VodafoneThree hits 8,000-site upgrade milestone as part of £11bn network investment

VodafoneThree says it has now upgraded 8,000 mobile sites across the UK as part of its £11 billion programme to build what it claims will be ‘the country’s best mobile network’,

The network is targeting 99 per cent 5G Standalone  population coverage by 2030 and 99.96 per cent by 2034. 

The operator said the milestone means “more than 21 million customers are now benefiting from improved connectivity and increased capacity, with users able to connect to the best available coverage at no additional cost”.

The upgrades use Multi-Operator Core Network tech, which allows different mobile operators to share radio access infrastructure while maintaining separate core networks, improving efficiency and extending coverage more quickly.

This means customers can access higher mobile data speeds for browsing and streaming, and enjoy expanded 4G and 5G availability in areas previously lacking reliable service.

VodafoneThree said the programme is delivering meaningful improvements in both urban and rural communities, helping people and businesses stay connected regardless of location.

Andrea Dona, Chief Network Officer at VodafoneThree, said he was “incredibly proud” of the progress so far.

“The team have been working extremely hard to deliver this world-leading project, bringing the Vodafone and Three networks together to unlock significant benefits for customers across the UK,” he said.

“Today, more than 21 million customers in over 8,000 locations can connect to the best available coverage at no extra cost, with many now enjoying 4G and 5G where it wasn’t previously available, and faster speeds overall. However, this is just the beginning, so I’m even more excited to see what we can deliver together over the coming months and years.”