Vodafone New Zealand has announced it completed the deployment and upgrade of 23 cell sites in August as part of its regional investment programme. The mobile network operator (MNO) reports it completed three new sites, upgraded 18 existing sites and built two new Rural Connectivity Group (RCG) mobile towers. Most of these upgrades were in the Manawatu-Whanganui and Bay of Plenty regions and aim to strengthen 4G and/or extend 5G coverage for subscribers.
The operator has also reported a 96% increase in sales of its most popular entry-level 4G smartphone – the NZD79 (USD55) Smart E11 – during July and August as customers look to access essential COVID-19 apps. Vodafone noted higher numbers of elderly people are buying the smartphones as a way to stay connected and access essential apps, particularly the COVID-19 Tracer app.