3G Broadband sales surpass 45,000 as Vodafone continues to lead the mobile broadband market in Ireland

Dublin Ireland, November 13th 2007 — Vodafone Group PLC today announces its half-yearly financial report for the six months ended 30th September 2007. The following information relates to Vodafone Ireland's performance in the three month period to 30th September 2007 and should be read in conjunction with the Group’s press release available at: http://www.vodafone.com/etc/medialib/attachments/half-year_results.Par.92787.File.dat/Interim%202008_release_FINAL.pdf

Summary Key Performance Indicators
 
Vodafone Ireland remained Ireland’s number one mobile operator in the last quarter, increasing its customer base to 2.217 million with the addition of 30,000 net new customers despite intense competition. The Company projects further growth in customer numbers and its product suite in the next quarter and will be making a significant announcement in regard to an acquisition later today.
 
Vodafone continued to lead the market with the introduction of innovative and best in class products and services. In August, Vodafone partnered with Google, MySpace, eBay and YouTube to launch Vodafone Mobile Internet – a service that brings the internet and mobile worlds together for over 1 million customers. Vodafone Mobile Internet’s 99c per day price point has liberated usage of internet on the mobile – in the first month alone, total usage increased by 200 per cent.

Vodafone maintained its lead in the mobile broadband market with sales in the last quarter of over 11,000, bringing the total 3G Broadband base to over 40,000 by the end of that quarter. To date the Company has grown its 3G Broadband base to 45,000. Ongoing investment in Vodafone’s 3G Broadband network ensured that the Company continued to offer the most extensive and reliable mobile broadband network in the country. Vodafone has invested approximately €800 million developing 3G services in Ireland and is ahead of its 2002 seven-year commitment to invest €1bn in 3G deployment.

Vodafone Ireland’s customers continue to enjoy the benefits of Vodafone’s services with total voice minutes in the quarter ended 30th September 2007 increasing by 6.7 per cent to 1,517 million from 1,422 million in the same quarter in 2006. The same period showed a drop of 3.8 per cent in average blended monthly ARPU to €45.10. At a time when Vodafone’s customers are increasing their use of mobile phones, they are getting better value than ever before.
 
Usage levels of Vodafone Ireland customers remain well above the Vodafone European average. Vodafone Ireland customers each consumed on average 235 voice minutes and sent 122 messages per month in this quarter compared to a Vodafone European average of 146 minutes and 67 messages. 

Commenting on the results, Charles Butterworth, Chief Executive, Vodafone Ireland said: “Vodafone continues to invest heavily in providing best in class products and services to our customers. Our product suite has seen further growth with traditional mobile offerings of voice and text and innovative solutions such as mobile broadband complemented in the last quarter with the launch of Vodafone Mobile Internet.

"Vodafone continued to deliver great value through innovative pricing such as Vodafone Mobile Internet's 99c per day tariff, as well as the recent success of Vodafone's prepay offer Free Texts or Free Weekends for Life which 600,000 of our customers have to date signed up for."

"Vodafone Ireland is injecting even more value into the market this week with the introduction of a new post paid offer available to all bill paying customers. The new pay monthly plans, Perfect Choice* will offer our customers extra value on their normal monthly bills," said Charles Butterworth.

Notes:

* The five new Perfect Choice pay monthly plans will offer customers even more value and more choice than ever before with not only texts included in each tariff but depending on their package plan, the choice of FREE additional Vodafone to Vodafone calls or texts or additional landline minutes.

For further information, please contact:
 
Christine Heffernan
Vodafone Ireland
Tel: 087 9913517

Aisling Garvey
FD
Tel: 087 4169662