Vodafone sales up as Three merger set to complete in next few months

Berkshire-based Vodafone has experienced a rebound in UK revenues as its £15 billion merger with fellow mobile giant Three looks to complete in the coming months.
The firm saw organic UK service revenue growth accelerate to 3.3 per cent in its third quarter – up from 1.2 per cent in the previous three months.
Mobile services revenues also returned to growth – up 1.8 per cent – with the addition of more customers.
The story is different in Germany, where total sales fell by 7.6 per cent to the equivalent of £2.6 billion and service revenues dropped 6.4 per cent.
The German division has been hit by a law that has barred housing associations from bundling TV packages with rent.
But overall, the group managed five per cent revenue growth to £8.1 billion and 5.2 per cent growth in service revenues.
Vodafone’s merger with Three is set to create the UK’s largest mobile operator, with some 27 million customers.
Group chief executive Margherita Della Valle said: “When the UK merger completes in the next few months, we’ll have fully executed Vodafone’s reshaping for growth.
“We’re on track to grow in line with our full-year guidance for this year, which we reiterate today, and are looking forward to a stronger Vodafone in the years ahead.
“We’re continuing to invest in the turnaround of our German business, and we’re starting to see improving customer trends, although conditions have become more challenging in the mobile market.”