VodafoneThree network sharing unlocks ‘significant’ coverage improvements

When Vodafone and Three UK finally completed their merger earlier in 2025, one of the key benefits promised was a better performing network through integrating infrastructures. Now, a study from network performance analyst Opensignal has found that the integration is already delivering tangible benefits for users.

Vodafone and Three first announced plans to merge in June 2023, creating a joint entity with 27 million mobile subscribers in the UK and providing a response to BT’s 2016 purchase of EE, as well as the 2021 merger of Virgin Media and O2 to form VMO2. Vodafone and Three justified the combination by saying it would boost the roll-out of 5G infrastructure and allow greater scale to compete with the larger, converged telecoms and mobile players in BT/EE and VMO2. The deal concluded in June 2025.

VodafoneThree operates as a multi-brand mobile strategy in the consumer market, with Vodafone, Three, VOXI, Smarty and Talkmobile remaining. Vodafone has a single brand for business customers, offering one team able to tailor systems to a customer’s needs, with the ambition to become the UK’s biggest converged network for business.

VodafoneThree claims to be the only UK operator with a quarter-by-quarter, year-by-year plan to reach 99.95% 5G standalone (5G SA) population coverage by 2034. The 5G SA network build-out plan is front-loaded so that it will hit 90% population coverage from a current baseline of 47% by the end of the third year, and up to 50 million people will have access to its fastest 5G speeds in just one year.

Through the use of multi-operator core network (MOCN) technology, VodafoneThree said that customers’ devices will automatically connect to the best coverage available, effectively giving them access to two networks at no extra cost. The operator believes this will see customers of both brands experience improved coverage, reliability and speed when using 4G and 5G networks.

Opensignal reported that in the parts of the network where MOCN is enabled, users could gain access to additional network resources, immediately improving coverage and reliability. Even though the analyst said there may still be some minor hiccups for VodafoneThree customers, in general it regarded the network optimisation efforts as being on course to provide tangible benefits to the consumers.

The Opensignal analysis focused on the changes in network experience that Vodafone and Three users have observed so far, as well as calculating projected improvement. It revealed that just months after completion, the merger is already tangible benefits such as network sharing unlocking significant coverage improvements and better experience with faster data speeds.

Opensignal observed that following the early stages of radio access network (RAN) sharing between Three and Vodafone, Three users should expect to see around a 13% improvement in coverage experience, while Vodafone a 7% increase, once full integration is completed. For 5G coverage experience, the uplift is projected to be much greater, namely a 92% improvement for Vodafone users and 7% for Three users.

The analysis also discovered that Vodafone and Three users were experiencing improved reliability in areas of existing coverage, while Three users were measuring improved download speeds. Opensignal added that the merged entity’s network was not only resulting in better coverage, but better experience in already covered areas.

The net results of the merged entity is that traditional UK mobile leader EE could face a potential new challenger to its market position. Opensignal noted that EE has long been able to take the majority of awards from its Mobile Network Experience awards but this might be changing. It added that with strengthened coverage, faster 5G performance and shared investment resources, VodafoneThree could challenge EE’s leadership and reshape the competition landscape in the UK market.