VodafoneThree has awarded contracts worth £2 billion to global communications technology leaders Ericsson and Nokia.
The news comes just three months after the £16.5bn mega-merger was complete and is the next stage in its mission to build the UK’s best mobile network.
The Scandinavian-based firms will help deliver a share of the company’s £11bn investment plan, which aims to boost the UK economy by as much as £102bn between 2025 and 2035.
The eight-year programme is set to power sectors from energy and financial services to manufacturing, security and technology in an attempt to transform the UK’s digital backbone.
The company, headquartered in Newbury, says the plan is fully funded and regulated and will create up to 13,000 jobs across the UK in engineering, construction and maintenance.
The majority of roles – around 74% – will be based outside London and the South East, supporting regional growth and equipping local workforces with skills for the future.
VodafoneThree has committed to a front-loaded rollout, stating that, within the first year, nearly three-quarters of the UK population will gain access to its fastest 5G speeds, rising to 90% within three years.
“We said we would deliver at pace and, just a few months in, we are delighted to announce our strategic partners, Ericsson and Nokia, that will work with us to deliver our ambition of building the UK’s best network,” said Max Taylor, CEO of VodafoneThree.
“They 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.”
Ericsson will deploy its next-generation Radio Access Network (RAN) and core network solutions across 10,000 UK sites, modernising existing 4G and 5G infrastructure.
President and CEO, Börje Ekholm, added: “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.
“Trusted high-performing programmable networks are critical to success for the UK’s digital economy.
“AI, automation and virtual/augmented reality won’t reach their potential without them.”
Meanwhile, Nokia will supply ultra-performance RAN equipment to around 7,000 sites and modernise part of VodafoneThree’s voice core.
Its president and CEO, Justin Hotard, said: “Today’s networks need new levels of performance, trust, and resilience.
“We are pleased that VodafoneThree has chosen our industry-leading network solutions to build a future-proof 5G Standalone network across the UK to meet the needs of customers today, and as the AI supercycle accelerates.”
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