Orange and T-Mobile networks have joined together to allow users to connect and use either network, based on whichever signal is best for their location. This deal, which was suspected almost a year ago, will allow the shared network to host 30 million subscribers. The deal is limited to 2G signals, so mobile web will not be helped from this merger, only phone calls and texting.
Having the network with the most coverage is a goal that all major providers hope to achieve, and with the fusing of Orange and T-Mobile, both companies benefit from improved coverage and network capacity. The service will go live on October 5th, and as a customer of either network you will have to sign up for the free roaming service which allows for network swapping.
Next year the goal is to have phones able to switch mobile providers to the strongest signal even in mid-call. Along with this there are plans for 3G services, which will be provided by Mobile Broadband Network limited, BBC reports.
Everything Everywhere, the company that runs the UK Orange and T-Mobile divisions, is also looking even more forward in time. They aim to build a next-generation LTE mobile network which will help support the overwhelming data usage that mobile networks utilize today. The company is also looking to appeal to Three customers who can already use the Orange network to send texts and make phone calls. Everything Everywhere aims to include most services to Three subscribers as well.