The plans are part of a comprehensive network improvement strategy to improve coverage and reliability and to increase data speeds. The exact timing of the LTE deployment will be confirmed once the operator's required equipment tender process and contract negotiations have been completed.
VHA has suffered from the impact of poor network performance in recent years, losing a significant amount of customers, prompting the investment in infrastructure improvement. The company has invested AUD1 billion on a two year project to build a new network based on 850MHz spectrum. The new network will allow the operator to provide Dual Carrier HSPA+ services in selected areas by September.
"Vodafone 3G+ (DC-HSPA+) and 4G (LTE) are very exciting technologies that will feature very strongly in our network improvements over the next two years," said Vodafone Australia chief executive Bill Morrow.
The company is now focusing on increasing the capacity of its network with plans to install new transmission equipment and upgrade thousands of base station connections using internet protocol technology by the end of the year.
The network has been completed in Western Australia, the Northern Territory, South Australia, Tasmania and Canberra – bringing improvements in call quality and continuity of data sessions – and is currently being deployed in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and along the Eastern seaboard.
VHA recently announced an expanded network joint venture with Optus, meaning it will be able to reach 96 percent of the country’s population with its services by April 2013.
Larger rival Telstra launched LTE services last year.
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