Vodafone Australia customers will be able to roam on international 4G networks as part of its $5 daily roaming plan starting in the middle of the year.
Customers will be able to roam on 4G Vodafone networks in New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Europe at no additional cost, Vodafone said. More countries will be added later, it said.
The number-three telco in Australia currently provides international roaming to more than 40 countries. For $5 extra a day, customers keep the talk, text and data limits they have in Australia even when travelling abroad.
Vodafone Australia CTO Benoit Hanssen said the telco has taken advantage of the global Vodafone network to make 4G roaming possible.
“Vodafone Australia is in an enviable position with the largest global network at its fingertips and therefore at the fingertips of its customers,” he said.
The news follows an announcement by UK parent Vodafone Group that it would offer 4G roaming to more countries than any other mobile operator worldwide.
Vodafone Group already allows 4G roaming on its European networks in Greece, Italy, Portugal, Romania and Spain. By the end of 2014, it will launch 4G roaming in Australia, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, South Africa and the UK.
In addition, Vodafone customers will be able to use 4G networks of other telcos in Austria, Belgium, France, Japan, Singapore, South Korea and Switzerland, Vodafone said.
The announcement is the latest in a series related to international calling rates. In January, Vodafone Australia announced reductions for prepaid international call rates to 12 countries.
Vodafone is in the midst of an attempted turnaround after losing many customers due to network and other problems. The telco has been investing significantly in rebuilding its network.
Vodafone reported a loss of about 22,000 customers in the last quarter of 2013, a relatively small number compared to the previous quarter when Vodafone lost 584,000.
Adam Bender covers telco and enterprise tech issues for Computerworld and is the author of a dystopian novel about surveillance. Follow him on Twitter: @WatchAdam
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