Hot on the heels of revealing that it has connected over one million premises to its multi-gigabit broadband network, being the host network for several leading gigabit broadband providers along with dozens of challenger brands, CityFibre has extended its long-term partnership with VodafoneThree, securing a new agreement to provide network transmission services for selected mobile sites in support of the operator’s 5G Standalone (5G SA) roll-out programme.
When it sealed its merger in 2025, VodafoneThree said it would challenge the UK’s broadband market, bringing better value and choice through existing and new partnerships. It claims to have the largest full-fibre footprint in the UK, with 22.5 million premises passed with fibre or fibre-like speeds of up to 2.2Gbps. This comprised Vodafone’s 20 million full-fibre footprint plus Three’s 2.5 million mobile broadband customers.
VodafoneThree claims to be the only UK operator with a quarter-by-quarter, year-by-year plan to reach 99.95% 5G standalone population coverage by 2034. The 5G SA network build-out plan is front-loaded so that it will hit 90% population coverage from a current baseline of 47% by the end of the third year, and up to 50 million people will have access to its fastest 5G speeds in just one year.
Through the use of the company’s multi-operator core network (MOCN) technology, VodafoneThree said customers’ devices will automatically connect to the best coverage available, effectively giving them access to two networks at no extra cost. The operator believes this will see customers of both brands experience improved coverage, reliability and speed when using 4G and 5G networks.
The new agreement builds on the independent full-fibre platform’s role as a preferred supplier of full-fibre infrastructure for VodafoneThree’s broadband services. It will see CityFibre’s digital infrastructure support VodafoneThree’s retail broadband services, claimed to be the fastest growing in the UK, with a current reach of over 4.7 million premises.
The agreement also includes CityFibre’s future network growth, which is designed to exceed eight million premises, part of which is said to enable VodafoneThree’s continued growth in the broadband market. Vodafone anchored CityFibre’s nationwide residential full-fibre roll-out, the first in the UK, and the companies have worked closely together to develop the market.
More than 330,000 Vodafone residential broadband customers are already connected to CityFibre, with services including Vodafone’s 2.2Gbps symmetrical home broadband service, available exclusively on CityFibre’s 10Gb XGS-PON network. Such broadband services are key for Vodafone to achieve a high rate of take-up over CityFibre’s footprint. In addition, as VodafoneThree continues to grow and roll out new services, CityFibre will remain a preferred supplier in areas where its network is available.
Commenting on the announcement, CityFibre CEO Simon Holden said: “CityFibre has digital infrastructure built for the future, enabling our partners to deliver an unbeatable service to their customers. CityFibre has grown with Vodafone and Three’s support, becoming the UK’s wholesale provider of choice, and we are delighted to be a key part of VodafoneThree’s vision as it continues to invest and innovate.”
VodafoneThree CEO Max Taylor added that its mission is to build the UK’s best network and connect every nation, every community, in every corner of the UK, taking 5G Standalone further than any other operator. “This partnership with CityFibre supports our ambitions and includes enabling VodafoneThree’s continued growth in the broadband market, bringing our fastest, most reliable broadband to customers in more places,” he said.
