Vodafone
Vodafone is a multinational mobile phone operator with headquarters in Newbury, Berkshire, United Kingdom and Düsseldorf Germany
- Vodafone is the largest mobile telecommunications network company in the world, with equity interests in 26 countries and Partner Networks (networks in which it has no equity stake) in a further 13 countries.
- At 30 June 2004, Vodafone had approximately 139.2 million proportionate customers worldwide.
- Vodafone is listed on the London Stock Exchange and New York Stock Exchange, symbol VOD.
- Vodafone stands for VOice-DAta-FONE.
Management
- Chairman - Lord MacLaurin
- Deputy Chairman - Paul Hazen
- Chief Executive - Arun Sarin
- Chief Operating Officer - Sir Julian Horn-Smith
- Chief Marketing Officer - Peter Bamford
- Chief Technology Officer - Thomas Geitner
Vodafone in Europe
Vodafone currently operates in the following countries in the European region:
- Albania - Vodafone Albania
- Belgium - Proximus
- France - SFR
- Germany - Vodafone Germany
- Greece - Vodafone Greece
- Hungary - Vodafone Hungary
- Ireland - Vodafone Ireland
- Italy - Vodafone Italy
- Malta - Vodafone Malta
- Netherlands - Vodafone Netherlands
- Poland - Plus GSM
- Portugal - Vodafone Portugal
- Romania - Connex
- Spain - Vodafone Spain
- Sweden - Vodafone Sweden
- Switzerland - Swisscom
- United Kingdom - Vodafone United Kingdom
History
- 1985-01-01: First phone call on Vodafone United Kingdom's Analog network.
- October 1991: Racal Telecom is demerged from Racal Electronics and becomes Vodafone Group.
- June 1992: Vodafone Germany's (still as "Mannesmann Mobilfunk GmBH") network went live.
- July 1992: Vodafone United Kingdom's GSM network went live.
- September 1992: Vodafone Sweden's network went live.
- October 1992: Vodafone Portugal's (still as "Telecel, Comunicaçġes Pessoais, SA") network went live.
- July 1993: Vodafone Greece's network went live.
- July 1993: Vodafone Ireland's network went live.
- September 1995: Vodafone Italy's (still as "Omnitel") network went live.
- November 1995: Vodafone Spain's (still as "Airtel") network went live.
- 2000: Vodafone took over German mobile network operator Mannesmann Mobilfunk GmBH & Co KG. The deal is one of the largest in European history.
- 2001-04-16 First 3G voice call on Vodafone United Kingdom's 3G network.
- 2001: Vodafone took over Eircell, then part of Eircom in Ireland and rebranded it Vodafone Ireland.
- 2002: Vodafone launched Vodafone live!™ its mobile customer portal
- 2004: Vodafone introduced 3G services into Europe.
Vodafone in Asia-Pacific
Vodafone currently operates in the following countries in the Asia-Paficic region:
- Australia - Vodafone Australia
- Fiji - Vodafone Fiji
- Japan - Vodafone Japan, formerly known as J-Phone
- New Zealand - Vodafone New Zealand
History
- July 1993: BellSouth New Zealand's network went live.
- October 1993: Vodafone Australia's network went live.
- July 1994: Vodafone Fiji's network went live.
- November 1998: Vodafone purchased BellSouth New Zealand, and it became known as Vodafone New Zealand.
- December 2002: J-Phone's 3G network went live.
- October 1st 2003: Vodafone's Japanese unit J-Phone dropped its brandname in favor of the globally recognized 'Vodafone'.
Vodafone in America
In the United States, Vodafone owns 44% of Verizon Wireless, which was the country's largest mobile carrier. However, the phone company Verizon owns a majority of Verizon Wireless and Vodafone's branding is not used, nor is the network compatible with GSM phones.
Corporate Sponsorship
Vodafone's logo can be seen on the jerseys of Manchester United players, thanks to its high-profile sponsorship of the soccer team. The logo can also be seen sponsoring the England cricket team, the Ferrari F1 team, DTM German touring cars and the Vodafone Oaks and Vodafone Derby horse races at Epsom.
Vodafone also has a sponsorship deal with David Beckham.
The logo shows the outline of a SIM-card, a rounded rectangle with one corner cut back. The brand color is a bright red, used with white.
Vodafone and partners' websites
Vodafone's Global Website (http://www.vodafone.com/)
- Albania (http://www.vodafone.al)
- Australia (http://www.vodafone.com.au)
- Austria (http://www.a1.net)
- Bahrain (http://www.mtc-vodafone.com.bh)
- Belgium (http://www.proximus.be)
- China (http://www.chinamobile.com/english/english.htm)
- Croatia (http://www.vipnet.hr)
- Cyprus (http://www.cyta.com.cy)
- Denmark (http://www.tdcmobil.dk)
- Egypt (http://www.vodafone.com.eg)
- Estonia (http://www.radiolinja.ee)
- Fiji (http://www.vodafone.com.fj)
- Finland (http://www.radiolinja.fi)
- France (http://www.sfr.fr)
- Germany (http://www.vodafone.de)
- Greece (http://www.vodafone.gr)
- Hungary (http://www.vodafone.hu)
- Iceland (http://www.ogvodafone.is)
- Ireland (http://www.vodafone.ie)
- Italy (http://www.vodafone.it)
- Japan (http://www.j-phone.com)
- Kenya (http://www.safaricom.co.ke)
- Kuwait (http://www.mtctele.com)
- Lithuania (http://www.bite.lt)
- Luxembourg (http://www.ept.lu)
- Malta (http://www.vodafone.com.mt)
- Netherlands (http://www.vodafone.nl)
- New Zealand (http://www.vodafone.co.nz)
- Poland (http://www.plusgsm.pl)
- Portugal (http://www.vodafone.pt)
- Romania (http://www.connex.ro)
- Singapore (http://www.m1.com.sg)
- Slovenia (http://www.simobil.si)
- South Africa (http://www.vodacom.net)
- Spain (http://www.vodafone.es)
- Sweden (http://www.vodafone.se)
- Switzerland (http://www.swisscom.com)
- United Kingdom (http://www.vodafone.co.uk)
- United States (http://www.verizonwireless.com)
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