Dalton gets a new phone

New sponsor for Emirates Team New Zealand

Emirates Team New Zealand and Vodafone New Zealand today announced a new alliance that will see the team’s global telecommunications needs supplied by Vodafone.

“To have Vodafone sign up as our exclusive telecommunications supplier is a great start to the year,” says Emirates Team New Zealand Managing Director Grant Dalton. “We see Vodafone as the idealpartner to deliver mobile solutions where ever our people are in the world. The fact that with Vodafone we can be in New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, Italy or virtually anywherewith no communications hassle will help us get on with the job of winning races.

“As a business we have an extremely mobile workforce and Vodafone’s ability to mobilise workforces is a huge drawcard – particularly when you’re workingwith a team of nearly 100 people who are regularly travelling overseas".

Secure data transfer will be key for the exchange of highly confidential information. For example, designers in Spain could send detailed information to shore crew in New Zealand using Vodafone services. This will enable real time analysis and feedback of test match racing rather than waiting until the boats are back to base.

Vodafone will also supply mobile services including voice, txt, pxt, video pxt, mobile email via BlackBerry and 3G Mobile Connect Card as well as airtime. The team has already successfully trialled Push to Talk.

“We can already see the competitive and business advantages that new services such as video telephony and streaming, which will be available on Vodafone New Zealand’s new 3G network, will give us in the lead-up to the next America’s Cup,” says Dalton.

Products and services enabled by 3G have already been launched by 14 other Vodafone companies including Spain and Italy. Emirates Team New Zealand will have access to these services throughout Europe as appropriate to the team’s needs.

Vodafone New Zealand managing director Tim Miles says the company is proud to support Emirates Team New Zealand and deliver them the benefits of the Vodafone group of companies, at home and around the world.

“The opportunity for us is to seean innovative New Zealand team supported by the best the mobile world has to offer,” Miles says. “This is what being part of a global company is about for us – making true mobility real for customers. Emirates Team New Zealand is like any other customer in that Vodafone will do everything it can to make their business hum, on the water and off.”

The alliance is an exclusive supplier arrangement between Emirates Team New Zealand and Vodafone effective from now until 2007.

Technical support will be provided to the team by account managers in both Europe and New Zealand. Vodafone will have hospitality opportunities, in New Zealand and Europe, as part of the alliance.