In an open letter to Starmer and Reeves, chief executive Dame Melanie Dawes hailed early consumer benefits and the investment resulting Three merger.

She said the £11bn combined network investment over eight years will “significantly improve the performance and capacity” of the combined network, underlining the importance of scale and sustained capital investment in upgrading the UK’s mobile infrastructure”.

Dawes said consumers are already seeing benefits. Network integration has delivered faster 4G speeds for around seven million people across the UK, even at this early stage.

Coverage has also improved sharply. Dawes said the merger has removed 16,500 square kilometres of mobile “not-spots”, boosting connectivity in areas that previously suffered from weak or non-existent signal.

Ofcom framed the early results as proof that consolidation, can deliver tangible improvements in network performance and coverage.when tied to firm investment commitments and regulatory oversight,

The Dawes’ letter covered all policy areas, from broadband to spectrum and online safet. Her he comments on Vodafone and Three stood out as a clear endorsement of the merger’s early impact and long-term potential.

Ofcom said it will continue working with government, industry and other regulators to push further improvements in mobile connectivity, with investment, network performance and coverage remaining top priorities.

]]> https://mobilenewscwp.co.uk/news/article/ofcom-hails-early-gains-and-11bn-investment-pledge-from-vodafone-three-merger/feed/ 0 https://mobilenewscwp.co.uk/news/article/vodafonethree-repatriates-400-jobs-back-to-the-uk-from-india/ https://mobilenewscwp.co.uk/news/article/vodafonethree-repatriates-400-jobs-back-to-the-uk-from-india/#respond Thu, 18 Dec 2025 15:51:32 +0000 https://mobilenewscwp.co.uk/?p=179513 VodafoneThree is bringing more than 400 customer service roles back to the UK from India into new contact centre operations in Belfast and Sheffield, 

This is the biggest Vodafone Three recruitment drive since the merger. Around 200 positions will be created in each location. Recruitment has already started in Belfast.

Vodafone Three says the move is a commitment to serving UK customers from UK-based teams. The decision comes against backdrop of heightened political scrutiny, rising customer service expectations and the operational realities of integrating two national networks.

Customer care has long been weak point for UK mobile operators, particularly where offshore contact centres ar eused. Returning these roles to the UK may help VodafoneThree address service consistency during a period when customers are likely to have issues with billing, contract and coverage changes linked to the merger.

Specialist care

The new teams will work across specialist care and sales functions and will receive training in supporting vulnerable customers. They will add to the 830 -plus customer specialists already operating from Stoke-on-Trent and Glasgow,

The timing of the announcement will not go unnoticed in Westminster. The Vodafone–Three merger was approved following extensive political debate, with commitments around investment, jobs and connectivity forming a central part of the narrative. Bringing customer service roles back to the UK is an example of those commitments being acted upon.

Jon Shaw, head of consumer operations at VodafoneThree (below) , said customer care teams should be located close to the customers they serve”,

Lord Stockwood, Minister for Investment, said: “This is a major boost for our digital and tech sector. It’s great to see VodafoneThree investing and creating opportunity in every part of the country.”

The network is targeting 99 per cent 5G Standalone  population coverage by 2030 and 99.96 per cent by 2034. 

The operator said the milestone means “more than 21 million customers are now benefiting from improved connectivity and increased capacity, with users able to connect to the best available coverage at no additional cost”.

The upgrades use Multi-Operator Core Network tech, which allows different mobile operators to share radio access infrastructure while maintaining separate core networks, improving efficiency and extending coverage more quickly.

This means customers can access higher mobile data speeds for browsing and streaming, and enjoy expanded 4G and 5G availability in areas previously lacking reliable service.

VodafoneThree said the programme is delivering meaningful improvements in both urban and rural communities, helping people and businesses stay connected regardless of location.

Andrea Dona, Chief Network Officer at VodafoneThree, said he was “incredibly proud” of the progress so far.

“The team have been working extremely hard to deliver this world-leading project, bringing the Vodafone and Three networks together to unlock significant benefits for customers across the UK,” he said.

“Today, more than 21 million customers in over 8,000 locations can connect to the best available coverage at no extra cost, with many now enjoying 4G and 5G where it wasn’t previously available, and faster speeds overall. However, this is just the beginning, so I’m even more excited to see what we can deliver together over the coming months and years.”

Revenue for the UK operation was up  27.9 per cent to £3.8bn, boosted by the completion of the merger in May. Service revenue increased 26.7 per cent, with organic) growth of 1.1 per cent, driven by broadband and wholesale, offset slightly by softer business demand.

VodafoneThree says it is now has 28.8 million customers across its Vodafone, Three, VOXI, SMARTY and Talkmobile brands. Around 5,000 mobile sites have been upgraded and 4G speeds are up by 40 per cent for Three and SMARTY users.

Customers of both networks can now switch seamlessly between them at no extra cost.

Broadband and Retail

VodafoneThree added 94,000 broadband customers in the first half,and Vodafone says this makes it the UK’s fastest-growing broadband provider. Its fibre footprint now covers 21.8 million homes and businesses, boosted by a new partnership with Community Fibre in London.

On the retail front, exclusive partnerships with Currys and Fonehouse have been signed, with joint offers and shared brand promotions expected to reach more consumers in-store and online.

Max Taylor, CEO, VodafoneThree commented: “We made a fast start to our integration while staying focused on customers. Building the UK’s best network has begun delivering benefits including the removal of 16,500 square km of not-spots and access to roam across both networks, at no extra cost”

” Ofcom complaints and customer churn are also down year-on-year for both brands. We grew our base across mobile and fixed and are the UK’s largest full fibre provider bringing gigabit speeds to 21.8 million homes and businesses”.

EE, O2, and Vodafone submitted bids for available lots to determine their share of the spectrum. Each operator secured 800 MHz in the 26 GHz band and 1 GHz in the 40 GHz band, paying £13 million each, bringing the total revenue raised to £39 million.

A total of 5.4 GHz of spectrum was made available to enable faster, more reliable mobile services in high-demand locations such as football stadiums, major concert venues, and transport hubs, and can be deployed in 68 towns and cities.

The process will now move to the Assignment Stage, where operators will bid for their preferred frequency positions within the bands they have won. Ofcom will publish the final results, including specific frequency allocations and total payments, once all stages are complete.

David Willis, Ofcom’s Group Director for Spectrum, said: “Today’s results are an important milestone on the path to better, faster 5G. The large amount of spectrum we’ve released will help support innovation, open doors to new applications and growth, and can bring noticeable improvements to mobile services in busier places up and down the UK.”

“The release of this spectrum marks a significant step in expanding 5G infrastructure and capacity, helping operators meet growing data demand and enabling new use cases such as immersive experiences, connected transport, and next-generation industrial applications.”

The agreement is said to be one of Europe’s largest network consolidation projects following Vodafone and Three’s planned merger. Ericsson will be VodafoneThree’s sole UK core network vendor and supply a significant proportion of its upgraded radio network.

Ericsson will deploy its 5G Standalone (5G SA) technology, providing hardware, software and services across radio and core infrastructure. The company’s 5G Core and dual-mode technology will handle capacity for rising data demand and enable  AI, automation and extended reality.

Ericsson’s connectivity will cover London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast as well as major cities including Bristol, Brighton, Bournemouth, Portsmouth and Southampton. The first deployments are expected to begin shortly, with VodafoneThree targeting 99.95 per cent 5G SA population coverage across the UK by 2034.

Börje Ekholm, President and CEO, Ericsson, says: “Trusted high-performing programmable networks are critical to the digital economy. AI, automation and virtual/augmented won’t reach their potential without them. We are proud to partner with VodafoneThree as their primary vendor to power them with the most advanced programmable network products, software, and solutions in the world.”

Max Taylor, CEO, VodafoneThree, said: “Ericsson bring the scale and expertise needed to accelerate the delivery of a resilient, secure, world-class and future-ready network, and together, we are laying the foundations for the UK’s digital future.” 

VodafoneThree has around 29 million mobile customers and said the partnership would “accelerate the delivery of a resilient and future-ready network”.

Ericsson currently powers 187 live 5G networks across 78 countries, including 42 of the 70 commercially launched 5G Standalone networks worldwide.

The study was conducted by Censuswide in July,  The research was informed by a survey of 1,000 businesses in 12 UK region. The research highlights regional disparities, with coastal and rural areas most affected.

It shows that almost three quarters of tourism-linked SMEs – including hotels, restaurants and gift shops reported a financial boost this summer as more people chose to holiday in the UK. Yet almost a fifth of businesses believe weak connectivity prevented them from taking full advantage of the staycation trend.

Sussex stands out as the region with the greatest untapped potential. Worthing businesses could each generate as much as £200,000 in additional annual revenue if connectivity improved.

Those in Brighton (main pic) could add £171,000. Eastbourne and Hastings SMEs stand to gain around £127,000 each. Nationally, retailers in tourist areas could earn an extra £900 million, while food and drink companies could gain £400 million.

Improved digital infrastructure would help these companies to expand their services and reach more customers. A third said better connectivity would allow them to grow ecommerce operations, offering options such as click-and-collect. Four in 10 would improve their customer Wi-Fi, while three in 10 said they would explore AI-driven tools such as automated customer support.

Social media remains the most powerful driver, with 43 per cent of respondents saying they would use it more actively if mobile connections were stronger.

]]> https://mobilenewscwp.co.uk/news/article/poor-connectivity-costs-tourism-smes-1-5-billion-lost-earnings/feed/ 0 https://mobilenewscwp.co.uk/news/article/vodafonethree-activates-network-auto-switching-600-sites/ https://mobilenewscwp.co.uk/news/article/vodafonethree-activates-network-auto-switching-600-sites/#respond Mon, 11 Aug 2025 10:00:50 +0000 https://mncwp.tailrd.cloud/vodafonethree-activates-network-auto-switching-600-sites/ VodafoneThree has activated its Multi-Operator Core Network (MOCN) platform on more than 600 sites, with 9,000 expected to be live by the end of the first year of the merger.

VodafoneThree has activated its Multi-Operator Core Network (MOCN) platform on more than 600 sites, with 9,000 expected to be live by the end of the first year of the merger.

MOCN enables devices to connect automatically to the least congested or best-performing cell, regardless of the original provider.l It enables rapid nationwide deployment. VodafoneThree expects measurable improvements for all customers within the first year. The rollout is part of VodafoneThree’s £11bn network investment programme. 

Customers on Vodafone, Three, Smarty, VOXI and Talkmobile will receive the strongest available 4G or 5G signal from either network at no extra cost. Although the two operators share masts and antennas, billing, security, and service provision remain separate, and SIMs always connect to the customer’s contracted network.

VodafoneThree reports that more than seven million Three and Smarty customers are already experiencing 20 per cent faster 4G speeds, with gains of up to 40 per cent in some areas, thanks to spectrum pooling. Similar improvements are expected for Vodafone users as integration progresses.

The development aims to improve reliability for business-critical applications, boost performance during peak periods, and close 4G coverage gaps. VodafoneThree says the partnership will eliminate 4G “not spots” across an area ten times the size of London and deliver its fastest 5G speeds to 71 per cent of the UK population within 12 months.

Dynamic capacity management will automatically move devices from congested cells to neighbouring sites with spare capacity, easing network load.

Andrea Donà, Chief Network Officer at Vodafone Three, said: “Bringing our networks together marks a major milestone for Vodafone Three, unlocking greater capacity, reducing 4G not spots, and expanding 5G coverage. Just weeks into the rollout, millions of customers are already seeing the benefits of a nationwide boost, powered by our spectrum integration and MOCN technology.”

]]> https://mobilenewscwp.co.uk/news/article/vodafonethree-activates-network-auto-switching-600-sites/feed/ 0 https://mobilenewscwp.co.uk/news/article/ee-standalone-5g-soars-50-per-cent-population-coverage/ https://mobilenewscwp.co.uk/news/article/ee-standalone-5g-soars-50-per-cent-population-coverage/#respond Tue, 22 Jul 2025 11:53:23 +0000 https://mncwp.tailrd.cloud/ee-standalone-5g-soars-50-per-cent-population-coverage/ EE says more than 34 million people will be soon be able to access ts 5G Standalone network which will cover more than half of the population less than a year after its launch.

]]> EE says more than 34 million people will be soon be able to access ts 5G Standalone network which will cover more than half of the population less than a year after its launch.

EE says this will grow to over 41 million people by next Spring.

Upgrades have brought 5G standalone service to towns including Carlisle, Chesterfield, Hemel Hempstead, Newcastle-under-Lyme, and York.

Over the next month, a further 38 locations including as Aberdeen, Canterbury, Derby, Inverness, Norwich, and Windsor will see enhanced network performance..

5G standalone technology is said to deliver to 100 times the capacity of 4G networks enabling translates faster upload and download speeds, smoother livestreaming, stronger indoor connectivity, and better support for multiple simultaneous users?

EE citesnew research that predicts up to £230 billion in productivity gains and economic value from nationwide 5G standalone adoption.

To access EE’s 5G standalone network, customers must be in a covered area, use a compatible device, and have an EE 5GSA-ready SIM or eSIM on a pay-monthly handset plan. The technology is available to all new and upgrading EE customers on eligible plans.

The other mobile networks have varying levels of deployment for 5G Standalone (5G SA) technology.

VodafoneThree  has rolled out its 5G Standalone network, branded as “5G Ultra,” across multiple UK cities and has installed 5G SA small cells in central Birmingham, marking a significant step in its 5G SA expansion

Virgin Media O2 has launched its 5G Standalone network in over 500 towns and cities across the UK and is aiming for 100 per cent population coverage in five years.

Locations where EE’s 5G standalone network is already available include: Ashton-Under-Lyne, Altrincham, Barrow-in-Furness, Barry, Bath, Belfast, Birkenhead, Birmingham, Blackburn, Bradford, Bridgend, Bristol, Bury, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Corby, Coventry, Cwmbran, Doncaster, Dudley, Dundee, Edinburgh, Exeter, Glasgow, Huddersfield, Hull, Hyde, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes, Newport, Nottingham, Port Talbot, Rotherham, Sale, Sheffield, St Helens, Stockport, Sunderland, Swansea, Wakefield, Walkden, Weston Super Mare, Wigan, Wilmslow, Wolverhampton

]]> https://mobilenewscwp.co.uk/news/article/ee-standalone-5g-soars-50-per-cent-population-coverage/feed/ 0

Currys will now support the full suite of Vodafone-branded connectivity products across mobile, home broadband, and mobile broadband. VodafoneThree claims the UK’s largest full-fibre footprint, reaching 22.5 million premises with fibre or fibre-equivalent speeds.

The deal comes as VodafoneThree continues to roll out its £11 billion network investment plan, aiming to deliver improved coverage, speed and reliability to 99.95 per cenr  of the UK population by 2034. The combined network has already enabled cross-network roaming for customers at no extra cost.

Jon Shaw, Consumer Operations Director at VodafoneThree, said: This wider-ranging partnership allows us to explore greater opportunities in home and mobile broadband for both consumers and businesses”

Currys Chief Commercial Officer Ed Connolly said the agreement reflected the success of Currys’ long-term partnership with Vodafone: “We’re confident in our shared commitment to delivering quality, flexibility and value across all connectivity products. Our mobile offering is growing, it’s working for our customers, and it’s working for us too.”

The agreement positions Currys as a key retail channel for VodafoneThree, as the newly merged operator seeks to rapidly scale its presence in mobile and broadband markets through strategic partnerships.