Vodafone have been setting the bar for Carrier engagement on Windows Phone now for some months. From their regular software update Blog posts, informative posts on Windows Phone developments – and their ranging and support of Lumia devices and more. Now they have taken it to the next level and announced this week a full-service Windows Phone App for Vodafone customers.

Great stuff Vodafone!

Their new App, available right now in the marketplace for Vodafone Australian customers, includes such features as:

• Account Usage checker.
• View Bills and Payments (limited access to history)
• Store Locator
• View Network updates near you.
• Contact Support and access the Vodafone Blog.

Here’s a clickable larger panorama of the screenies:

Quite an impressive effort (we won’t mention WP launched in 2010 now…ooops)!  Better late than never – so kudos to Vodafone Australia for continuing to expand their support. Hopefully next we need app parity on other initiatives Vodafone deliver (think their cricket App last summer) – and of course, streaming Video/TV services.

Meanwhile, Telstra recently just launched their new iPad app offering similar services. WPDownUnder has asked them for comment on any future WP8 / Win8 (Surface) Metro Dev plans to improve the App offerings for the Microsoft Metro ecosystem.

We will report back if we hear anything….although we won’t hold our breath! Telstra have refused to even respond on the matter of the “Tango” WP7.5 update – otherwise known as MCR3 – which Vodafone (as linked above) have already confirmed they have completed testing on and approved….

Sheeds.

EDIT: A BIG Thanks to  BOTH Geoff Crane (tweet) and Glen Roberts (RT) – who tipped us off to this App’s launch (sorry I dropped the ball on correctly attributing this one!)

PS: Grab the App HERE: