Vodafone Italia has announced that its 4G network now covers over 80 percent of the Italian population, equivalent to around 3,500 localities, while its LTE-A (4G+) technology is now available in over 150 localities throughout the country. The 4G+ service gives customers the opportunity to download at speeds of up to 225 Mbps, around twice the top speed currently available under a standard LTE network. Vodafone said it is using a combination of the 1800 MHz and 2600 MHz bands for its LTE-A service but will increase top speeds to 300 Mbps once it adds the 800 MHz frequency in 2015. Customers can try out the 4G or 4G+ service at a price of EUR 10 for an additional 2GB per month of mobile data over three months. The company also expects to launch a voice over LTE (VoLTE) service commercially in mid-2015, having conducted trials in Milan, Rome and Ivrea.
