[Stephen]

https://www.engadget.com/2017/11/09/...roadband-deal/

Vodafone sits in the unique position of owning a small amount of its own backhaul, after it bought Cable and Wireless back in 2012, but still largely relies on BT. That looks set to change after the company confirmed today that it's teaming up with CityFibre, the UK's largest wholesale fibre provider, to sell its service on new CityFibre broadband installations for an exclusive period of time.

According to a statement, the deal will provide Gigabit-capable fibre to up to five million UK homes and businesses by 2025. Vodafone will then be allowed to sell those lines before anyone else. The first phase of construction would connect up to one million premises and is due to begin in the first half of 2018. Both companies expect that to take roughly three years to complete. Once that is complete, they would seek to extend the terms to connect a further four million over the following four years.