With plans to challenge the UK’s mobile arena and expand its activities in the country’s broadband market, newly merged VodafoneThree has announced an exclusive multiyear partnership and distribution deal with business and home technology retailer Currys.
Founded by Henry Curry in 1884 as a bicycle-building business, before the company diversified into selling toys, radios and gramophones, the leading omnichannel retailer of technology products and services operates online and through 727 stores in six countries. In October 2021, the company’s legacy UK businesses – including Carphone Warehouse, Team Knowhow, Currys PC World and Dixons Carphone – were consolidated into one UK brand, Currys.
Backed by an £11bn infrastructure investment – one of the key guarantees by Vodafone and Three UK to gain closure of the deal from UK regulatory authorities – designed to connect all four nations and every community, VodafoneThree is now the biggest mobile network operator in the UK, with 27 million customers. In addition, it claims to be the only UK operator with a quarter-by-quarter, year-by-year, guaranteed plan to reach 99.95% 5G standalone (5G SA) population coverage by 2034.
Explaining why it is emphasising 5G SA, the company said only such networks will have the capacity and speed to manage the vast amounts of data that applications such as artificial intelligence (AI) will require, meaning that the target is to build the first nationwide AI-ready network.
For its part, Currys regards AI as a key market driver for the next 12 months as use cases become clear to customers, and expects more of the products that it sells to incorporate AI-enabled technology. The company made particular note of the Samsung S24 mobile phone, which features AI technology, and the fact that it was the first retailer globally to launch Microsoft Copilot+PC.
Building on what the firms called “many successful years” of collaboration, VodafoneThree will now be the exclusive mobile network operator (MNO) for Currys. Notably, the agreement will extend the reach of home broadband services to include mobile broadband fixed wireless access (FWA).
VodafoneThree claims to have the largest full-fibre footprint in the UK, with 22.5 million premises passed with fibre or fibre-like speeds. This comprises Vodafone’s 20 million full-fibre footprint plus Three’s 2.5 million mobile broadband customers. VodafoneThree broadband services operate under the Vodafone brand.
Commenting on the partnership, Currys chief commercial officer Ed Connolly said: “Signing this multiyear agreement with VodafoneThree demonstrates the strength of our long-term partnership. We’re confident in our shared commitment to providing customers with quality, flexibility and value across mobile, home broadband and mobile broadband. This agreement will allow customers to continue using the improved coverage, speed and reliability of the VodafoneThree network in the UK. Our mobile offering is growing, it’s working for our customers, and it’s working for us too.”
VodafoneThree consumer operations director Jon Shaw added: “I am delighted that we can announce a new exclusive partnership with Currys just weeks after the creation of VodafoneThree. This new wider wider-ranging partnership will allow Currys and VodafoneThree to explore greater opportunities in home and mobile broadband, for consumers and businesses across the UK. It’s an exciting time as we build the UK’s best network, with millions of customers already starting to benefit from unrivalled access to roam across each other’s networks at no extra cost.”
