Queenstown and Wanaka residents should be able to access superfast content and information on the move on 4G-capable devices when Vodafone launches 4G today.
Arrowtown and Glenorchy are scheduled for 4G upgrades later this winter, weather permitting, while Dunedin will go live with 4G in mid-November.
The launch in the Southern Lakes is timed for the start of the snow sports season and Winter Festival. Queenstown is the first South Island provincial town and only the third in New Zealand to get what is being hailed as the world's fastest mobile network technology.
Vodafone says its 4G network is up to 10 times faster than standard 3G services, allowing customers to stream, download, upload, browse and play games faster than before.
Vodafone New Zealand chief executive Russell Stanners said the launch of the 4G network was a major milestone for Queenstown.
He said there were ''well over 120,000 4G-capable devices now active on our 4G network''.
He said ''55% of the Queenstown population'' would have 4G by July.
New Zealanders wanting the speed of 4G will need to have a 4G-capable device with the latest software, a qualifying plan and be in a 4G coverage area. Devices will seamlessly switch to Vodafone's next fastest 3G speeds when customers leave a 4G coverage area.
The Vodafone 4G network will cover 40% of the New Zealand population, at 17 locations, by the end of the year.
The Government has ensured all new towers built under the rural broadband initiative are 4G-ready.
Telecom will launch 4G LTE and introduce it across New Zealand in October this year. Telecom says its 4G service should be available to more than half the population by mid-2014.
However, there was no confirmed date available yesterday as to when 4G will go live in Queenstown.
