VodafoneThree has confirmed that the Vodafone and Three networks will be integrated over time into one network, which will be called The Nation’s Network.
Vodafone will be the only brand for business customers. Three Business customers will be migrated over to Vodafone in the coming months.
Over the next 12 months, VodafoneThree will bring Three’s fixed wireless access product together with Vodafone’s full fibre offering, under the Vodafone brand.
The company will also operate a multi-brand mobile strategy in consumer with Vodafone, Three, Voxi, Smarty and Talkmobile remaining.
At a launch event in London yesterday, Max Taylor, CEO of VodafoneThree (pictured above), emphasised “the very real and powerful impact this launch is going to have”. He said that impact will be felt not within the industry, but across the four nations, with the combined company on a “mission” to build “the digital infrastructure needed to help fuel our country’s growth ambitions”.
Taylor said mobile technologies have launched quickly in the UK, but roll outs across all corners of the UK have not kept pace. He said, “For too long, the UK has languished behind its global peers when it comes to connectivity. Whilst we can all debate how fast the UK was to launch 3G, the iPhone, 4G, and even 5G, when it comes to the speed of roll out of these technologies across the country, there is no debate. We’ve been falling further and further behind. Infrastructure investment has been a significant challenge.
“Today, the UK is last in the G7 for mobile data speeds, 22nd out 25 countries in Europe for 5G availability. The industry has lost pace and purpose. Meanwhile, our country has never needed this more. To help fix the digital divide and to support UK PLC with the digital transformation needed to drive productivity and growth. This is the moment when everything changes.”
Taylor shared four commitments in VodafoneThree’s first year. First, within two weeks, through the sharing of combined spectrum, 7 million Three and Smarty customers will receive a 4G boost.
Second, within a few months, 27 million Vodafone and Three mobile customers will start to benefit from access to roam on each other’s networks at no extra cost. It will happen automatically, with customer phones connecting to the best coverage available. By the end of the year, VodafoneThree estimates this will remove a total of 16,500 sq/km of not spots.
Third, VodafoneThree will launch beta trials on a satellite mobile network, via Vodafone’s partnership with AST Space Mobile.
Fourth, customers of other providers in all areas of the UK will be able to try VodafoneThree’s network with a seven-day, free, eSIM trial. A trial was launched a few weeks ago in London. That was extended this week in Liverpool, Sheffield and Belfast.