Ofcom hails early gains from VodafoneThree £11bn investment pledge

Ofcom has told Keir Starmer and Rache Reeves it is pleased with the results of the VodafoneThree merger.

In an open letter to Starmer and Reeves, chief executive Dame Melanie Dawes hailed early consumer benefits and the investment resulting Three merger.

She said the £11bn combined network investment over eight years will “significantly improve the performance and capacity” of the combined network, underlining the importance of scale and sustained capital investment in upgrading the UK’s mobile infrastructure”.

Dawes said consumers are already seeing benefits. Network integration has delivered faster 4G speeds for around seven million people across the UK, even at this early stage.

Coverage has also improved sharply. Dawes said the merger has removed 16,500 square kilometres of mobile “not-spots”, boosting connectivity in areas that previously suffered from weak or non-existent signal.

Ofcom framed the early results as proof that consolidation, can deliver tangible improvements in network performance and coverage.when tied to firm investment commitments and regulatory oversight,

The Dawes’ letter covered all policy areas, from broadband to spectrum and online safet. Her he comments on Vodafone and Three stood out as a clear endorsement of the merger’s early impact and long-term potential.

Ofcom said it will continue working with government, industry and other regulators to push further improvements in mobile connectivity, with investment, network performance and coverage remaining top priorities.