Introduction
VodafoneThree says more than 600 sites across the United Kingdom now support integrated coverage for both legacy Vodafone and legacy Three customers. If you have a SIM or eSIM from either brand, your phone can use the other network at no extra cost when signal conditions allow. This is the first visible piece of a long, multiyear program tied to an 11 billion pound investment plan for the new company. The combined operator is now the largest in the country, serving about 27 million customers through its brands. Today’s change does not require a new plan for most people, but there are a few simple checks you can do to be sure your device and settings are ready. Below, you will find how the integration works, how to take advantage of it, what to expect on 4G and 5G, and where the rollout goes next.
What changed
Two previously separate mobile networks are beginning to behave like one for everyday users. The company has switched on network sharing at more than 600 sites. When you stand in the footprint of one of those sites, a legacy Vodafone phone can attach to the Three radio layer and a legacy Three phone can attach to the Vodafone radio layer. Your plan price and your phone number do not change. You are simply allowed to roam between the two radio access networks domestically. Think of it as getting a second set of towers at your disposal without changing SIMs. The aim is to fill dead zones, improve indoor signal, and add capacity in busy locations where one brand previously struggled.
The merger in one paragraph
Vodafone and Three announced plans in 2023 to create a new UK business that is 51 percent owned by Vodafone Group and 49 percent owned by CK Hutchison Group Telecom Holdings. The combined company, VodafoneThree, is now operating as the largest mobile network operator in the UK. The investment headline is 11 billion pounds, which pays for integration, new spectrum use, more 5G sites, core network upgrades, and modernization of the transport and backhaul that connect towers to the internet.
Where the 600 sites fit into the bigger plan
The first 600 sites are a start, not the finish line. Large network integrations tend to follow a practical order. 1) Turn on domestic roaming or site sharing in priority areas to deliver quick benefits. 2) Align spectrum use so the combined network gets more lanes of traffic. 3) Modernize backhaul and power. 4) Consolidate overlapping towers where it improves performance and cost.They create fast wins in urban centers, transport corridors, and coverage-challenged pockets where each brand had complementary strengths. Expect the number of integrated locations to climb quarter by quarter as engineering teams validate performance, iron out edge cases, and expand to more regions.
Who benefits first
Three main groups feel improvements early. 1) People who live or work on the fringe of one brand’s footprint but inside the other brand’s strong area. Your phone now has a second option to latch onto. 2) Commuters who spend time in train stations, on motorways, or in city centers with heavy data demand. If your brand’s cell was congested before, the integrated layer can shift traffic and smooth speeds. 3) Indoor users in large buildings where one network had less favorable frequencies at that site. Even a slight change in frequency or antenna placement can move the signal needle indoors. If you recognized any of those scenarios, the 600 sites may deliver a noticeable, if uneven at first, lift to your day-to-day reliability.
What “integrated coverage” actually does on your phone
Your handset talks to a base station that advertises a public land mobile network identity, or PLMN. Before integration, a legacy Vodafone SIM would ignore Three’s PLMN and vice versa. With the change, your SIM is allowed to treat the other brand as a preferred domestic partner in defined areas. The result is automatic, policy-driven selection. You do not need to toggle anything beyond the normal default of automatic network selection. Once attached to the integrated layer, your device uses the same LTE and 5G radio standards it always has. Calls, texts, and data sessions work as usual. In most cases, you will not see a new icon. Your phone may still show your original brand name even when it is using the other network under the hood, because the operator can present a common or branded display name.
Pricing and eligibility
The company states that there is no extra charge to make use of the integrated sites. That applies to both prepaid and postpaid customers on legacy Vodafone and legacy Three plans. Corporate accounts should see the same behavior unless a company administrator has set special roaming or network restrictions on managed devices. If you have a very old plan, or a locked-down corporate profile, check whether domestic roaming is allowed. Most consumer plans are fine out of the box.
Device compatibility checklist
You do not need a brand-new handset to benefit, but a modern device helps. Use this quick checklist. 1) Ensure your phone is not network locked to another UK carrier. 2) Keep iOS or Android fully updated. Vendor updates often include carrier files that improve network selection. 3) Enable VoLTE and 5G if available in your plan. 4) Use automatic network selection in your mobile settings. 5) Make sure data roaming is on if your plan or device requires it for domestic partner roaming. Many phones no longer need this inside the UK, but some models still tie this setting to domestic integration. 6) If you use an eSIM, confirm it is active and set as the default for calls and data.
How to check and activate in under five minutes
- Restart your phone. A quick reboot forces a fresh network registration. 2) Open Settings and confirm automatic network selection is on. 3) Toggle Airplane Mode off and on to trigger a fresh scan. 4) Place a call and run a speed test. You are looking for quicker page loads and more stable call setup in areas that were flaky before. 5) If you are in a weak-signal spot and see no improvement, try manual network selection once to confirm the other network appears, then return to automatic. Do not leave the phone locked to one network, because the integrated policy works best when the device can choose.
What performance improvements to expect
Results vary by location, time of day, and device. In many places the benefit is reliability more than raw speed. If your legacy brand used to drop to one bar or miss calls, the integrated layer should reduce those moments. In busy areas, you may see higher median speeds because traffic can be steered to the less congested carrier at that site. In buildings, you may notice more consistent 4G rather than a steady drop to 3G or a forced handoff to Wi-Fi calling. On 5G, the biggest early win is availability. If your brand’s 5G layer did not reach a certain block but the partner’s did, your device can often reach it now. Over time, as spectrum is reworked and antennas are optimized, the combined network can do more than either one could alone.
What stays the same for now
Your plan, number, voicemail, and customer support channels stay as they are today. Your online account portal does not change. Wi-Fi calling, tethering, and hotspot features work as before, subject to your plan rules. International roaming remains governed by your original brand’s agreements. Billing cycles and discounts remain unchanged. The company is not forcing migrations this early. Think of the integrated sites as a new capability layered beneath your existing experience.
4G and 5G: how the layers play together
Most UK smartphones attach to 4G for voice and data, then add 5G as a secondary data layer when available. Integrated coverage lets your phone choose between two sets of 4G and 5G cells in certain places. If your device and plan support 5G, you can get 5G through either partner’s radio layer in those integrated footprints. If you are on 4G only, you still benefit through better signal fallback, fewer dead zones, and more even capacity. Over time, as spectrum is refarmed to 5G and carrier aggregation is tuned across the combined holdings, peak speeds should climb. Early in an integration, stability is the primary target. Peak speed records usually come later, after spectrum and backhaul are harmonized.
Indoor coverage and rural reach
Indoor coverage depends on frequency, power, and building materials. A midband 5G carrier from one brand might reach deeper inside a building than a rival frequency from the other brand. By allowing devices to use both, the combined network increases the odds that at least one signal is strong indoors. In rural areas, even a single extra site can transform the experience along a valley or coast road. The integrated layer is valuable wherever one brand had a lone site that did not fully cover a settlement, while the other brand filled the gap. That is a common pattern across the countryside. Expect noticeable gains in villages near A-roads and rail lines where both brands invested, but not always on the same hilltop.
Business users and fleets
Companies that manage mixed device fleets often fight location-specific quirks. One team is on Vodafone, another on Three, and each group has its own list of not-spots. With integrated access, those lists shrink. Fewer missed calls means fewer workarounds and a simpler support burden. If you manage mobile device policies, review any profile that blocks roaming, even domestically. Some legacy mobile device management templates do this by default. Also review any forced network selection policies. The new environment rewards flexibility. For critical voice lines, enable Wi-Fi calling as a backup. The combination of Wi-Fi calling plus dual-network radio access is a strong recipe for continuity.
Security, privacy, and data handling
Integrated coverage does not relax the security of your connection. Your phone still uses encrypted air interfaces, the same SIM-based authentication, and the same customer identity in the core network. What changes is which radio layer you attach to in certain places. Your billing and personal data remain with your original brand’s customer systems. If you use private DNS, VPN, or enterprise tunnels, those will continue to function because the internet breakout and security policies are applied above the radio layer.
Battery life
Any time a phone searches more aggressively for networks, battery can take a hit. The integration is designed to avoid that. The phone still uses normal idle reselection and handover rules. It is not constantly scanning both networks at full tilt. In practice, most users will not see a change in battery life. If you do notice unusual drain in an integrated area, a software update, a carrier settings update, or a quick device restart usually settles behavior as the phone learns the new neighbor cells.
Troubleshooting common hiccups
If something feels off, work through this list. 1) Update your phone. Many early oddities vanish after installing the latest carrier settings. 2) Reinsert your SIM or re-add your eSIM. This refreshes provisioning. 3) Reset network settings if problems persist. This clears stale cell and Wi-Fi databases that can confuse selection. 4) Test another phone if available. If a friend’s device on the same brand works better at the same spot, your handset may need attention. 5) If you are on a very old plan, ask support to confirm that domestic partner roaming is enabled. 6) If you drive between two integrated cells and experience call drops, report the location. Optimizing handovers at boundaries is a normal part of these early phases.
How to make the most of the combined network today
- Leave network selection on automatic and keep your device updated. 2) Turn on Wi-Fi calling so you have another path for voice indoors. 3) If you live in a stubborn not-spot, try a modern phone that supports both brands’ key 4G and 5G bands. Even a midrange 5G phone can be a big upgrade over an older 4G device. 4) If your household mixes legacy Vodafone and Three lines, compare performance room by room. The new behavior may make it easier to consolidate or to choose which line gets priority in a signal booster or router with a mobile backup. 5) For mobile workers, add a quick signal and speed check to your routine when you arrive at a new site. If the phone performs better after a brief airplane mode toggle, note it. The device is learning the new network map.
What this means for 5G growth
The 11 billion pound program is not only about coverage footprints. It is also about capacity and spectrum efficiency. The combined spectrum holdings can be used more intelligently when the networks are harmonized, which supports higher median speeds and more room for future services. Site integration enables faster 5G densification in cities where planning constraints are tight. Instead of building two separate small cells on adjacent rooftops, the company can upgrade one and serve both customer bases. That makes it easier to extend 5G deeper into neighborhoods and to push midband coverage further indoors.
Why the first 600 sites matter even if you are not near one
Visible progress builds trust. Early wins help customers understand the shape of the change. Engineers learn from real traffic, not just from lab simulations. These first locations expose edge cases, handset quirks, and geography-specific surprises that can be tuned before the next wave. The company can see where integrated access yields the largest quality-of-experience gains and can prioritize similar areas next. Even if your town is not in the first group, you benefit from what the company learns there.
How this affects competition
A stronger number one operator pressures rivals to invest and innovate. That competition is good for users if it leads to better coverage and value across the market. At the same time, a combined network has to prove it can deliver on the promises of higher quality. Integrated coverage is a test the public can feel. If calls connect faster and data is steadier in places that used to be frustrating, confidence grows. If integration causes congestion or instability, customers notice that too. The next six to twelve months will set the tone for how the market views the merger.
What to expect over the next year
Expect an expanding circle of integrated locations, incremental improvements to 5G availability, and a gradual reduction in coverage complaints in known pain points. Expect more behind-the-scenes spectrum work that unlocks higher average speeds without any fanfare. Expect some planned maintenance windows as equipment is swapped or software is upgraded. Expect updated coverage maps that begin to show a common footprint for the combined brand. And expect clearer guidance from the company on when older plans or legacy devices should be upgraded to enjoy the full benefits.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a new SIM or eSIM to use the integrated sites? In most cases, no. Your existing SIM or eSIM will attach to the integrated layer automatically where available. If you use a very old SIM, consider replacing it, since newer SIM profiles can improve network behavior.
Will my phone show a different network name? Not necessarily. Many devices still show the original brand name even when they are using the partner’s radio layer.
Does this affect my bill or plan price? No. The company states there is no extra charge for using integrated coverage. Your plan, allowances, and billing cycle do not change.
What if my coverage gets worse in a place that used to be fine? Early phases can surface local issues. Field engineers use those reports to fine tune parameters.
Is 5G included in the integration? Yes, where your plan and device support 5G and where the integrated site has 5G active. Early benefits may be about availability and stability more than peak speeds.
Will calls sound different or connect differently? Voice over LTE and voice over 5G continue as before. In some areas, call setup may be faster and drops less frequent because your device has more than one viable tower to choose from.
Can I force my phone to stay on one network? You can try manual selection for testing, but it is best to return to automatic. The whole point of integration is to let the phone and the network make the best choice moment by moment.
Does this change international roaming? No. International roaming remains governed by your original brand’s agreements. Integrated coverage is domestic, within the UK.
What if I have a signal booster at home? Many consumer boosters are designed to work with a specific frequency band. Integrated coverage can still help, because your phone may have a better outdoor donor cell to use. If you rely heavily on a booster, check whether it supports the bands favored by both brands in your area.
Is there any reason to switch providers now? If you are happy with your plan and price, there is no urgency. The early gains of integration arrive automatically. If you were on the fence because of coverage gaps, it is a good time to test again in your daily locations and see if the experience has improved.
Practical steps for different users
If you live in a city: Make sure your phone has the latest software and carrier settings. Pay attention in crowded areas like stations and stadiums, where the new access should smooth congestion. If you notice consistent improvements, you can consider consolidating family lines under the same umbrella with more confidence in coverage.
If you live in a rural area: Test on the edges of town where signal often falls away. Walk to your usual coverage cliff and see if the phone holds on longer. If you operate a small business that depends on card payments or messaging, a small improvement in signal continuity can have an outsized impact.
If you manage a small business fleet: Review any device policies that disable roaming or lock network selection. Update corporate device profiles so they do not block the new behavior. Brief employees that call reliability should improve in certain areas, but encourage them to report specific trouble spots so you can pass them along.
If you rely on mobile data for home broadband: Integrated coverage may give you a steadier 4G or 5G signal at peak times. If your router supports external antennas, consider a quick re-aiming test because the best serving cell could change under the new arrangement.
If you travel frequently by rail or motorway: Re-test your usual journey after a fresh restart. Note where your streaming used to buffer and see if those spots have improved. Train lines and service stations are common targets for early integration because they help many users at once.
How the engineering teams typically roll this out behind the scenes
Engineers begin by enabling mutual access between subscriber databases so each brand’s SIMs can authenticate on the partner radio layer. They define policies so phones prefer one layer or the other depending on signal quality, congestion, and planned optimization. They then test handovers at the edges between layers, because poor boundaries can cause ping-ponging and battery drain. After that, they watch live traffic. If one site becomes a magnet and overloads, they shift parameters, add carriers, or increase backhaul capacity. In parallel, they evaluate which overlapping physical sites can be combined without harming coverage. That consolidation frees capital to spend on areas that truly lack service. The work is iterative, data driven, and highly local. A setting that helps a station concourse on Monday morning may not be ideal for a nearby residential block on Saturday night. Expect continuous tuning.
What success looks like from a customer’s point of view
You stop thinking about coverage. Your phone just works in more places than before. Calls connect more quickly and drop less often. Apps load with fewer spinning wheels in busy areas. Indoors, you rely less on Wi-Fi for basic tasks. When you talk to family or colleagues about coverage, the conversation becomes shorter and more positive. That is the real test of any integration. It should fade into the background of your life while it quietly removes friction from your day.
Conclusion
VodafoneThree has begun delivering on the promise of its merger by activating integrated coverage at more than 600 sites. Legacy Vodafone and legacy Three customers can now use both networks in those areas with no extra cost and minimal effort. You do not need a new plan or a new SIM. Keep your phone updated, leave network selection on automatic, and turn on Wi-Fi calling as a safety net. Expect immediate reliability gains in some locations, incremental 5G improvements, and steady expansion over the coming months. Large network integrations are marathons, not sprints. The early steps are already visible, and for many people, they will make the daily mobile experience simpler and more dependable.