Telecom has this morning announced that it will launch its new 3G mobile network, branded XT Mobile Network, ahead of schedule on May 13.
The XT brand was unveiled last week with the launch of a teaser ad campaign featuring Top Gear star Richard Hammond, but today’s announcement is Telecom’s first official confirmation of the new brand.
Telecom says XT Network will bring “world class” 3G mobile service to 97% of places where Kiwis live and work from launch date.
The network was scheduled to launch in June, and its early arrival means Telecom will beat rival Vodafone in securing this level of 3G coverage. Vodafone plans to complete its 3G roll-out by May 31.
Telecom CEO Paul Reynolds said the XT Mobile Network will be faster in more places.
“As well as the best genuine coverage across New Zealand, the XT Mobile Network will deliver superior network performance with faster mobile internet.”
Apart from stating that Telecom is “poised to reveal an exciting range of mobile handsets and services”, today’s announcement does not include details of what kind of plans Telecom will offer on the new network.
However, the new network is still a big step in the right direction for mobile phone users who to date have been faced with little in way of true competition between the two mobile operators.
For the first time, users will be able to use the same handsets on both Vodafone and Telecom mobile networks – provided the device is compatible with XT’s W-CDMA 850 MHz frequency band.
This means that swapping between the providers will be as simple as switching SIM cards. Businesses will no longer need to replace an entire fleet of handsets to get a better deal.
Telecom will also finally challenge Vodafone’s up to now superior international roaming offering.
Telecom claims XT will provide seamless international roaming to more than 206 destinations for voice calling and SMS and at least 110 destinations for mobile data.
Therefore, Vodafone will no longer be the default choice for regular business travellers. Real competition on international roaming is long overdue and sorely needed.
In addition, Telecom will not be on the back foot anymore when it comes to handset choices, which has long also been a strong competitive advantage for Vodafone.
Telecom has already announced exclusive availability on two pretty nifty looking devices – the Sony Ericsson W995, which is featured in the XT ad campaign, and the touch screen Samsung F480.
The Samsung will be available on launch day, while the Sony Ericsson is due in July, and will be a world exclusive – available in New Zealand before anywhere else in the world, according to Telecom.
All these factors, plus the imminent launch of New Zealand Communications’ network, should result in some much-needed downward pressure on mobile phone bills, especially for 3G data services. Vodafone has already pre-empted the Telecom 3G launch by offering lower priced mobile broadband deals.
While Telecom has thus far focused on better speed and services in its marketing of the XT network, most users will want to see some aggressive pricing plans for calling, data and roaming.