Vodafone New Zealand officially launch Sure Signal femto cell

Vodafone Sure Signal is a New Zealand-first device – a small box that is easy to install and uses a Vodafone fixed broadband line to deliver strong 3G coverage in the home or office so people can make calls, send SMS, check emails or browse the web on their mobile phone.

All that is needed is a fixed broadband connection with Vodafone that is capable of download speeds of at least 1Mbps per second, and a 3G mobile phone.

“Mobile signal strength isn’t always a case of how near you are to a cell site. It can be affected by New Zealand’s unique topography, or the location or type of building you’re in - living in a basement, high apartment building or being close to hills and valleys can result in a weaker signal, even in cities with lots of cell sites,” says Tony Baird, Vodafone New Zealand General Manager – Network and Services.

“These mobile ‘weakspots’ aren’t new – every network in the world has them – but we know they can be a great source of frustration for customers, so we are delighted to be the first in New Zealand to offer a new solution that will provide them with strong, reliable 3G indoor coverage where they previously had none.”

Vodafone Sure Signal is just one of the initiatives Vodafone will be rolling out over the coming year as part of its commitment to invest in New Zealand’s smartest mobile network.

Sure Signal comes in two versions. The standard Vodafone Sure Signal boosts the 3G signal throughout your home or office by up to 20 metres and allows up to four people to be on their mobiles at the same time.

Vodafone has a special introductory offer of NZ$99 (incl GST) for the consumer device, normally NZ$349 inc GST). This offer is available until 15 March 2011.

Vodafone Sure Signal Enterprise boosts the 3G signal throughout your home or office by up to 40 metres, allowing up to 8 people to be on their mobiles at the same time. It costs NZ$899 (excl. GST).

Broadband data used by Sure Signal will be zero rated which means it will not impact the customer’s fixed broadband data allowance.