From Friday 10 December, Sure Signal users will need to ensure they have an alternative technology option to stay connected - either using newer 4G or 5G mobile network technology in areas where digital infrastructure has been upgraded, or via Wifi Calling in areas with limited or no mobile coverage.

Sure Signal is now an outmoded service using 3G technology that first launched in 2011, and all Sure Signal devices sold or dispatched by Vodafone since late 2019 have included a sticker on the box stating that this outdated technology would expire in December 2021.

Sharina Nisha, Head of Network Services, explains: “Technology is continually evolving, so we need to keep retiring unsupported legacy devices including Sure Signal to make way for newer and more efficient options. With the Rural Connectivity Group building more cell sites in rural NZ, and lots of Vodafone mobile network upgrades in recent years, the mobile network footprint has expanded. Or, customers can tap into a Wifi signal with our new Wifi Calling device feature.

“Wifi Calling is a great alternative for people with little or no cellular connectivity, for example in rural locations or businesses operating in buildings with thick walls. Wifi Calling is being rolled out over the coming months to selected phones, which means that a Wifi Calling enabled device with the latest software updates is required to connect.”

To use Wifi Calling, Vodafone NZ customers need a voice calling enabled plan, an eligible phone with the latest software updates installed and Wifi Calling turned on, plus a good quality Wifi connection. For more information, customers can visit this Vodafone Wifi Calling page.

“For the past two years, it’s been clearly marked on new Sure Signal devices that they are reaching end-of-life, and recently we’ve only been dispatching replacement devices or sending them out in extreme situations. We’ll be highlighting this shutdown to Sure Signal users over the coming months, mainly via SMS messages to let them know they may need to upgrade to Wifi Calling to stay connected.”

Vodafone has been investing hundreds of millions of dollars into digital infrastructure to build and upgrade cell sites around Aotearoa New Zealand. In a few years’ time, it is likely there will be 4G and/or 5G coverage everywhere the older 3G network reaches - and the 4G Calling (VoLTE) coverage area is rapidly expanding.

Vodafone also partners with the Rural Connectivity Group to build more rural digital infrastructure, and these sites predominantly include 4G and VoLTE technology, as older 3G technology is eventually and inevitably being superseded by 4G and 5G over time.

More information about the type of coverage and network technology in NZ is available via the online Vodafone coverage map: https://www.vodafone.co.nz/network/coverage/. Broadband and therefore Wifi availability is available on the National Broadband map.

For more information about Sure Signal and Wifi Calling, please visit: https://www.vodafone.co.nz/mobile/3g-sure-signal/