Vodafone and 02 to Share Mobile Networks


Mobile phone giants Vodafone and O2 have announced plans to share their network of phone masts in a bid to cut costs and deliver super-fast 4G mobile internet to UK homes.
The companies intend to unite to dismantle 1,850 masts between them and create and one national grid of 18,500 masts and sites, which will enable them to beam signals into 98 per cent of all homes in Britain.
Signal strength in remote rural areas will be boosted and many so-called ‘not-spots’, where there is no coverage at all, will be eliminated. The masts will also be capable of transmitting 4G, the next generation of mobile ‘spectrum’ due to be auctioned off later this year or early 2013 after several delays.
As well as helping the companies save hundreds of millions of pounds, the joint venture will also help them compete with Orange and T-Mobile’s joint venture Everything Everywhere, which O2 is set to launch its own 4G service on some of its existing spectrum.
Vodafone and O2 stressed said they will remain in competition with each other, and stressed that customer data will be kept entirely separate.

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