Vodafone Hutchison Australia will shut down the 3 brand on 30 August and any customers still using the service on that date will have to change plans, Vodafone has announced.
The closure of the 3 brand will follow the end of a roaming agreement with Telstra at the end of June, Vodafone said. The completion of these two developments will finally mark the completion of the Vodafone/3 merger.
Vodafone and 3 merged their networks in 2009 to create Vodafone Hutchison Australia. While the numerically titled operator’s customers have been riding the Vodafone network since the merger, the closure of 3 means they will have to pick up a new SIM card and subscribe to a new plan. Vodafone said it plans to call customers to help with the switch.
“We really appreciate the loyalty our 3 customers have shown over the years and we know many will be sad to say goodbye, as will many members of our team at Vodafone Australia who have been with the company since the beginning,” said Vodafone director of sales and service, Craig Reines.
The announcement comes as Vodafone launches its 4G network this month. The company has also announced plans to triple its 3G coverage in regional areas in July.
Vodafone has poured more than $1 billion dollars into its network over the past few years in an attempt to reverse a customer exodus.
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