Vodafone and Virgin Media O2 team up to improve rural connectivity in new network sharing deal

Vodafone and Virgin Media O2 have announced a long-term network sharing agreement designed to revolutionize the mobile experience for tens of millions of UK customers.

This strategic partnership aims to improve rural connectivity, improve service quality and establish a third major network operator to rebalance the mobile market.

Building on their existing partnership, including the Shared Rural Network initiative, this agreement focuses on delivering high-quality mobile coverage in hard-to-reach areas across the UK. Ahmed Essam, CEO of European Markets at Vodafone, emphasized the importance of this deal: “With this agreement and our merger with Three, we will transform the mobile experience for more than 50 million customers in the UK. We aim to deliver significant network improvements, including more choice, better quality and greater coverage across the country. These benefits will extend to both retail and wholesale MVNO customers.”

Essam added that the proposed merger and this agreement would boost competition by creating a robust third player in the UK mobile market. This move aims to improve the balance of spectrum ownership and thus level the playing field between UK mobile operators.

The combined investment of MergeCo’s future £11 billion and Virgin Media O2’s £2 billion annual investment in networks and services will ensure the long-term quality of mobile connectivity, especially in rural areas.

Elizabeth Anderson, CEO of the Digital Poverty Alliance, welcomed the partnership: “It’s impossible for one organization to solve UK connectivity alone, so the partnership between Vodafone and Virgin Media O2 is a welcome step to expand network reach in the UK. improve the entire country. Rural connectivity is a pressing issue for millions of people in rural areas and remote cities, cutting them off from essential online services such as education and healthcare. As these essential services increasingly shift online, we cannot stand by and watch as millions more people are left behind in the digital world.”

Anderson also highlighted the importance of continued investment: “There have been several impressive connectivity rollout programs in recent years, and with this partnership we hope that further investment and resources will be dedicated to VMO2’s Shared Rural Network programme. To further drive the rollout of rural connectivity, we also hope that the new government will support these programmes, putting digital inclusivity at the heart of its policy to deliver significant social impact for millions of people across the UK Kingdom.”

This partnership marks an important step towards bridging the digital divide and ensuring that rural communities receive the same level of connectivity as urban areas, paving the way for a more inclusive digital future.