www.vodafone.com.au

Vodafone Australia announced today its continued commitment to customers, through the enabling of 3G based services in Australia by mid 2005.

Having launched the hugely successful, Vodafone live! in April 2003, the company is due to invest hundreds of millions of dollars over the next two years in the development of a globally compatible 3G network, which will enable Vodafone customers to get faster, enhanced mobile services wherever they are.

Vodafone Australia's Managing Director Grahame Maher commented;

"To secure our positioning as the world's leading mobile operator, we will be rolling out 3G networks so we can to continue to offer the best mobile services throughout the world.

"Due to the sheer scale, geography and nature of the Australian market, at this stage we feel that a partnership will be the most effective way for us to deliver 3G based services to our customers.

"We are currently in discussion with a number of carriers regarding a partnership arrangement, however if this isn't viable, we have the required finance in place to go it alone. We expect to be in a position to announce our plans in the next few months.

Together, Vodafone Australia and Vodafone New Zealand have carried out extensive preparation and planning and are currently in the process of joint vendor selection for their respective 3G networks. Through close trans-Tasman co-operation, customers will benefit from a seamless Vodafone experience in both Australia and New Zealand.

"We learnt a great deal from the global roll out of Vodafone live! and coupled with the wealth of global experience we have across the Vodafone Group and the close relationship we have with Vodafone New Zealand and J-Phone Vodafone in Japan, we're confident that we'll deliver 3G based services which are compelling and relevant to customers, no matter where they are in the world," continued Grahame.

Vodafone's 3G service will work in conjunction with its existing GSM and GPRS networks and will be phased in over time. It will be easy for customers to make the seamless transition, as they'll be able to keep the same mobile number.

Vodafone live! customers on the existing 2.5G network will be able to enjoy the same experience on the 3G network when it launches in 2005. Internationally, more than two million customers have signed up for Vodafone live! since it launched last year.