Vodafone creating 2,100 new jobs in Midlands, North, Scotland, Wales
Mobile and broadband operator Vodafone are creating over 2,000 new jobs in customer service across the UK, Scotland and Wales.
The move is part of a £2bn investment in Vodafone’s network and service by 2019.
It includes hundreds of jobs at Vodafone’s existing contact centres in Manchester, Newark, Stoke-on-Trent and Glasgow.
900 new jobs are also announced at third-party customer service centres in Newcastle, Cardiff and Glasgow.
Government sources said the move was “proof that Britain is well and truly open for business”.
Vodafone UK CEO Nick Jeffries said his plan was to “give our customers the best experience possible”.
He added that many of the new roles would be at existing Vodafone customer service centres across the Midlands and the North of England in “an important boost to the Government’s ‘Northern Powerhouse’ vision”.
Those new Vodafone jobs in full
In England
Manchester: 800 new jobs
Stoke-on-Trent: 150 new jobs
Newcastle: 600 new jobs
Newark (near Nottingham): 150 new jobs
In Wales
Cardiff: 100 new jobs
In Scotland
Glasgow: 150 new jobs
Why now for Vodafone expansion?
While it is the third-largest mobile network in the UK with 18 million subscribers, Vodafone falls well short in the broadband stakes.
It launched its first broadband deal in the UK in October 2015.
According to Statista, Vodafone control about 1 per cent of the market for broadband deals in the UK.
By contrast, Sky operate around 23 per cent of home and business broadband connections, BT lead the market with 27 per cent, and Virgin Media run around 19 per cent..
Vodafone says as of 30 September 2016 across the UK, US and 13 European countries it had 470 million mobile customers and 14 million fixed broadband customers.
Vodafone offer the following broadband deals in the UK. Each locks you into an 18-month minimum contract.
Unlimited Fibre 38 gives you unlimited usage with speeds up to 38Mbps, for £23 per month for existing customers or £26 per month for new customers. There’s no line rental cost with this deal.
Unlimited Fibre 76 offers unlimited usage with speeds up to 76Mbps, for £28 per month for existing customers or £31 per month for new customers. Line rental is also set at zero for this deal.
Are Vodafone any good for broadband?
The Secretary of State for the Culture, Media and Sport is Karen Bradley MP.
She says Vodafone is “one of our country’s great international success stories”.
Reacting to the news that over 2,000 jobs are being created she said: “It’s fantastic this global organisation is demonstrating its confidence in the UK by creating new jobs across the north, in the midlands, in Scotland and in Wales.
“This government is building an economy that works for everyone, one that backs business and builds on our strengths to drive growth and create jobs.
“We are working hard to create the right conditions for commercial investment in the UK, and today’s announcement is proof that Britain is well and truly open for business.”
Vodafone said that recent investments had pushed its 4G coverage to 97 per cent of the UK.
