Vodafone is taking full control of VodafoneThree, says company has made 'remarkable progress' since merger

Vodafone buys out CK Hutchison share in joint venture

by · TechRadar

News By Mike Moore published 5 May 2026

(Image credit: Vodafone)

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  • Vodafone is buying out CK Hutchison from VodafoneThree
  • It will pay £4.3 billion (€4.9 billion) via a cancellation of shares
  • VodafoneThree merger is now a year old, and has already boosted coverage for users across the UK

Vodafone has announced it reached an agreement for the buy out of CK Hutchison from its VodafoneThree UK joint venture.

The company will pay out £4.3 billion (€4.9 billion) via a cancellation of shares for full control of VodafoneThree a year on from announcing the merger between two of the country's biggest mobile phone networks.

In that time, Vodafone says "significant progress" has been made in integrating the two teams, leaving it in a strong position to take sole control of the organization.

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Vodafone control

In a press release, Vodafone outlined how, since the merger was confirmed in June 2025, the company has moved quickly to boost network coverage and reliability for users across the UK.

The move will lead to an estimated £700m in annual cost and capex synergies by its FY30, with greater synergy across the company's stores and overall strategy.

"A year on from the merger, the team has made remarkable progress, as we maximise the full potential of VodafoneThree and capture the significant synergies," said Margherita Della Valle, Chief Executive of Vodafone Group.

I’m delighted that we will now have full ownership of VodafoneThree as we roll out one of Europe’s most advanced 5G networks, provide the UK’s best customer experience and drive long-term value for our shareholders.”

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