As Facebook, Bebo and eBay top the popularity charts on Vodafone
Mobile Internet, Vodafone UK has today changed the way it structures
its price plans to include access to the internet and email on their
mobile as an integral part of the monthly price plan.

The move means that pay monthly customers will no longer need to buy
an additional internet bundle for £7.50 but instead every plan will
automatically include internet access. The new plans will give Vodafone
customers reliable and fast unlimited* access to their favourite social
network sites, email and the whole of the internet when out and about
in the UK. Vodafone customers will now have even greater confidence to
browse the mobile internet without the worry of additional charges, no
matter what monthly plan they choose.

Price plans start at £25 and customers who select a £40 or higher
price plan will also for the first time have the choice of unlimited
texts, unlimited landline calls or unlimited Vodafone to Vodafone
calls.

“Our customers want simplicity and services that are easy to select,
buy and use. Today with our new price plans Vodafone customers have the
confidence to browse for as long as they need with no extra costs when
checking their e-mail, visiting their favourite social networking sites
or making a final bid on eBay,“ said Ian Shepherd, director of consumer
for Vodafone UK. “This will make Vodafone not only the network of
choice for voice and text but also the internet. And what’s more, all
customers who visit a store to sign up to the new plan will benefit
from Vodafone’s simple two minute set up for email so that they can
leave the store up and running.”

Since launching the internet on mobiles last summer Vodafone has
witnessed the growth in consumers’ appetite for email, instant
messaging, and social networking as well as more general services such
as Google search. Favourites for customers include quick access to
Facebook, MySpace or Bebo to share pictures and news, YouTube to check
out videos on the move, and fast connections to eBay to make that last
minute bid. (see tables below)

Top 4 searches on the Vodafone Mobile Internet (VMI) (ranked by most searched first)

1. Facebook
2. Bebo
3. eBay
4. Windows live Hotmail

Top 10 mobile internet sites on VMI (ranked by most visited first)

1. Facebook
2. Google
3. BBC
4. MSN
5. Bebo
6. Sony Ericsson
7. Yahoo
8. MySpace
9. Windows live Hotmail
10. YouTube

Notes to editor

*subject to a fair usage policy of 500MB / per month

The following can be used as a guide for approximate usage, which
may vary slightly according to different handset and browser
functionality:

• Streaming three 90 second video clips from YouTube would be the equivalent to (=) 4.5MB
• Download one 3 minute movie trailer from Odeon = 3MB
• Browse 50 Internet pages = 1MB
• Find your way to the restaurant using Google Maps = 0.6 MB
• Check for updates on Facebook and upload a message = 0.1MB
• Check your emails and reply = 0.5MB
• Read breaking news on the BBC (4 pages) = 0.1MB
• Place the winning bid on eBay (10 pages) = 0.25MB