VodafoneThree Network Merger Is Delivering Real Gains

One year on from the Vodafone and Three merger completing, an independent report and VodafoneThree's own network data both point the same way: UK customers are getting a tangibly better mobile experience.

Frontier Economics Independent verdict

An independent report by Frontier Economics, published today , 14 July 2026, found that in the first 12 months since completion:

• 5G download speeds rose by an average of 38%

• Over 16,500 km² of coverage gaps were eliminated, an area roughly half the size of Belgium

• 4G speeds improved by an average of 20% for more than 7 million customers

• Data traffic growth accelerated to around 25%, outpacing the UK national average

• Customers are getting more for their money, with a lower cost per GB and higher usage, and no price increases

Vodafone's Chief External & Corporate Affairs Officer, Joakim Reiter, said,

One year on, the Vodafone-Three merger is already driving better networks, broader coverage and improved value.

How it's being delivered

VodafoneThree's own coverage improvements are being rolled out through Multi-Operator Core Network (MOCN) technology, which lets customers' phones automatically connect to whichever of the two networks gives the best signal in their area, at no extra cost. Over 600 sites were live early in the rollout, with a target of 8,000 by the end of year one, and roughly 71% of the UK population (about 50 million people) now has access to 5G.

The combined business, which had a mobile customer base of around 28.6 million as of its most recent results, is backing this up with a committed £11 billion network investment programme over the next 10 years, alongside long-term coverage targets of 99% 5G Standalone coverage by 2030 and 99.96% by 2034.

For us the key message a year in, the numbers back up the promise made at the time of the merger. Coverage gaps are closing, speeds are up, and it's coming without a hit to customers' wallets, a rare combination in UK telecoms.

However, as much as we like to hear industry voices and announcements, we prefer the word on the street, so if you were a Vodafone or Three customer pre-merger or post merger, comment below, tell us how your service has improved or not, we are interested in the real world experience of users.

For deeper insight, check out the original sources, Vodafone newsroom, independent Frontier Economics report · VodafoneThree, automatic coverage improvement announcement