At the time we set the date of 1 July 2020 for introducing a 5G premium, there was still some uncertainty around spectrum allocation and further device launches. With COVID-19 there has been some supply chain delays, as well as a delay to the spectrum early auction – however we remain committed to bringing 5G and next generation mobile tech to NZ and we felt extending the period for free 5G was a good way to reward loyal customers, at a time when discretionary spend is tight. Ensuring we invest in a 5G future longer-term is even more important, as we need to deliver the best possible connectivity services to our customers.

You will need a 5G phone from Vodafone, a 5G ready plan (all 4G capable plans) and be in a 5G coverage area. 5G is live in parts of Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown, and we will continue to roll out 5G to more New Zealanders, so keep an eye out on the coverage map.

From 10 December 2019 until 30 June 2021, all existing Vodafone customers on a 5G ready plan (4G capable mobile plan) and any new customers who join us during that period, will get access to 5G at no extra cost.  To access 5G from 1 July 2021, you will need to purchase a 5G add-on for $10 per connection per month including GST (or when your Prepay bundle renews).

5G is our premium network. It’s the best mobile quality you can get and Vodafone is committed to continually investing in rolling 5G network out to New Zealand. Our goal by 2025 is to have 5G in 90% of places where New Zealanders live, work and play. In addition to this, we are also upgrading 4G cell sites to 4.5G throughout the country. We believe $10 per month is a fair reflection of the additional value 5G can deliver for our customers, and just like any other business offering, for customers who want premium there is a cost to enjoy this.

5G may be right for you from day one if you live or work in an area with 5G coverage and want to enjoy the benefits of the fastest mobile network speeds, next to no lag, greater network capacity and reliability, even when it’s busy. You can take advantage of 5G access at no extra cost until 30 June 2021 with Vodafone - all you need is a 5G capable phone from Vodafone on a 5G ready plan and be in an area with 5G coverage.

A 5G ready plan is a plan that will enable you to access 5G when the network is live.  All 4G capable plans (including all our current in market Personal and Business plans) are 5G ready. If you signed up to your plan in the last 2 years, then your plan is 5G ready.

You can also check if your plan if 4G capable by looking in the notification bar (usually on the top section of your screen). If you can see “4G”, it means your plan is 4G capable and therefore 5G ready.

A 5G enabled/ 5G ready plan is any current 4G capable mobile plan, if you signed up to your plan in the last 2 years, then your plan is 5G enabled, or 5G ready. To access the benefits of 5G you need to be on a 5G ready mobile plan, with a 5G phone from Vodafone, in a 5G coverage area. You will experience 5G access at no extra cost until 30 June 2021 and then you’ll just need to let us know (closer to the time) if you want to remain using 5G which will be a $10 (incl GST) add-on, per month.

With much faster speeds, you will be able to use a lot more data on 5G. At launch, speeds will range between 150-200Mbps on average and it is likely you will use more data on a 5G connection. If you are on a capped plan, we recommend you upgrade to a plan with unlimited data, so that you don’t run out of data.

Current 4G phones are not 5G capable. You will need to buy a new 5G phone.

We are awaiting more information from both Apple and Huawei on when they will release 5G versions of their phones in New Zealand.

Over the next few years we will be rolling out 5G to 90% of the places that Kiwi’s live, work and play. If you are already thinking about buying a new phone, then buying a 5G phone will be a way to futureproof your phone, so you don’t need to buy a new one again in the near future when 5G becomes available in your area.

We cannot guarantee dates of when 5G will be rolled out to specific areas, but will continually provide updates on the 5G roll out.

We cannot guarantee that overseas/parallel imported phones will work on the Vodafone 5G network. We recommend that you buy a Vodafone approved 5G phone from Vodafone NZ or other selected retailers. Vodafone-approved handsets are fully tested and compatible with the full suite of Vodafone NZ services.

5G is now live in parts of Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown. You can use our coverage map to check if 5G is available where you live, work or play.

5G is now live in parts of Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown. Over the next few years we’re going to be launching 5G in many of the places that Kiwi’s live, work and play, so keep an eye out on the coverage map, as we will be updating it as more places go live with 5G.

Our goal is to bring 5G coverage to 90% of New Zealanders within 3 to 5 years.

We cannot guarantee dates of when 5G will be rolled out to specific areas, but will continually provide updates on the 5G roll out.

At launch, speeds will range between 150-200Mbps on average, and reduce latency to a round trip in under 20 milliseconds. As we get more spectrum and build out the 5G network, speeds will increase and will eventually have the potential to be up to 10x faster than 4G.

We experience latency as responsiveness. For example, after entering a web address, does the page load straight away or are you left drumming your fingers? On a network with lower latency like 5G, content could load in a few milliseconds, compared to 4G.

It's important to remember that our 4G network and 5G network will co-exist in the future, just like 4G and 3G co-exist today. So we are continuing to invest significantly in our 4G network and upgrading many 4G sites to 4.5G. That means Vodafone customers will have a consistently awesome experience. And wherever you are, you can get access to the best available network experience from Vodafone.

Vodafone is rolling out 5G, according to 5G standards (based on 3GPP Release 15). This standard defines the 5G New Radio interface (5G NR), operating in a non-standalone mode i.e. using 4G as the anchor network. It is GSMA R15 5G compliant and as rolled out in other world leading markets.

We’re launching 5G in the most popular global spectrum band (3.5GHz). This technology will form the foundation upon which we will build our 5G network through 2020 and beyond – and has been tested in live international networks including Vodafone Italy (which launched 5G in June).

Due to mobility management and 4G/5G carrier aggregation features, our customers will move seamlessly between networks.

5G is currently not available when roaming overseas. However, we will be looking to make 5G roaming available as soon as we can in the more than 100 destinations we currently offer roaming to our customers.

When roaming overseas, you will able to use 4G just as you do now.

As part of our 5G ecosystem rollout, we will be integrating eSIM capability for eligible phones and cellular wearables (eg smartwatches) in 2021. This will open up enhanced possibilities for what you can do with your device.

If you want to stay up to date on our eSIM launch, you can register your interest here.

Yes, 5G is safe. The Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation offer factual information on their websites. Over 30 years of research has been done on the effects of radio waves from mobile phones and there are no known negative health impacts.

Learn more about 5G and health.

Vodafone is building a national 5G network, which includes upgrading cell sites around New Zealand. This will mean that we can offer 5G connectivity via a range of devices.

From December 2019, New Zealanders will be able to buy 5G enabled phones using the Vodafone 5G mobile network.

In 2020, we expect to offer a fixed wireless solution which means we can offer broadband to businesses and homes via a 5G router, as an alternative to cabled broadband access.

We recently showed Kiwis the potential of fixed wireless broadband via a trial at Wellington Airport. Read more here.