Vodafone stops signing up new 3 customers
- 31 August, 2011 12:22
- Comments 2
Vodafone Hutchison Australia (VHA) confirmed it will stop taking on new customers for its 3 network, as the two brands continue their gradual merge.
Customers who are on 3 prepaid deals or post-pay contracts are being offered the chance to migrate to Vodafone.
Vodafone marketing director, John Casey, told Computerworld Australia that if 3 customers choose not to join Vodafone or don’t have Vodafone network coverage where they live, they can continue to reside on the 3 network.
When asked what would happen if all 3 customers migrated to Vodafone, Casey conceded the 3 brand may disappear but this isn’t part of VHA’s strategy.
The change is a part of VHA’s ongoing process to merge the Vodafone and 3 networks, which began two years ago.
VHA doesn’t break down the number of its Vodafone and 3 customers, but currently has a total of 7.2 million Australian customers.
Its 550 retail stores are both Vodafone and 3 branded, but from 31 August the stores will sell Vodafone offerings and services.
"The bottom line is that we are not shutting any 3 stores and there will be no changes to staff numbers," Casey said.
VHA has more than 4000 staff at present.
Casey said that the performance of the Vodafone network was better than it has ever been, and the telco was spending $1 billion to upgrade both the 2G and 3G network.
"The key focus is on making the network 850Mhz enabled, which is great for the performance of smartphones," he said.
In August, VHA released figures showing the telco had lost 375,000 customers so far this year, as users sought alternatives in response to network and customer service issues.
Of the total decline, the company said 347,000 were from its prepaid and mobile broadband customers, as well as users of other mobile companies that ran on the Vodafone Hutchinson network, known as Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNO).
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Comments
Ben
The 3 network is far superior because Vodafone keep absorbing all its customers onto the still struggling Vodafone network. They're moronic, really.
I certainly won't be migrating to Vodafone from 3 if I have a choice.
My best friend who lives with me and is with Vodafone can barely keep signal and has horrible 3G internet speeds. I'm still on the 3 network and I get no coverage issues and my 3G internet is far superior to his. We live in the Adelaide CBD.
Matthew McGranahan
I am always having problems with 3, always switching to roaming for no reason. Might as well make the switch since it cost nothing.
BTW, for 3 to disappear from the network might not be "their strategy" but they are going the right way about it. Three customers are getting bombarded about switching to Vodafone, if they wish to upgrade their phone or plan, VHA request that customers do so through the Vodafone network.
Anyways, not sure if anyone noticed, the 3 brand is kinda slipping away, like it's dying, or already nearly dead. So I am going to make the switch. Fingers cross that there are no balls up.
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