Telecom’s new W850 mobile network passed a key milestone this week with the start of inbound roaming for overseas visitors.
 
CEO Telecom Retail Alan Gourdie said the roaming arrangements launched this week are with Telstra Corporation Australia and the Digicel Group who cover a range of Pacific Islands.
 
Further reciprocal roaming agreements with global providers will be activated over the coming months so by June Telecom will also offer customers over 170 overseas destinations for voice and texting and over 110 destinations for internet data.
 
“We have set ambitious targets for our new mobile network and everyone in our business is galvanised around meeting those targets and bringing exciting mobile services to all our customers,” said Mr Gourdie.
 
“We are pleased to reach this milestone within our committed timeframes and thrilled with the progress overall of the new mobile network’s rollout.”
 
This month Telecom also commenced its planned pilot programme with a group of internal local users. The pilot, which is focused on ensuring a best-in-class customer experience, will build up further in the coming months.
 
Telecom’s new mobile network now has active coverage for inbound customers in the Auckland CBD, Auckland airport and city-to-airport commuter route. Work is also on track for similar coverage in Wellington and Christchurch by early 2009.
 
In October Telecom announced plans to deliver World Class 3G services and fast mobile broadband to 97% of New Zealanders, up to a year in advance of its main competitor’s plans.
 
With a full launch due by June, the service will offer the best nationwide coverage, the fastest internet on mobile, a wide range of world-leading handsets, as well as better content, music and business applications.
 
Telecom is offering a range of promotions to existing and new customers who sign up with Telecom that make it easy, and attractive, for them to be amongst the first on the new mobile network next year. Gen-i clients are also being provided with migration options for the new network through their client managers.
 
About Telecom’s new mobile network
Telecom’s new nationwide 3G mobile network is based on WCDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access) technology, using a frequency of 850 Mega Hertz (MHz).  Over the past year a growing number of leading mobile providers internationally have launched WCDMA at 850MHz mobile networks, including AT&T in the United States and Telstra in Australia. T-Day for full launch of services will be by June next year.