VodafoneThree launch as merger completes

From the homepage news:
https://www.thinkbroadband.com/news/vodafone-and-thr...

And from Three’s website
https://www.three.co.uk/merger

Interesting to see if the MOCN plan works out; and if that supports non-5G transmissions, as LTE (4G) has a long way to go.

In reply to a post by jchamier:

From the homepage news:
https://www.thinkbroadband.com/news/vodafone-and-thr...

And from Three’s website
https://www.three.co.uk/merger

Interesting to see if the MOCN plan works out; and if that supports non-5G transmissions, as LTE (4G) has a long way to go.

It's a HARD NO from me on ever using this merged company.

I had the misfortune of, in my working life, dealing with corporate voda people and without a doubt, they all exemplified the worse, most entitled arrogance of the public school toffs i've ever seen - and that includes from our esteemed former government.

It will be a cold day in hell before one single penny of my money ends up in Vodafone.

I wonder whether Vodofone MVNO custoers will be allowed access to the three network.

In reply to a post by Michael_Chare:

I wonder whether Vodofone MVNO custoers will be allowed access to the three network.

No chance, not gonna happen!

Vodafone sim remain vodafone network, Three sim remain three network. You can't use both network on a single sim card!

Edited by adslmax (Tue 03-Jun-25 01:41:06)

In reply to a post by Michael_Chare:

I wonder whether Vodofone MVNO custoers will be allowed access to the three network.

According to this https://www.vodafonethree.com/

Within just six months, around 27 million Vodafone and Three customers will automatically be using each other’s networks – connecting them to the best coverage available, at no extra cost.

In reply to a post by adslmax:

You can't use both network on a single sim card!

T-Mobile / Orange managed it, I don't see why Vodafone / Three can't.

In reply to a post by behuk:

In reply to a post by adslmax:

You can't use both network on a single sim card!

T-Mobile / Orange managed it, I don't see why Vodafone / Three can't.

I mean MVNO like Smarty, iD Mobile, Superdrug and other etc except Vodafone and Three (more expensive cost monthly sim)

In reply to a post by adslmax:

I mean MVNO like Smarty, iD Mobile, Superdrug and other etc

They will eventually. However absolutely zero technical information has been released so none of the experienced people (on other forums) can comment yet.

There is now the option of MOCA which might help two networks on one infrastructure, easier than 15 years ago when T-mobile and Orange merged.

In reply to a post by adslmax:

No chance, not gonna happen!

Yes it will happen, as combining the networks was stated in a lot of the public documents to the CMA. The MVNO operators on top that are owned by the VodafoneThree business (VOXI & SMARTY) were also mentioned in the undertakings. Superdrug isn’t necessarily mentioned, maybe its ownership is slightly different, or its smaller.

It will take time, don’t expect anything big for at least 6 months, maybe 12.

Good article on The Register about the technical headache:
https://www.theregister.com/2025/06/02/vodafone_thre...

Edited by jchamier (Tue 03-Jun-25 11:57:41)

Would be better for all of us if 4 networks merger together so it will flick the switch to strong network eg: EE, Vodafone, Three or o2 with same sim card

In reply to a post by adslmax:

Would be better for all of us if 4 networks merger together so it will flick the switch to strong network eg: EE, Vodafone, Three or o2 with same sim card

You got a time machine? That would go against the way the government from 1985 and 1993 launched mobile phones as different companies that competed with each other. They sold expensive licenses to do this. Coalition govt was told if you want to change this, the networks want the hundreds of billions of pounds back please. Never going to happen in UK or EU or USA. They are licensed to compete on coverage.

There is extensive mast and structure sharing going on, but in most built up areas the problem is landlords evicting masts and so signal suddenly vanishes.

Even the legacy BT copper network that went to almost every house isn’t expected to be replaced by an OR network to every house, see the interview with the BT CEO last week (in the news on this site).

Edited by jchamier (Tue 03-Jun-25 12:09:47)

In reply to a post by adslmax:

Would be better for all of us if 4 networks merger together so it will flick the switch to strong network eg: EE, Vodafone, Three or o2 with same sim card

I think only one country has attempted a single 5G network, Malaysia, although it took a while to get going and has challenges of its own.

In reply to a post by adslmax:

In reply to a post by behuk:

T-Mobile / Orange managed it, I don't see why Vodafone / Three can't.

I mean MVNO like Smarty, iD Mobile, Superdrug and other etc except Vodafone and Three (more expensive cost monthly sim)

Virgin Mobile, which was atop T-Mobile at the time, would use both T-Mobile and Orange.

In reply to a post by tdw42:

Virgin Mobile, which was atop T-Mobile at the time, would use both T-Mobile and Orange.

That only happened after T & Orange merged. It wasn't unique to Virgin Mobile, was available to any MVNO on the T-Mobile/Orange merged network that was quickly named "EE".