Africa-Press – Gambia. Vodafone, a major global telecommunications operator, has a name with a meaningful origin that many people are only now discovering.
Under the visionary leadership of chairman Ernest Harrison, the company, now a major player in 16 countries, was founded in July 1984 as Racal Strategic Radio.
Seeking to broaden his business, Harrison negotiated a deal with Lord Weinstock of the UK General Electric Company to utilize their battlefield radio technology.
Harrison appointed Gerry Whent, head of Racal’s military radio division, to explore practical applications for this technology.
After a visit to a mobile radio factory in Virginia, Whent’s innovative vision led to the rebranding of Racal Strategic Radio Ltd as Racal Telecom, marking a significant shift in the company’s direction.
In September 1991, Racal Telecom spun off from Racal Electronics to become Vodafone Group PLC, with Whent as CEO.
Vodafone was chosen to encapsulate the company’s unwavering commitment to providing voice and data services over mobile phones, a mission it continues to uphold.
Vodafone is a blend of three keywords: “voice,” “data,” and “phone” (with “fone” as a phonetic representation), forming the distinctive brand name.
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