Recently merged operator VodafoneThree has signed new contracts with Ericsson and Nokia amounting to £2 billion as it targets 5G SA for 90% of the UK population.
The deals with Ericsson and Nokia will go towards VodafoneThree’s stated £11 billion network investment plan, which was a key part of its messaging while regulators were mulling over whether to let the merger go through.
VodafoneThree claims the investment will boost the UK economy by up to £102 billion between 2025 and 2035, and “will deliver the infrastructure needed by all sectors to power Britain’s digital future, including energy, financial services, manufacturing, security and technology.”
The deals with Ericsson and Nokia cover an eight year period. Ericsson will deploy Radio Access Network (RAN) and core network solutions across the UK, and it’s job will involve modernising existing 4G and 5G infrastructure and setting up RAN in over 10,000 sites in the UK as the operator aims for “population-wide rollout of 5G SA connectivity by 2034.”
