Manawatū and Bay of Plenty-Waiariki will be the first regions to benefit from a turbocharged digital infrastructure investment program being kicked off by Vodafone New Zealand to further improve mobile phone and internet coverage around Aotearoa.
The accelerated network investment program for 2021 will see Vodafone upgrade or build more than 250 mobile cell sites around Aotearoa, and bring Vodafone 5G to more cities with Tauranga and Palmerston North next to receive the latest generation mobile technology.
As part of the planning stage, Baird says that Vodafone considered physical infrastructure plus social and cultural outcomes, recognising the need to respond to recent rapid growth in regional towns and to contribute to digital inclusion.
Nokia will be supplying the radio equipment for the regional investment program, continuing the long-standing relationship between the two companies.
When Vodafone launched 5G mobile on 10 December 2019 in parts of Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown, it meant Aotearoa was the 22nd country globally to launch a 5G mobile network - meaning that New Zealand innovators and businesses could tap into the faster speeds and lower latency of the latest generation mobile network just months after the technology started being rolled out internationally.
Tony Baird, Wholesale & Infrastructure Director
Each year we invest hundreds of millions of dollars into our digital infrastructure, but we’re really ramping it up this year and beyond. Covid-19 has accelerated the use of digital services and data consumption, particularly in regional parts of the country, and we want to invest ahead of the curve for our customers.
Tommi Uitto, President, Mobile Networks, Nokia
We are delighted to extend our strategic relationship with Vodafone New Zealand, as we embark together on building New Zealand’s largest and best-performing 5G network. This is an important win for Nokia, and a vote of confidence in our technology by an established player with a leadership position to defend.
