Vodafone has bought the remaining 49 per cent of VodafoneThree for £4.3 billion, giving it complete ownership of the UK’s largest mobile operator. The deal, completed just over a year after Vodafone UK and Three UK merged, should simplify decision-making and could accelerate investment in the combined network.

The merger left the UK with three main mobile network operators: VodafoneThree, BT/EE and Virgin Media O2. Vodafone says its £11 billion network investment plan could generate £700 million a year in cost and capital-expenditure savings by the 2030 financial year, while it currently intends to retain the Three, VOXI, SMARTY and Talkmobile brands.