Vodafone Australia has announced three new parts of its National Broadband Network (NBN) offering in a bid to win more customers, including a Wi-Fi booster and refreshed plans rewarding bundled customers.
Speaking with ZDNet, Vodafone GM of Fixed Matthew Lobb called the new Wi-Fi booster a "mini-me version of our Wi-Fi hub".
Lobb told ZDNet that Vodafone again worked with Technicolor, the same company it used for its Wi-Fi Hub[1] -- which provides backup 4G internet access in the event of an outage or delay in migration -- and it has similar capabilities, including dual-band Wi-Fi with the ability to connect 32 devices.
The booster extends the signal into blackspots in customers' homes, and costs AU$180 upfront or AU$5 per month on a 36-month plan.
Vodafone's "rejigged" NBN plans will then reward its post-paid mobile customers with AU$10 off their monthly NBN bill across the 50Mbps and 100Mbps plans, and AU$5 off their 25Mbps NBN services.
Vodafone's NBN plans now cost AU$69 per month for 25Mbps; AU$79 per month for 50Mbps; and AU$99 per month for 100Mbps prior to the post-paid mobile customer discounts.
Vodafone also wants to avoid "sneaky" charges to customers, Lobb explained, as well as the upfront hits to the wallet consumers take on other telcos. According to Lobb, TPG's upfront charge is AU$100, Optus' is AU$200, and Telstra's is AU$435, plus Telstra's early termination charge is AU$735 if customers leave in the first month of the contract.
Instead, Vodafone will waive its AU$180 upfront charge for the modem and installation until a customer leaves their plan, crediting AU$5 each month. For example, if a customer leaves their Vodafone NBN service six months in, they'll be charged AU$120