Vodafone 4G service announced for the UK, launching 29th August
Vodafone is planning to match O2's proposed 4G launch date and is hoping the option of free Spotify or Sky Sports mobile will convince customers to make the switch
Vodafone has announced plans for its 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) mobile network today, and is preparing to launch the service in London on the 29th of August – matching O2’s recently-announced service.
The new service will be gradually rolled out to other towns and cities, with twelve including Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield pencilled in for the end of the year.
Vodafone Red 4G-ready plans will be available from the 12th of August in store, online and over the phone, with prices starting from £26 per month for a SIM-only deal on a twelve month contract. As an added incentive, new customers will get the option of free access to the Spotify Premium service or Sky Sports Mobile TV. The first three months will also include unlimited 4G data. This mark a welcome change from the tight usage limits imposed by EE, currently the UK’s only 4G network.
If you don’t yet own a 4G-ready phone, Red 4G-ready contracts with a compatible handset are available from £31 for a 24-month tie-in, or from £51 for a 12-month deal.
All customers on Vodafone Red 4G-Ready contracts will automatically be switched over to 4G speeds once the network launches. Birmingham, Bradford, Coventry, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham and Sheffield are all set to follow London with LTE coverage by the end of the year, with Vodafone promising up to 98% indoor coverage by 2015, which is expected to cost the network up to £900 in investment.