4G SIM NewsVodafone has added 17 new destinations to its ultrafast 4G roaming service in time for the festive period, meaning Vodafone customers with 4G price plans and 4G compatible devices will be able to enjoy ultrafast 4G wherever they are heading off to over Christmas.
Which countries are included in Vodafone’s 4G roaming?
Earlier in the year Vodafone announced that it was offering 4G roaming in 23 countries worldwide, meaning it offered 4G in more overseas locations than any other UK 4G network provider. The network has now added an additional 15 countries to the list, and two more are expected to come online before Christmas to bring the overall total to 40.
The countries that have been added are Cayman Islands, Thailand, Antigua & Barbuda, Croatia, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Israel, Japan, Peru, Philippines, Slovenia, and Sri Lanka. Fiji and Kuwait will also be added in the next few days.
The first countries to be included in 4G roaming from Vodafone were Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal. These were quickly followed by Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Romania, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan and USA. Demand for roaming is particularly high in Spain, France and the USA which are the countries most frequently visited by British people, with more than 23 million visits by UK travellers last year.
What will 4G roaming cost for Vodafone customers?
The countries are divided into two groups, classed as the Europe Zone, which uses the Vodafone EuroTraveller service, and the rest of the world which uses the Vodafone WorldTraveller service.
- EuroTraveller – Vodafone customers can take their minutes, texts and 4G data bundle with them for £3 per day
- WordTraveller – Vodafone customers can take their minutes, texts and 4G data bundle with them for £5 per day
Customers will only pay for the days when they actually use their mobile abroad. For customers with Vodafone Red price plans UK calls and texts are unlimited so travellers will be able to call or text home without worrying about a huge phone bill. There are no charges for receiving calls or texts.
According to Cindy Rose, Vodafone UK’s Head of Consumer, “Around four million people head overseas during the festive period so today’s news is perfect for those wanting to upload photos or videos of their celebrations to their social media sites or check maps online whilst on the move.”
Boost for Vodafone 4G at home
It’s not just abroad that Vodafone customers are getting better access to 4G. The network has recently begun the roll-out of a new technology, known as Carrier Aggregation, 4.5G, or LTE Advanced, which allows it to provide higher average speeds to more simultaneous users, particularly indoors. The technology has rolled out in London, Birmingham, and Manchester and will arrive in other UK cities during 2015.
According to Vodafone UK Technology Director, Fergal Kelly, “This clever technology is the next big step to deliver faster speeds per user and to increase the capacity so more customers can enjoy a great 4G experience when and where they want it.”