Vodafone is basically the biggest telecom service provider of the U.K which has a market value of _ 75 billions by June, 2008. Vodafone currently has equity interests in 25 countries and Partner Networks (networks in which it has no equity stake) in a further 42 countries.
The name Vodafone comes from Voice Data Fone, chosen by the company to “reflect the provision of voice and data services over mobile phones.” It had agreed to acquire a controlling interest of 67% in Hutchison Essar Limited (Hutch) for US$11.1 billion. At the same time, it agrees to sell back 5.6% of Airtel stake back to the Mittals. Vodafone retained 4.4% stake in Airtel. Vodafone is the world's leading international mobile communications company. It now has operations in 25 countries across 5 continents and 40 partner networks with over 200 million customers worldwide.
Vodafone has also tied up with Apple’s i-phone. Vodafone’s revenues have been increased by 50% during the year driven by rapid expansion of the customer base with an average of 1.5 million net additions per month since acquisition. As on 31st March, 2008, Vodafone’s customer base was 260 millions.
Its turnover was _ 35478 millions with a profit of _ 6756 millions. Vodafone has also tied up with Apple’s i-phone which is going to be launched in India by June-2008. i-phone’s 3G version will be launched with a 50% rate of what it was earlier.Vodafone is a mobile network operator headquartered in Newbury, Berkshire, England, UK.
It is the largest mobile telecommunications network company in the world by turnover and has a market value of about £100 billion (December 2007). Vodafone currently has equity interests in 25 countries and Partner Networks (networks in which it has no equity stake) in a further 39 countries. The name Vodafone comes from Voice data fone, chosen by the company to "reflect the provision of voice and data services over mobile phones."
At 31 January 2007 Vodafone had 200 million proportionate customers in 25 markets across 5 continents. ("Proportionate customers" means, for example, that if Vodafone has a 30% stake in a business with a million customers, that is counted as 300,000). On this measure it is the second largest mobile telecom group in the world behind China Mobile. The eight markets where it has more than ten million proportionate customers are the United Kingdom, Germany, India, Italy, Spain, Turkey, Egypt and the United States. In the U.S., these customers come via its minority stake in Verizon Wireless, and in the other seven markets Vodafone has majority-controlled subsidiaries.
On 30 May 2006, the company announced a loss before tax of £14.9 billion for 2005, the biggest loss in British corporate history. The loss for the year from continuing operations was £17.2 billion and the bottom line loss for the financial year was £21.8 billion. The company was pushed into loss by impairment charges of £23.5 billion, which related to the acquisition of Mannesmann several years earlier, and losses of £4.6 billion in relation to its discontinued business in Japan. At an operating level it remained highly profitable, with an operating profit on continuing operations of £9.4 billion before impairment costs.Vodafone’s original logo was used until the introduction of the speech mark logo in 1998. In 1982 Racal Electronics plc's subsidiary Racal Strategic Radio Ltd. won one of two UK cellular telephone network licenses. The network, known as Racal Vodafone was 80% owned by Racal, with Millicom and the Hambros Technology Trust owning 15% and 5% respectively.
Vodafone was launched on 1 January 1985. Racal Strategic Radio was renamed Racal Telecommunications Group Limited in 1985. On 29 December 1986 Racal Electronics bought out the minority shareholders of Vodafone for GB£110 million.
In September 1988 the company was again renamed Racal Telecom and on 26 October 1988 Racal Electronics floated 20% of the company. The flotation valued Racal Telecom at GB£1.7 billion. On 16 September 1991 Racal Telecom was demerged from Racal Electronics as Vodafone Group. In July 1996 Vodafone acquired the two thirds of Talkland it did not already own for £30.6 million. On 19 November 1996, in a defensive move, Vodafone purchased Peoples Phone for £77 million, a 181 store chain whose customers were overwhelmingly using Vodafone's network. In a similar move the company acquired the 80% of Astec Communications that it did not own, a service provider with 21 stores.
In 1997 Vodafone introduced its Speechmark logo, as it is a quotation mark in a circle; the O's in the Vodafone logotype are opening and closing quotation marks, suggesting conversation.
On 29 June 1999 Vodafone completed its purchase of AirTouch Communications, Inc. and changed its name to Vodafone airtouch plc. Trading of the new company commenced on 30 June 1999. To approve the merger, Vodafone sold its 17.2% stake in E-Plus Mobilefunk. The acquisition gave Vodafone a 35% share of Mannesmann, owner of the largest German mobile network.On 21 September 1999 Vodafone agreed to merge its U.S. wireless assets with those of Bell Atlantic Corp to form Verizon Wireless.
The merger was completed on 4 April 2000. In November 1999 Vodafone made an unsolicited bid for Mannesmann, which was rejected. Vodafone’s interest in Mannesmann had been increased by the latter's purchase of Orange, the UK mobile operator. Chris Gent would later say Mannesmann's move into the UK broke a "gentleman's agreement" not to compete in each other's home territory.
The hostile takeover provoked strong protest in Germany and a "titanic struggle" which saw Mannesmann resists Vodafone’s efforts. However on 3 February 2000 the Mannesmann board agreed to an increased offer of £112bn, then the largest corporate merger ever. The EU approved the merger in April 2000. The conglomerate was subsequently broken up and all manufacturing related operations sold off.Hutch Becomes Vodafone
In one of the biggest brand transition exercises in recent times, Hutch, India’s fourth-largest mobile service provider will be renamed Vodafone. Vodafone is spending somewhere in the region of Rs 250 crore on this high-profile transition.
Vodafone has acquired 67 per cent in Hutchison Essar from Hong Kong-based Hutchison Whampoa, and completed the acquisition of Hutchison Essar in May 2007. The brand change that will touch 3.5 crore customers and four lakh shops and employees will be executed through a media blitz and the pug, which had become famous with its network advertisement, will remain. ''This marks a significant chapter in the evolution of Vodafone as a dynamic and ever-growing brand.
The brand change over the next few weeks will be unveiled nationally through a high profile campaign covering all important media,'' a news agency quoted the company statement as saying. Leading broadcaster Star India has entered into an exclusive deal with Vodafone Essar for the latter's re-branding campaign to Vodafone from Hutch.
Financial Results
From its 31 March 2006 year end onwards Vodafone will report its results in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). It has issued results amended to IFRS standards for its 31 March 2004 and 31 March 2005 year ends for information purposes, and these are shown in the first table below.
Vodafone has some large minority stakes, which are not included in its consolidated turnover. In order to provide additional information on the overall scale and growth trends of its business it publishes "proportionate turnover" figures and these are included in the tables below. For example, if a business in which it owns a 45% stake has turnover of £10 billion that equals £4.5 billion of proportionate turnover for Vodafone. Proportionate turnover is not an official accounting measure and Vodafone’s proportionate turnover should be compared with other companies' statutory turnover.
Vodafone also produces proportionate customer number figures on a similar basis, eg. if an operator in which it has a 30% stake has 10 million customers that equals 3 million proportionate Vodafone customers. This is a common practice in the mobile telecommunications industry
Losses for year to 31 March 2006 reflect write downs of assets, principally in relation to the Mannesmann acquisition. Proportionate turnover includes £7,100 million from discontinued operations.
The name Vodafone comes from Voice Data Fone, chosen by the company to “reflect the provision of voice and data services over mobile phones.” It had agreed to acquire a controlling interest of 67% in Hutchison Essar Limited (Hutch) for US$11.1 billion. At the same time, it agrees to sell back 5.6% of Airtel stake back to the Mittals. Vodafone retained 4.4% stake in Airtel. Vodafone is the world's leading international mobile communications company. It now has operations in 25 countries across 5 continents and 40 partner networks with over 200 million customers worldwide.
Vodafone has also tied up with Apple’s i-phone. Vodafone’s revenues have been increased by 50% during the year driven by rapid expansion of the customer base with an average of 1.5 million net additions per month since acquisition. As on 31st March, 2008, Vodafone’s customer base was 260 millions.
Its turnover was _ 35478 millions with a profit of _ 6756 millions. Vodafone has also tied up with Apple’s i-phone which is going to be launched in India by June-2008. i-phone’s 3G version will be launched with a 50% rate of what it was earlier.Vodafone is a mobile network operator headquartered in Newbury, Berkshire, England, UK.
It is the largest mobile telecommunications network company in the world by turnover and has a market value of about £100 billion (December 2007). Vodafone currently has equity interests in 25 countries and Partner Networks (networks in which it has no equity stake) in a further 39 countries. The name Vodafone comes from Voice data fone, chosen by the company to "reflect the provision of voice and data services over mobile phones."
At 31 January 2007 Vodafone had 200 million proportionate customers in 25 markets across 5 continents. ("Proportionate customers" means, for example, that if Vodafone has a 30% stake in a business with a million customers, that is counted as 300,000). On this measure it is the second largest mobile telecom group in the world behind China Mobile. The eight markets where it has more than ten million proportionate customers are the United Kingdom, Germany, India, Italy, Spain, Turkey, Egypt and the United States. In the U.S., these customers come via its minority stake in Verizon Wireless, and in the other seven markets Vodafone has majority-controlled subsidiaries.
On 30 May 2006, the company announced a loss before tax of £14.9 billion for 2005, the biggest loss in British corporate history. The loss for the year from continuing operations was £17.2 billion and the bottom line loss for the financial year was £21.8 billion. The company was pushed into loss by impairment charges of £23.5 billion, which related to the acquisition of Mannesmann several years earlier, and losses of £4.6 billion in relation to its discontinued business in Japan. At an operating level it remained highly profitable, with an operating profit on continuing operations of £9.4 billion before impairment costs.Vodafone’s original logo was used until the introduction of the speech mark logo in 1998. In 1982 Racal Electronics plc's subsidiary Racal Strategic Radio Ltd. won one of two UK cellular telephone network licenses. The network, known as Racal Vodafone was 80% owned by Racal, with Millicom and the Hambros Technology Trust owning 15% and 5% respectively.
Vodafone was launched on 1 January 1985. Racal Strategic Radio was renamed Racal Telecommunications Group Limited in 1985. On 29 December 1986 Racal Electronics bought out the minority shareholders of Vodafone for GB£110 million.
In September 1988 the company was again renamed Racal Telecom and on 26 October 1988 Racal Electronics floated 20% of the company. The flotation valued Racal Telecom at GB£1.7 billion. On 16 September 1991 Racal Telecom was demerged from Racal Electronics as Vodafone Group. In July 1996 Vodafone acquired the two thirds of Talkland it did not already own for £30.6 million. On 19 November 1996, in a defensive move, Vodafone purchased Peoples Phone for £77 million, a 181 store chain whose customers were overwhelmingly using Vodafone's network. In a similar move the company acquired the 80% of Astec Communications that it did not own, a service provider with 21 stores.
In 1997 Vodafone introduced its Speechmark logo, as it is a quotation mark in a circle; the O's in the Vodafone logotype are opening and closing quotation marks, suggesting conversation.
On 29 June 1999 Vodafone completed its purchase of AirTouch Communications, Inc. and changed its name to Vodafone airtouch plc. Trading of the new company commenced on 30 June 1999. To approve the merger, Vodafone sold its 17.2% stake in E-Plus Mobilefunk. The acquisition gave Vodafone a 35% share of Mannesmann, owner of the largest German mobile network.On 21 September 1999 Vodafone agreed to merge its U.S. wireless assets with those of Bell Atlantic Corp to form Verizon Wireless.
The merger was completed on 4 April 2000. In November 1999 Vodafone made an unsolicited bid for Mannesmann, which was rejected. Vodafone’s interest in Mannesmann had been increased by the latter's purchase of Orange, the UK mobile operator. Chris Gent would later say Mannesmann's move into the UK broke a "gentleman's agreement" not to compete in each other's home territory.
The hostile takeover provoked strong protest in Germany and a "titanic struggle" which saw Mannesmann resists Vodafone’s efforts. However on 3 February 2000 the Mannesmann board agreed to an increased offer of £112bn, then the largest corporate merger ever. The EU approved the merger in April 2000. The conglomerate was subsequently broken up and all manufacturing related operations sold off.Hutch Becomes Vodafone
In one of the biggest brand transition exercises in recent times, Hutch, India’s fourth-largest mobile service provider will be renamed Vodafone. Vodafone is spending somewhere in the region of Rs 250 crore on this high-profile transition.
Vodafone has acquired 67 per cent in Hutchison Essar from Hong Kong-based Hutchison Whampoa, and completed the acquisition of Hutchison Essar in May 2007. The brand change that will touch 3.5 crore customers and four lakh shops and employees will be executed through a media blitz and the pug, which had become famous with its network advertisement, will remain. ''This marks a significant chapter in the evolution of Vodafone as a dynamic and ever-growing brand.
The brand change over the next few weeks will be unveiled nationally through a high profile campaign covering all important media,'' a news agency quoted the company statement as saying. Leading broadcaster Star India has entered into an exclusive deal with Vodafone Essar for the latter's re-branding campaign to Vodafone from Hutch.
Financial Results
From its 31 March 2006 year end onwards Vodafone will report its results in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). It has issued results amended to IFRS standards for its 31 March 2004 and 31 March 2005 year ends for information purposes, and these are shown in the first table below.
Vodafone has some large minority stakes, which are not included in its consolidated turnover. In order to provide additional information on the overall scale and growth trends of its business it publishes "proportionate turnover" figures and these are included in the tables below. For example, if a business in which it owns a 45% stake has turnover of £10 billion that equals £4.5 billion of proportionate turnover for Vodafone. Proportionate turnover is not an official accounting measure and Vodafone’s proportionate turnover should be compared with other companies' statutory turnover.
Vodafone also produces proportionate customer number figures on a similar basis, eg. if an operator in which it has a 30% stake has 10 million customers that equals 3 million proportionate Vodafone customers. This is a common practice in the mobile telecommunications industry
Losses for year to 31 March 2006 reflect write downs of assets, principally in relation to the Mannesmann acquisition. Proportionate turnover includes £7,100 million from discontinued operations.