Deals
Vodafone and Telefonica Ink 5G Terms in Move to U.K. Tower Sales
- Carriers will share antennas to speed roll-out of 5G services
- Agreement brings them one step closer to sale of mast company
Visitors walk past 5G branding during the launch of Vodafone Group Plc's 5G wireless network in London on July 3.
Photographer: Simon Dawson/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Vodafone Group Plc and Telefonica SA’s U.K. carrier O2 have agreed on how to roll out the next-generation 5G wireless technology via their shared British mast company, moving a step closer to a potential sale of the venture.
The two carriers will share next-generation wireless technology like antennas but divide autonomous control over about a quarter of the masts, so each company can differentiate services. That will speed up the roll-out of 5G across the 50-50 joint venture, called Cornerstone, which owns about 16,500 masts across the U.K., they said Wednesday.