Vodafone and Virgin Media O2 have extended their UK network sharing agreement for more than a decade, with the inclusion of a provision for the proposed Vodafone UK and Three UK merger.
Subject to the approval of the merger by the CMA, the deal provides a basis for the combined businesses’ (MergCo’s) network to participate in the agreement. Virgin Media O2 will acquire spectrum from the newly created MergeCo
The agreement extends benefits from MergeCo’s committed £11bn network investment plan to customers of Virgin Media O2 and to MVNOs with wholesale partnerships.
Ahmed Essam, CEO of European Markets at Vodafone said: “The proposed merger, together with this agreement, will boost competition by establishing a strong third player in the UK mobile market and will improve the balance of spectrum holdings, levelling the playing field between the UK’s mobile operators.”
Lutz Schüler, CEO of Virgin Media O2, added: “We believe that this new agreement addresses the issues we have voiced and the CMA outlined in its initial decision, and will now continue our engagement with the regulator in this spirit.”