Clarke Telecom achieves 50th MergeCo site for VodafoneThree, accelerating "The Nation's Network" upgrade across the UK
Less than three months into the programme, we are proud to announce a significant milestone for Clarke Telecom: the successful integration of our 50th VodafoneThree merged-network specification site into “The Nation’s Network” infrastructure upgrades.
50 Sites Delivered at Pace
Completing the network modernisation of 50 sites in such a rapid timeframe reflects our commitment to delivery speed, customer focus, and the safe, high-quality standards we apply across all projects.
Supporting VodafoneThree "The Nation's Network"
Following the merger of Vodafone UK and Three UK, VodafoneThree announced an £11 billion investment to build the UK’s best network: delivering full-scale 5G standalone coverage, enhanced capacity, and improved connectivity for homes and businesses.
We’re proud to support this ambition and programme. The Nation’s Network programme is central to expanding next-generation connectivity across all regions of the UK, helping narrow the digital divide and strengthen overall network resilience.
Noel James, Project Director at Clarke Telecom, commented, “We recognised VodafoneThree’s need to deliver MergeCo demand in volume and at speed from the outset. We are proud to be the first partner to deliver 50 integrated sites for our customer, and this underlines our commitment and capability to deliver “The Nation’s Network” upgrade programme with VodafoneThree.”
Scope of the Roll-out & Our Delivery Support
Our deployment for VodafoneThree spans all four regional divisions and includes a mix of rooftop, greenfield, and streetworks sites.
- Rooftop & greenfield locations: Predominantly radio swaps or additions with associated BBU upgrades to enable VodafoneThree merged-network specification technologies.
- Streetworks sites (approx. 50% of the sites): More complex works involving full replacement of existing structures with new 20 m VodafoneThree merged-network specification poles, cabinet upgrades, and multi-technology integrations.
Provision of the acquisition, planning, and design for the programme, utilising our structured, end-to-end capability, was delivered in partnership with Cornerstone.
Why This Programme and Infrastructure Matter
Our work on VodafoneThree’s merged and modernised infrastructure plays a vital role in expanding coverage, improving performance, and supporting the UK’s transition to next-generation mobile connectivity. The scale and complexity of the programme highlight our ability to manage challenging deployments while maintaining the highest standards of safety, quality, and delivery tempo, essential attributes when supporting the nation’s critical infrastructure.
At the Heart of Our Delivery Model
- Technical expertise: Skilled engineers, designers, and project managers with extensive knowledge of RAN technology, structural engineering, and MergeCo-specification integrations.
- Safety-led processes: Robust H&S systems, risk management, and disciplined governance ensuring assured, compliant delivery.
- Customer-centric behaviours: Aligning delivery tempo with customer needs, supported by clear communication and responsiveness to change and challenges.
- Agile deployment: Rapid mobilisation and strong cross-discipline coordination enabling the delivery of 50 sites in under three months.
Looking Ahead
As VodafoneThree advances “The Nation’s Network” roll-out, we’ll continue to support the programme and deliver at pace across future phases. We look forward to continued collaboration with VodafoneThree and Cornerstone to build a truly national, high-performance mobile network.