Vodafone first-half earnings rise after four lean years

By Paul Sandle LONDON (Reuters) - Vodafone's first-half earnings rose for the first time in four years after investment in faster 4G networks started to pay off and full-year results may be better than forecast, the company said on Tuesday. The world's second biggest mobile phone company has spent billions of pounds on its networks over the past two years and can now offer faster 4G services to 80 percent of its customers in Europe when the economic climate is steadily improving. Chief Executive