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Vodafone Ireland Limited, part of the Vodafone Group, is presently the largest mobile phone company in Ireland, and was previously called Eircell. The mobile phone system in use is a digital GSM 900 system, and also a third-generation UMTS system (the first such 3G system in the Republic of Ireland; see communications in Ireland). The company offers email in addition to mobile phone products and services. The company's "pay as you go" mobile phone product is called Ready to Go, previously advertised by Republica's song of the same name.
Vodafone commands a market share of 48% with 2,187,000 Subscribers in Ireland.^[1]

087 is the usual area code for mobile phone numbers serviced by Vodafone. However, following introduction of full number portability by the Commission for Communications Regulation, some subscribers may have 083, 085 or 086 prefixes instead.

The company also sponsored the Irish version of the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? quiz show while it ran on RTÉ television.

Eircell Limited

Eircell commenced operation in 1986 as the Mobile and Broadcast division of Telecom Éireann. The GSM network went live on July 1993. Eircell handled the Irish mobile phone networks defined by the access codes 088 (analogue TACS system) and 087 (digital GSM 900 system) from 1984 until its transfer to Vodafone in 2001. Usage of the service remained low until it became a separate subsidiary, Eircell Limited, in 1997. In October 1997, Eircell introduced the analogue prepaid Pay as you go system under the Ready To Go brand, and turned mobile communications in Ireland into a mass-market product. From early 1997 Eircell faced competition from Esat Digifone, then a joint venture between Denis O'Brien's Esat Telecom Group plc and Telenor AB of Norway. In 2000, Vodafone made an offer for the company to Eircell's parent, eircom Plc., which saw the company demerge from Eircom plc into a separate plc, Eircell 2000 plc (trading name: Eircell Vodafone), which was then acquired by Vodafone. In 2002, Eircell Vodafone was rebranded as Vodafone Ireland plc.

In 2001, Eircell closed down its original analogue TACS (088) system, and Vodafone Ireland now operates a purely digital (GSM/UMTS) network.

Vodafone saw Eircell undergo a major rebranding exercise on its acquisition by the group. The main rebranding was to associate a shade of deep purple with the company. When Vodafone rebranded with their trademark shade of red, the tagline used was "Red is the new purple, Vodafone is the new name for Eircell".

Vodafone Ireland introduced UMTS services (branded "Vodafone live! with 3G") in 2004, launching the first handsets in November. This meant they were ahead of O2 Ireland and new entrant 3 Ireland in launching third-generation services. Mobile network Meteor is currently rolling out their own 3G/UMTS network, having recently been awarded the last Irish UMTS licence. Initially restricted to contract ('bill pay') customers, Vodafone extended UMTS to pre-pay 'Ready To Go' customers from 2 June 2005. Vodafone Ireland have also been known as "Eircell-Vodafone" during their dual-branding phase.

On 13 November 2007, Vodafone Ireland announced the acquisition of Perlico, a small fixed line phone and broadband services reseller for €80m. This is in line with the strategy of other Vodafone companies across Europe, in buying small fixed-line providers for potential offerings of future converged services. As a result of the acquisition, Perlico retains their management and separate brand identity, but will be a wholly-owned subsidiary of Vodafone Ireland.^[2]

1. ^ Vodafone Group Press Release: [1]
2. ^ ENN.ie: Vodafone Acquires Perlico[2]

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