New Angel service provides peace of mind

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Media Release

14 May 2012

New Angel service provides peace of mind for Vodafone smartphone customers

Smartphones just got a whole lot smarter for Vodafone customers, thanks to a new service giving Kiwis control over their data use and spend.

Data Angel – a world first for Vodafone – is free for all on account customers on Vodafone Smart and Smart Data* plans. It lets customers know when they are at 80% of their data bundle, and then halts data use when they have reached 100%. It gives customers the option of buying another bundle or continuing at a per MB rate.

Greg McAlister, General Manager Product Marketing, says Vodafone has launched Data Angel to give customers the freedom to use their smartphones the way they want, with choice and peace of mind.

“New Zealanders love the flexibility of smartphones, but our customers tell us they want to be able to control their data use and avoid surprises on their phone bill. Customers want certainty over what they currently use and spend, and with Data Angel, gone are the days of billshock from using your smartphone.

“Our network statistics show that customers generally use a lot less data than they think and many over-estimate how much data they need. A survey1 recently showed us that more than 50% of smartphone users use less than 150MB per month, while only 12% use more than 1GB. Data Angel means Vodafone customers don’t need to worry about buying a large data ‘safety net’, as they will never unknowingly go over their bundle.”

McAlister says data use on the Vodafone network has more than doubled in the last year, substantiating a recent Commerce Commission report2 on the consumption of mobile data nationwide. The report attributes this growth to “a substantial decrease in the price of mobile data and reflects the growing popularity of accessing the internet using mobile devices like smart phones and tablets.”

The survey conducted by Vodafone showed 30% of non-smartphone users avoid getting a smart device due to data overrun fears or data costs, something that can now be managed effectively with tools like Data Angel plus tailored smart phone plans.

“These results indicate data use is continuing to grow as more and more people see the benefits of being able to access information and apps on the move, but there are still some concerns around data cost and use,” he says. “We are making sure our customers and those who might consider using mobile data have the tools they need to be comfortable using their smartphones when, where and how they want.”

With Data Angel, once customers reach their data limit, they’ll be offered the choice to continue using data at the casual rate of 20c per MB, or buying another 500MB bundle for $12. The same service has been available on Vodafone mobile broadband plans since October 2011.

“Although most customers are using less than 150MB/month,” McAlister says, “we know there are some customers who live their lives on their smartphone and use a lot more.

Data Angel will be available for international roaming later this year. Vodafone roaming customers already benefit from TXT warnings at 2, 5 and 10MB thresholds.

ENDS

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