VodafoneThree, the newly merged entity from Vodafone UK and Three UK, has inked a substantial contract with Swedish telecom giant Ericsson and Finnish counterpart Nokia to upgrade and expand its 5G infrastructure.
The overall agreement is valued at around £2 billion ($2.7 billion), marking a key step in VodafoneThree’s ambitious plan to create one of Europe’s leading 5G networks.
Ericsson, headquartered in Stockholm, has secured the lion’s share of the deal, with an eight-year partnership worth 12.5 billion Swedish crowns (approximately $1.33 billion or £1 billion).
This contract involves supplying advanced 5G radio equipment, including AI-driven hardware, energy-efficient components, and intelligent antennas designed to boost data speeds and network performance in major cities like London, Edinburgh, Cardiff, and Belfast.
The collaboration aims to deliver 5G Standalone (SA) coverage to 99.95% of the UK population by 2034, incorporating cloud-native solutions and enhanced core network capabilities to support future innovations in connectivity.
Nokia will complement Ericsson’s efforts by providing additional network technology, helping to modernize VodafoneThree’s radio access network (RAN) and ensure seamless integration across the merged operations.
This dual-vendor approach is part of VodafoneThree’s strategy to invest £11 billion ($14.8 billion) over the next decade, following the June merger of Vodafone and CK Hutchison’s UK businesses, which created the country’s largest mobile operator by customer base.
For Ericsson, this European win arrives amid challenges in other regions, including a slowdown in India and tariff pressures affecting U.S. profitability.
The deal underscores the company’s focus on cutting-edge 5G technologies to maintain its competitive edge in global markets.
VodafoneThree’s initiative is expected to drive economic growth through improved mobile broadband, enabling advancements in areas like smart cities, remote work, and digital services.
As 5G adoption accelerates, partnerships like this are poised to reshape connectivity standards across the UK and beyond.
