Vodafone To Enter Fixed-Line Broadband Market

Vodafone, the mobile operator, is to enter the UK fixed-line broadband market after signing a deal with BT to use its existing infrastructure.

Vodafone says that the deal will allow its customers to benefit from bundled packages of mobile and broadband services nationwide, due to BT’s unique footprint in the UK.

The deal is worth about £400 million to BT and means that Vodafone will not have to invest in their own fixed-line network.

Vodafone expects the broadband service to launch before the end of the year.

Nick Read, chief executive of Vodafone UK, said: “Today’s announcement is a strategically important step in the evolution of Vodafone’s business in the UK.

“Choosing BT as our partner enables us to provide high quality fixed line broadband services to customers quickly and cost-efficiently right across the UK, and this perfectly complements our national mobile coverage and mobile broadband service.”

“This news is further evidence of Vodafone delivering on its strategy and providing its customers with a total communications solution wherever they are.”

Paul Reynolds, chief executive of BT Wholesale, says: “Today’s announcement by Vodafone builds on BT Wholesale’s unique capability to deliver strategic, managed solutions for our customers across the industry.

“It’s also an excellent example of how BT’s range of capabilities in communications can be deployed, in partnership with our wholesale customers, to enable them to bring choice, quality and value to their customers in the competitive, converging world of the 21st century.”

Vodafone: www.vodafone.com