Vodafone Come out Fighting in 4G Wars

With the launch of the UK’s first 4G network only days away and after EE have come in for some major criticism over their price plans for the super-fast network, the competition have decided that they are not going to remain quiet and surrender but have come out fighting.

Vodafone have announced that anyone who bought an iPhone 5, Samsung Galaxy SIII or Samsung Galaxy Note 2 after 26th October 2012 will be able to exchange it for an early upgrade and will also get 70% (yes seventy) knocked off of the price of their remaining contract.

You will of course need to sign up for a new 4G contract with Vodafone assuming they manage to win a license to operate a 4G network in the upcoming auction as well as return your old handset in good working condition.

Full details are available from Vodafone’s 4G Promise page.

We’ll make sure you’re ready for 4G, with our 4G early upgrade handset guarantee

So if you’ve bought an iPhone 5 or Samsung Galaxy SIII (purchased after October 26th 2012) or Galaxy Note II, simply bring it back to one of our stores. Even if you’re still in contract, we’ll knock off 70% of your remaining contract charges, letting you upgrade your phone early and start a fresh contract.

More about our 4G early upgrade handset guarantee:

How do you qualify?

1. You need to sign up to a new 4G contract with a 4G phone.
2. You’ve bought a qualifying handset from us between 12th September 2012 and 31st March 2013 (or 26th October and 31st March 2013 for the Samsung Galaxy SIII (purchased after October 26th 2012).
3. You’ve paid three monthly bills on your plan.

To take up our guarantee you need to:

1. Come to one of our retail stores
2. Pay 30% of your remaining line rental
3. Give us your old phone back in good working order
4. Take out a new 4G contract with a 4G phone

Which handsets qualify?
To start with the offer applies just to the iPhone 5, Samsung Galaxy SIII (purchased after October 26th 2012) and Galaxy Note II. Later it will cover more devices with a 4G version as we announce them.

How much does it cost?
When you return your phone you’ll need to pay 30% of the line rental left on your contract.

For example, how would it work if you bought an iPhone 5 16GB on our £42 plan and wanted to upgrade to 4G six months before your contract ends? Well, the line rental left would be £252 (six months at £42 a month), but you’d only have to pay 30%, which would be £75.60. Then you’d be ready to go with a new contract.

What’s ‘good working order’?
It means returning your phone in the same condition as when you got it. It’s alright if it has fair wear and tear from normal use, but not accidental damage.

What happens if my phone’s damaged?
You can still upgrade to 4G if your phone has damage like a cracked screen, chips, deep scratches or water damage. You’ll need to pay a bit more to cover the damage, though. If your phone is lost or stolen, you cannot take up the offer.

Will this change my contract’s end date?
Yes. To get your new phone you’ll need to sign up for a new 4G contract with a new end date.

Can I upgrade to any phone?
Yes, as long as it works with Vodafone 4G.

Which handsets are 4G compatible?
We aren’t offering them yet, but we expect to launch 4G devices from various manufacturers in the next few months.

When I upgrade, do I have to stay on the same plan?
No. You can change to any 4G price plan that comes with a 4G phone. It needs to have the same monthly charge or higher, though.

Where can I upgrade?
Just drop into one of our stores.