Press Release | 08 Dec 2016

VODAFONE UK TO SUPPORT NORTHERN POWERHOUSE

Vodafone UK CEO, Nick Jeffery, has signed a Partner Memorandum (MoU) for the Government’s Northern Powerhouse scheme to help the North achieve its full potential.

As part of the Northern Powerhouse partnership programme, Vodafone UK joins a network of leaders committed to promoting development across the region.

Vodafone’s Northern Regional Business teams already partner with thousands of businesses and organisations, from start-ups and small businesses to the largest corporates and public sector bodies. Spread across the North, with regional headquarters in Leeds and Manchester, the teams provide their customers with business communications transformation expertise and a range of voice and data services including: secure communications infrastructure; fixed and call centre capability; and unified communications.

Vodafone has invested hundreds of millions of pounds in its network and services across the North over the last few years.  Thanks to that investment Vodafone has brought 4G coverage to hundreds of Northern cities and towns, as well as 3G coverage to 13 rural “notspots”. Vodafone employs around 2,000 people across the region and will continue to invest significantly in its network, infrastructure and employees in the North as part of its expected £2 billion investment in the UK over the next three years.

Nick Jeffery, Vodafone UK CEO, said, “We are very proud to have signed up to the Northern Powerhouse. We have a high regard for the innovative energy of our thousands of Enterprise customers across the region as well as a strong belief in the benefits our local approach to business can bring.  We are committed to continuing our massive investment on our network and strategic hubs in the North and we look forward to making the region a powerhouse for the UK economy once again. ”

Northern Powerhouse Minister, Andrew Percy MP, said: “With more than one million businesses, seven of the UK’s top tech hubs and four of the world’s top universities, having a digitally connected North is essential to building the Northern Powerhouse.  That’s why I’m pleased we can now call on Vodafone as an official Partner to help get the great towns and cities of the North firing on all cylinders.”

The Government’s press release can be found here.

About Vodafone UK

Vodafone UK is a technology communications company that connects people, businesses and devices to help our customers benefit from digital innovation. Our services span mobile, fixed-line connections, home and office broadband, and the Internet of Things (IoT).

We have a strong track record as a tech pioneer, making the UK’s first mobile phone call, sending the first text message, and making the UK’s first live holographic call using 5G in 2018. We were the first to start carrying live 5G traffic from a site in Salford, Greater Manchester and now have 5G in locations across Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain as well as the UK. Meanwhile, our 4G network coverage currently reaches over 99% of the UK population.

Today, Vodafone serves more than 18 million mobile and fixed-line customers in the UK. Vodafone is the largest provider of full fibre in the UK – our superfast broadband services are now available to nearly 12 million homes across the UK.

Sustainability is also at the heart of what we do: as of 1 July 2021, 100% of the grid electricity we use in the UK is certified to be from renewable sources.

For more information about Vodafone UK, please visit: www.vodafone.co.uk.

Vodafone UK Media Relations

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