Vodafone Group plc

Synopsis

Archived report: this report was archived in March 2006 and has not been updated since. Vodafone is the largest mobile telecommunications network company in the world, with a significant presence in Europe, the United States and the Asia Pacific region through subsidiary undertakings and investments. During 2005, the company also extended its 3G services to 13 markets. It is a major developer and provider of a wide range of value added services over GSM such as data, fax, SMS, e-mail, premium rate and national rate information services, and also has a popular Vodafone live! service. Fully managed mobile data and text messaging solutions are offered through Data Direct using Vodafone’s integrated cellular, paging and packet radio networks. By 2005 the company’s rapid growth in turnover had stalled, but it had managed to keep a lid on operating losses, while cash flow increased slightly and debt fell marginally. This report presents data and analysis for Vodafone’s operations in the 2005 financial year together with statistics to end-2005. The report also evaluates the company’s profile in its operating markets, assesses shareholder dissatisfaction with recent performance, and considers the effect of convergence and the development of IP networks on its operations, and of the competition from a growing number of operators and MVNOs.