Vodafone Group in the United Kingdom

Vodafone Group

in the United Kingdom

Vodafone Group - The Company

Vodafone in UK

Vodafone - Website

Vodafone Foundation

Vodafone Group closed its Birmingham Call Centre in February 2006.

Vodafone Group PLC (voʊdəfoʊn)

Vodafone PLC is a Public limited company. Traded as LSE: VOD - NASDAQ: VOD - Industry of Telecommunications

Previous : Racal Millicom (1982 to 1991) - Founded 1991

Headquarters London: , United Kingdom (Head office) - Newbury, Berkshire, United Kingdom (Registered office)

Products : Fixed line and mobile telephony, Internet services, digital television

Revenue : £42.22 billion (2015) - Operating income : £19.67 billion (2015)

Profit : £5.761 billion (2015) - Total assets : £122.5 billion (2015) - Total equity : £66.1 billion (2015)

Number of employees : 101,443 (2015)

Vodafone Global Enterprise - Subsidiaries and Divisiones - Worldwide Services

Headquarters : Vodafone Group plc is a British multinational telecommunications company headquartered in London and with its registered office in Newbury, Berkshire.

Total Customers : 434 million. Vodafone is the world's second largest mobile telecommunications company measured by both subscribers and 2013 revenues (behind China Mobile), and had 434 million subscribers as of 31 March 2014.

Vodafone owns and operates networks in 26 countries and has partner networks in over 50 additional countries Its Vodafone Global Enterprise division provides telecommunications and IT services to corporate clients in 150 countries.

Vodafone has a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. It had a market capitalisation of approximately £89.1 billion as of 6 July 2012, the third-largest of any company listed on the London Stock Exchange. It has a secondary listing on NASDAQ.

The name Vodafone comes from voice data fone, chosen by Vodafone Group to reflect the provision of voice and data services over mobile phones.

Racal Racal Telecom / Racal-Millicon - Racal-Vodafone - 1980 to 1991 - Racal Telecom was demerged from Racal Electronics as Vodafone Group, with Gerry Whent as its CEO. On 16 September 1991

Vodafone's original logo, used until the introduction of the speechmark logo in 1997

Vodafone Group, then Vodafone Airtouch plc: 1991 to 2000

Vodafone acquired the two thirds of Talkland it did not already own for £30.6 million. In July 1996

Peoples Phone - Vodafone purchased Peoples Phone for £77 million, a 181 store chain whose customers were overwhelmingly using Vodafone's network. On 19 November 1996. In a similar move Vodafone Group acquired the 80% of Astec Communications that it did not own, a service provider with 21 stores.

Gerald Whent retired and Christopher Gent took over as the CEO. In January 1997.

Vodafone introduced its Speechmark logo, composed of a quotation mark in a circle, with the O's in the Vodafone logotype representing opening and closing quotation marks and suggesting conversation. In 1997

Vodafone completed its purchase of AirTouch Communications, Inc. and changed its name to Vodafone Airtouch plc. On 29 June 1999 - The merged company commenced trading on 30 June 1999. In order to gain anti-trust approval for the merger, Vodafone sold its 17.2% stake in E-Plus Mobilfunk. The acquisition gave Vodafone a 35% share of Mannesmann, owner of the largest German mobile network.

The EU approved the merger in April 2000 when Vodafone agreed to divest the 'Orange' brand, which was acquired in May 2000 by France Télécom. The conglomerate was subsequently broken up and all manufacturing related operations sold off.

Vodafone Group reverted to its former name, Vodafone Group plc. - On 28 July 2000

Vodafone entered into a title sponsorship deal with the McLaren Formula One team, which traded as "Vodafone McLaren Mercedes" until the sponsorship ended at the end of the 2013 season. In 2007

Vodafone Group Plc bought the remaining shares of Vodafone Essar from Essar Group Ltd for $5 billion. In May 2011

Vodafone Group acquired the Reading based Bluefish Communications Ltd – an ICT consultancy company. Was On 1 December 2011. The acquired operations formed the nucleus of a new Unified Communications and Collaboration practice within its subsidiary – Vodafone Global Enterprise, which will focus on implementing strategies and solutions in cloud computing, and strengthen its professional services offering.

CWW - Vodafone announced an agreement to acquire Cable and Wireless Worldwide (CWW) for £1.04 billion. In April 2012. Vodafone was advised by UBS AG, while Barclays and Rothschild advised Cable & Wireless. The acquisition will give Vodafone access to CWW's fibre network for businesses, enabling it to take unified communications solutions to large enterprises in UK and globally; and expand its enterprise service offerings in emerging markets.

CWW Cable & Wireless Worldwide. The shareholders voted in favour of the Vodafone offer, exceeding the 75% of shares necessary for the deal to go ahead. On 18 June 2012.

Since 2010, the adverts feature two bees named Jack and Mike who are voiced by Karl Theobald and Dan Antopolski. Other adverts feature Star Wars character Yoda. Idris Elba does voice over for adverts.

Vodafone Group signed a three-year partnership agreement with Digicel Group. On 6 February 2007. The agreement, which includes Digicel's sister operation in Samoa, will result to the offering of new roaming capabilities. The two groups will also become preferred roaming partners of each other. Along with Digicel's markets, the Vodafone brand is now present in 81 countries, regions, and territories. What is interesting to note, is that as well as being partners, Digicel and Vodafone are also rival operators in Asia

Vodafone Group rebranded its Stoke-on-Trent site as Stoke Premier Centre, a centre of expertise for Vodafone Group dealing with Customer Care for its higher value customers, technical support, sales and credit control. Since 2006, All cancellations and upgrades started to be dealt with by this call centre.

Vodafone announced the then-biggest loss in British corporate history (£14.9 billion). On 30 May 2006. Plans to cut 400 jobs; it reported one-off costs of £23.5 billion due to the revaluation of its Mannesmann subsidiary.

The head of Vodafone Europe, Bill Morrow, quit unexpectedly on 24 July 2006

Vodafone Global Enterprise - VGE

Map showing the countries where Vodafone Global Enterprise has operations (coloured in red)

Vodafone Global Enterprise is the business services division, and a wholly owned subsidiary of Vodafone Group. It was established in April 2007 to provide telecommunications and information technology services to large corporations.

It offers integrated communication solutions in cloud computing, unified communications and collaboration. Its services include domestic and international voice and data, Machine to Machine services, mobile email, mobile broadband, managed services, mobile payment and mobile recording.

It operates in over 65 countries, operated by its "Northern Europe" (based in London, United Kingdom), "Central Europe", "Southern Europe and Africa", "Asia Pacific & Sub-Saharan Africa" (based in Singapore) and "Americas" geographical divisions. VGE's major customers include Deutsche Post, The Linde Group, Unilever, and Volkswagen Group.

Products and services - A Vodafone shop selling a range of products

Products promoted by the Group include Vodafone live!, Vodafone Mobile Connect USB Modem, Vodafone Connect to Friends, Vodafone Eurotraveller, Vodafone Freedom Packs, Vodafone 710 and Amobee Media Systems.

Vodafone 360, a new internet service for the mobile, PC and Mac. Launched In October 2009. This was discontinued in December 2011 after disappointing hardware sales. This was after The Director of Internet Services resigned in September 2010 tweeting "5 days before I leave Vodafone. Freedom beckons."

Vodafone launched world's cheapest mobile phone known as Vodafone 150, on February 2010. The Phone will sell for below $15 (£10) and is aimed at the developing world. It will initially be launched in India, Turkey and eight African countries including Lesotho, Kenya and Ghana.

Mobile money transfer services - In March 2007, Safaricom, which is part owned by Vodafone and the leading mobile communication provider in Kenya, launched a mobile payment solution developed by Vodafone. M-PESA is aimed at mobile customers who do not have a bank account, typically because they do not have access to a bank or their income is insufficient to justify a bank account. The M-PESA system allows customers to deposit and withdraw cash via local agents, and transfer money to other mobile phone users via SMS.

The M-PESA money transfer system in Kenya had gained 1.6 million customers by February 2008. In 2011 there were fourteen million M-Pesa accounts by which held 40 percent of the country’s savings. Following M-PESA’s success in Kenya, Vodafone announced that it was to extend the service to Afghanistan. The service here was launched on the Roshan network under the brand M-Paisa with a different focus to the Kenyan service. M-Paisa was targeted as a vehicle for microfinance institutions' (MFI) loan disbursements and repayments, alongside business to business applications such as salary disbursement. The Afghanistan launch was followed in April 2008 by the announcement of further a further launch of M-PESA in Tanzania, South Africa and India.

Vodafone announced a worldwide partnership with Visa. In February 2012. To introduce a Vodafone Mobile Wallet, initially in Germany, The Netherlands, Spain, Turkey and the UK. "The Vodafone mobile wallet represents the next stage of the smartphone revolution," says Vittorio Colao, Vodafone's group CEO. This will enable Vodafone subscribers to pay for goods and services using their mobile phones instead of coins and banknotes.

mHealth services - Vodafone announced the creation of a new business unit focused on the emerging mHealth market (the application of mobile communications and network technologies to healthcare). In November 2009. One of its early success stories is with the Novartis-led "SMS for Life" project in Tanzania, for which Vodafone developed and deployed a text-message based system that enables all of the country’s 4,600 public health facilities to report their levels of anti-malarial medications so that stock level data can be viewed centrally in real-time, enabling timely re-supply of stock. During the SMS for Life pilot, which covered 129 health facilities over six months, stock-outs dropped from 26% to 0.8%, saving thousands of lives.

Medopad at the Vodafone pavilion CeBIT 2014

Vodafone has also been active in mHealth from a philanthropic perspective. The Vodafone Group Foundation is a founder member of the mHealth Alliance, supporting the adoption of mHealth through policy research and advocacy and the development of interoperable and sustainable mHealth solutions.

Vodafone is a strategic partner with several mHealth companies including Numera/BlueLibris and Medopad. Medopad was showcased in the Vodafone Pavilion at CeBIT Global Conferences in March 2014 in Germany.

Vodafone Foundation

The Vodafone Foundation is a recognised charity which supports and initiates projects which use mobile technology to benefit the vulnerable. It is described by Vodafone as ‘Mobile for Good’; using mobile technology to support good causes. They often work in collaboration with other charitable groups. Below are some examples of their initiatives:

TECSOS – mobile phones have been adapted to allow victims of domestic violence to activate immediate contact with the emergency services if they are in danger

Paediatric Epilepsy Remote Monitoring System – a monitoring system that allows physicians to remotely make patient observations

Safe Taxi System – an initiative in Portugal that consists of technology that taxi drivers can use to alert police if they are in danger of being assaulted

Learning with Vodafone Solution – technology that allows teachers in India to use graphical and multi-media content to enhance their teaching

The World of Difference UK programme - successful applicants choose charities for which they work either full-time for two months or part-time for four months (minimum 15 hours a week). The charities are provided with £2,500, with each winner receiving the balance as a salary after NI and tax have been paid.

Corporate - Part of the Vodafone campus in Newbury, Berkshire; Vodafone's registered address and UK headquarters, and its world headquarters until 2009

Senior management- In a period just short of twenty years from its initial public offering, Vodafone Group had had just three Chief Executives. The fourth CEO, Vittorio Colao, stepped up from Deputy Chief Executive in July 2008. Each of his predecessors made a personal contribution to the development of Vodafone Group.

Sir Gerald Whent, was an Executive with Racal Electronics plc in 2008. He was responsible for the bid for a UK Cellular Network licence. The Mobile Telecoms division was de-merged, and was floated on the London Stock Exchange in October 1988 and Sir Gerald became Chief Executive of Racal Telecom plc. Over the next few years Vodafone Group grew to become the UK's Market Leader, changing its name to Vodafone Group plc in the process.

Sir Christopher Gent took over as Chief Executive in January 1997, after Sir Gerald's retirement. Sir Christopher was responsible for transforming Vodafone from a small UK operator into the global behemoth that it is today, through the merger with the American AirTouch and the takeover of Germany's Mannesmann, the Goldman Sachs chief advisor on the deal was Scott Mead.

Sarin - Arun Sarin was the driving force behind Vodafone Group 's move into emerging markets such as Asia and Africa, through the purchases such as that of Turkish operator Telsim, and a majority stake in Hutchison Essar in India. Faced with increased competition, and penetration rates above 100% in the more mature European markets, he saw it necessary to diversify from being a mobile-only business into a company which provided all telecommunications services. This has seen Vodafone launch DSL and other fixed-line services in markets such as Germany and the UK.

Chief Executive Tenure
Sir Gerald Whent October 1988 – December 1996
Sir Christopher Gent January 1997 – July 2003
Arun Sarin July 2003 – July 2008
Vittorio Colao Since July 2008

Financial results

Vodafone reports its results in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).

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 not be compared with other companies' statutory turnover.

Vodafone also produces proportionate customer number figures on a similar basis, e.g. if an operator in which it has a 30% stake has 10 million customers that equals 3 million proportionate Vodafone customers. Year ended 31 March Turnover £m Profit before tax £m Profit for the year £m Basic eps (pence) Proportionate customers (m)
2014 38,346 (5,270) 59,420 42.10 434.0
2013 44,445 3,255 673 0.87 404.0
2012 46,417 9,549 7,003 13.74 446.5
2011 45,884 9,498 7,870 15.20 347.7
2010 44,472 8,674 8,618 16.44 341.1
2009 41,017 4,189 3,080 5.81 302.6
2008 35,478 9,001 6,756 12.56 260
2007 31,104 (2,383) (5,297) (8.94) 206.4
2006 29,350 (14,835) (21,821) (35.01) 170.6
2005 34,073 7,951 6,518 9.68 154.8
2004 36,492 9,013 6,112 8.70 133.4

The 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.

Vodafone shop.

Vodafone acquired Mannesmann through a Luxembourg subsidiary. The deal produced a Legal dispute with HMRC was eventually agreed that Vodafone would pay £1.25 billion related to the acquisition. The potential tax bill written off as a result of the negotiations could be over £6 billion. In September 2010 The senior HMRC official, John Connors, became head of tax at Vodafone. In Vodafone Group ’s annual general meeting, on 26 June, 2011, the campaign groups Access and FairPensions asked Vodafone to endorse a plan to prevent facing similar demands in the future.

Vodafone Group, Vittorio Colao, CEO, 2016

Vodafone Group, Gerard Kleisterlee, Chairman, 2016

Vodacom launches Video Play

Vodafone United Kingdom Phones - Find cell phones and stores

Vodafone mobile services in United Kingdom - Plans, smartphones and internet packages.

Vodafone Group Vodafone Group plc - Vodafone Foundation -

Vodafone - Web Site