VodafoneThree has pledged to connect every corner of the UK, as the company held its launch event following the completion of its £15 billion ($20.3bn) merger last week.

As the company noted several times yesterday, the merger has created the UK’s largest mobile network operator with 27 million mobile customers.

At the launch event in London last night (June 11), the telco outlined how the merger will impact the company’s strategy and several brands.

The telco stated that it will continue to operate a multi-brand mobile strategy in consumer with Vodafone, Three, plus MVNOs Voxi, Smarty, and Talkmobile all remaining.

As part of the merger, Vodafone will own 51 percent of the company, while Three will own the remaining 49 percent stake. After three years following completion and subject to certain conditions, Vodafone may acquire Hutchison’s stake via a Put and Call option.

VodafoneThree reiterated that it will invest £11bn ($14.93bn) to ramp up its connectivity plans across the UK.

“We will connect every nation, every community, in every corner of the UK,” said Max Taylor, CEO, VodafoneThree. “We will build the UK’s best 5G network with an unprecedented £11bn privately-funded infrastructure project, laying the digital foundation for our country’s growth ambitions.”

5G Standalone boost

The telco also outlined its plans to boost its 5G Standalone (5G SA) network. Vodafone was the first UK operator to launch 5G SA, doing so back in June 2023.

Prior to that, the telco worked with TV company ITN to broadcast the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III using a public 5G Standalone (SA) network and network slicing.

Since deploying 5G SA, Vodafone’s current 5G SA footprint extends to 47 percent of the UK’s population.

The company plans to expand this to 99.95 percent of the population coverage by 2034.

Plans to create up to 13,000 jobs

VodafoneThree also addressed whether the merger will impact jobs.

The carrier said that its network investment will help it to create and sustain demand for, on average, 9,000 jobs, with peak investment years (years 2-6) seeing as many as 13,000 jobs created across the country.

VodafoneThree said that its plans to ramp up its 5G SA network have led to the creation of thousands more jobs in engineering, construction, and maintenance of telecom towers, fiber optics, and base stations.

The telco also noted that no retail jobs will be lost, but consolidation plans will happen on the high-street.

“As we reshape our retail store footprint, over time, we will consolidate where it makes sense to neighboring premises,” said Taylor.

“However, I can confirm there will be no plans for retail redundancies across our combined retail estate. Staffing levels we do expect, however, will come down naturally over time.”

The telco also said that it will consolidate networks, ensuring VodafoneThree’s energy consumption will be around 31 percent lower than it would have been as two separate networks.

On top of this, the carrier said “it will reduce emissions from operations to net zero by 2027 and look to achieve the same across the full value chain by 2040.”

AST SpaceMobile beta trials to come

VodafoneThree also outlined other commitments, including the carrier’s plans for satellite connectivity.

The company, which has a partnership with AST SpaceMobile, said it aims to launch beta trials of its space-based satellite mobile network next year.

Earlier this year, Vodafone and AST SpaceMobile signed an agreement to create a European direct-to-device satellite service business. Named SatCo (for now), the venture will aim to provide 100 percent geographic coverage in every part of Europe, distributing AST SpaceMobile’s satellite services to European mobile network operators.

Vodafone partnered with AST SpaceMobile in January to conduct the world’s first space video call in the UK.

Last night, the telco said that it satellite network will “complement the existing network build, eliminating coverage gaps in places that otherwise couldn’t be reached, leaving no one behind.”

Plans around VodafoneThree’s broadband offering were also acknowledged, with VodafoneThree claiming the merger will help the company challenge the broadband market.

Combined, the entity has more than two million customers, while claiming it has the ability to deliver fiber-like speeds (up to 2.2Gbps) to 22.5 million homes and businesses across the country.

To bolster its broadband offering, VodafoneThree said it will pair with alternative network providers (alt-nets), while announcing a partnership with London-based Community Fibre, building on existing agreements with Openreach and CityFibre.