Vodafone Limited, Telefónica UK To Extend Network Sharing Deal To Include 5G

(RTTNews) - Vodafone Group Plc (VOD.L, VOD) announced Vodafone Limited and Telefónica UK Limited have entered into non-binding heads of terms intended to strengthen their existing network sharing partnership. Vodafone Limited and Telefónica UK plan to extend the existing network sharing partnership term and include 5G at joint radio network sites.

The companies stated that the extended agreement would enable both Vodafone and O2 to deploy 5G faster, to offer 5G services to more customers over a wider geographic area, and to do so at a lower cost. Vodafone and O2 further intend to devolve additional activities to CTIL, the 50:50 owned joint venture company that owns and manages the parties' passive tower infrastructure. The companies also intend to upgrade their transmission networks with higher capacity optical fibre cables.

O2 is a mobile network operator and the principal commercial brand of Telefónica UK Limited, which is part of the global telecommunications group Telefónica S.A, headquartered in Spain and operating in Europe, and North, Central and South America.