Technology and resources
Licences
The licences held across Vodafone’s operating companies enable the Group to deliver its fixed and mobile communication services. Further detail on the issue and regulation of licences and a table summarising the most significant mobile licences held by the Group’s operating subsidiaries and the Group’s joint ventures in Italy and Vodacom in South Africa at 31 March 2009 can be found in “Regulation”. In addition, the Group also has licences to provide fixed line services in many of the countries in which it operates.
Through its mobile licences, the Group continues to hold sufficient spectrum in all of its operating subsidiaries and joint ventures to meet the medium term requirements for Vodafone’s expected voice and data growth. Re-farming of the Group’s existing spectrum to more efficient technologies can also increase the voice and data capacity of Vodafone’s networks. In circumstances where the acquisition of additional spectrum offers the most cost effective means to increase capacity, the Group will participate in auctions or other assignment procedures on a case by case basis.