Vodafone Italia has finally launched a low-cost service, called Ho, to compete with the aggressive pricing model of newcomer Iliad and Telecom Italia’s Kena Mobile brand. The company is offering 30GB of 4G data plus unlimited calls and texts for EUR 6.99 a month by way of a launch offer initially available until 31 July, compared to Iliad’s identical offer for EUR 5.99 a month. An additional EUR 9.99 is payable for the SIM card and activation fee, with SIMs available online or via 3,000 PrimaEdicola newspaper stands and 2,400 points of sale starting from 25 June and customers able to top up via the dedicated Ho app.
Previous reports indicated that Vodafone has created a company called Vei SRL with a general licence for full MVNO services to manage Ho’s activities and mobile number portings. It has also slashed the prices of its core brand’s offerings via numerous promotions since Iliad’s arrival less than a month ago. The name Ho apparently derives from the Italian for "I have", with the brand launching with the slogan "Ho tutto chiaro” (“All is clear to me”).
