Vodafone + Three = ???

[mark_r]

Vodafone and Three to merge:

http://www.vodafone.com.au/stelprd/g...ent/merger.pdf

Vodafone and Hutchison Telecommunications (Australia) Limited (“HTAL”), a listed subsidiary of Hutchison Whampoa Limited (“Hutchison Whampoa”), announced today an agreement to merge their telecommunications businesses in Australia, Vodafone Australia Limited (“Vodafone Australia”) and Hutchison 3G Australia Pty Limited (“H3GA”), which delivers its mobile services under the “3” brand. Both Vodafone and HTAL will have an equal ownership of 50% in the joint venture, which will be renamed VHA Pty Limited (“VHA”). VHA will market its products and services under the Vodafone brand, but will retain exclusive rights to use the 3 brand in Australia during a transition period and thereafter. To equalise the value difference between the respective businesses, Vodafone will receive a deferred payment of A$500 million from VHA.

Thoughts?

Will service and coverage go to shit? Moreso than it already is?

So much for Three forming an agreement to roam onto NextG from mid-year.

[dugy]

I'm on 3.
When the "3G" coverage drops out it's always reverted to "roming" on the Vodafone network.
Service has always been sh*t.

[mark_r]

I've been with 3 for 5.5 years now.
Originally they roamed onto Vodafone GSM, but for the last 2 (at least) years that roaming has been Telstra GSM, not Vodafone.

Telstra GSM is generally regarded as superior to Vodafone GSM?

[carbon13]

This is bizare, as 3 have signed an agreement with Telstra to use their Next-G network for roaming as of April this year?!

Wonder if this Vodafone merger will affect that agreement??!

[Hazelnutty]

i just signed up for a 24 month contract with 3... I went with them coz they were far cheaper than any others ($69 cap = $650 calls + 3 to 3 $350 worth + 1gb download)... their coverage is bad, but they roam with telstra, so anywhere there's telstra, tehre's them... was looking forward to the next g agreement...

bit worried that the good prices are on their way out... but would be interesting to see if they try to change us who are on plans already... because then they would need to give us an option to cut loose

watch this space i guess

[padfoot]

I'm on 3.
When the "3G" coverage drops out it's always reverted to "roming" on the Vodafone network.
Service has always been sh*t.

Nope, been roaming onto Telstra GSM for quite a few years now.

Telstra GSM is generally regarded as superior to Vodafone GSM?

Yes, Vodafone GSM is the smallest coverage network (aside from Three) in Australia. From memory the figure is a touch over 95% population coverage.
Telstra GSM is about 96% population coverage, with around 650 000 sq kms of coverage and has actually been overtaken by Optus GSM in recent years with Optus claiming around 700 000 sq kms of coverage.
Of course Next G blows them all away with over 2 million sq kms of landmass covered.

This is bizare, as 3 have signed an agreement with Telstra to use their Next-G network for roaming as of April this year?!

Wonder if this Vodafone merger will affect that agreement??!

Apparently it won't, and Three will continue to roam onto Next G as of April this year.
I have my doubts however... Once VHA have their new UMTS 900 network up and running why would they play Telstra to access a UMTS 850 network?
Either way, Three customers will not have access to the entire Next G network if the deal goes ahead anyway. Just where the current roaming agreement covers, or maybe enough to compete with Yes G... But still not all of the network.