Vodafone to take control of UK operator
Business
By
AFP
| May 06, 2026
British mobile phone giant Vodafone announced Tuesday it has agreed a £4.3 billion ($5.8 billion) deal to take full ownership of the country’s biggest mobile phone operator, VodafoneThree.
Under the agreement, Vodafone will buy out Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison’s 49-per cent stake in the company through a share cancellation.
VodafoneThree was formed last year by a merger between Vodafone UK and Three, the UK division of CK Hutchison, creating Britain’s largest mobile operator in terms of customer numbers.
“Now is the right time to take full ownership of VodafoneThree, enabling us to move at an even faster pace to transform the UK’s digital infrastructure,” Vodafone said in a statement on Tuesday. The group said the deal is set to be completed in the second half of 2026.
“The transaction signals a new lease of life for a business that was bloated with debt and struggled with low growth,” said AJ Bell head of markets Dan Coatsworth.
READ MORE
Germany firm BioNTech to cut up to 1,860 jobs as Covid jab sales drop
Ruto allocates more funds to sectors likely to win him votes in 2027
Revealed: Consumption outpacing recycling of waste
Packaged Githeri? The rise of ready-to-eat meals
Firm bets on financial inclusion to unlock boda boda sector growth
Leave Nganyas alone: They define Kenyan culture and creativity
Absa unveils Sh100bn asset finance plan
Kenya targets Sh230bn from indigenous knowledge assets
Young innovators secure backing to scale, attract investors
Africa's $29.5 trillion mineral wealth: The unsent invoice the world owes
“There are now tentative signs of improvement both operationally and financially, putting it in a better position to mount a comeback,” he added.
Vodafone has been undergoing a sweeping restructuring under chief executive Margherita Della Valle since 2023, including thousands of job cuts and the sale of its operations in Italy and Spain.
The company gave a positive outlook in November after an unexpected revenue rebound in its main market Germany in its first half and following its UK merger with Three.
Vodafone will publish its annual results next week.