VodafoneThree

VodafoneThree

Company type	Joint venture
Industry	Telecommunications
Founded	31 May 2025 (2025-05-31)
Area served	United Kingdom
Key people	Max Taylor (CEO) Darren Purkis (CFO)
Parent	Vodafone Group (51%) CK Hutchison Holdings (49%)
Subsidiaries	Vodafone UK Three UK
Website	vodafonethree.com

VodafoneThree is a British telecommunications company. It is the UK's largest mobile phone network with 29 million customers. It was formed on 31 May 2025 from a merger between Vodafone UK and Three UK.

History

In 2023, Vodafone UK struck a deal with Three UK to merge their UK businesses, subject to approval by the competition regulator. The combined company would have 27 million customers, which would make them the largest mobile network in the UK, surpassing O2 which has 24 million customers and EE which has 20 million. The deal would give Vodafone Group a 51% stake in the new business with CK Hutchison (the owner of Three UK) owning the remaining 49%. Vodafone has an option to buy out Hutchison's stake, three years after completion of the merger.

Vodafone claim that the deal would lead to £11bn of investment into 5G over the next 10 years. Consumer group Which? and others raised concerns that the merger would risk lowering the quality of service and increasing prices due to less competition being present.

From January to March 2024, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) conducted a Phase 1 investigation of the deal and concluded that the merger could result in a substantial lessening of competition, noting that it may raise prices for consumers and businesses and reduce investment in mobile network quality. The CMA gave both parties five days to provide a sufficient remedy to these concerns before they began an in-depth Phase 2 investigation.

In December 2024, the CMA approved the merger subject to legally binding commitments to 5G rollout and consumer price protection measures. The merger completed on 31 May 2025, and the company announced a £11 billion investment into UK over the next decade.

Analysts have noted that the merger could lead to improved 5G coverage and better infrastructure investment, but concerns remain about reduced competition potentially leading to higher prices. Reports suggest that the consolidation may also affect mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) that rely on Three and Vodafone’s networks, potentially altering pricing structures and service offerings for budget-conscious consumers.