Vodafone's 4G network to launch in September, aiming to capitalise on iPhone 6 release

Network operator Vodafone has announced that it is now looking to launch its 4G service in September, later than expected and sparking speculation that the network is anticipating an iPhone 6 launch upon which to capitalise.

CEO Vittorio Colao, taking note of the slow EE 4G uptake, said the firm will be taking their time with their own super-fast mobile roll out, remaining confident in the network’s potential to excite consumers.

“We are convinced our own 4G will be better performing,” CEO Vittorio Colao told the Guardian. “We want to be able to launch it when it’s really ready. End of the summer means when there is going to be a good commercial window for launching it.”

With the iPhone 5 so far only supported by the chunks of the network spectrum controlled by EE, the news suggests that Vodafone are awaiting a new iPhone that will support their network, given the handset’s popularity. At the very least, Vodafone would be looking to wait for an iOS update that will support their 4G field. That would seem a sound “commercial window” to us.

However, a Vodafone spokesperson has claimed that no outside forces are influencing the roll out of the company’s 4G service:

“The timing of launch is in our hands and we want to make sure that we provide our customers with the great service they expect from us when we do launch,” said the spokesperson.

“We believe our service, due to the investment we have made in our network and in getting the right spectrum, will provide customers with real benefits – not least as a result of our signal travelling further indoors than any 4G signal available now.”

Vodafone bagged its 4G allocation in April, with £790m claiming both the 800MHz and 2.6GHz spectrum. EE also secured two spectrum blocks and paid £588m.