload speeds from their broadband connections," Says Joyce.

Vodafone is working with Telecom's network arm, Chorus, to trial VDSL2 in Ponsonby and will roll out to a further five exchanges in the next few weeks.

"VDSL2 will deliver up to 50Mbit/s download and 20Mbit/s upload speeds and will appeal to knowledge-centric businesses and even high-end individuals who demand a higher connection speed."

After the testing period, Vodafone will work with selected customers in a pre-launch commercial trial, and then move to a full commercial launch.

"We expect to be able to launch a commercial product and plans later this year. Already we have unbundled 27 exchanges covering 66% of Auckland's customer base and by the year's end we'll be looking outside Auckland at the other main centres.. Every exchange Vodafone unbundles will be able to offer VDSL2 services."

ENDS

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