German operator 1&1 tapped Orange to provide international roaming services, completing a missing piece of the puzzle in its move to become a full MNO.

Orange stated the agreement covers provision of 5G, VoLTE and a range of value-added services for 1&1, which aims to commence mobile services on its own network in mid-2023.

1&1 CEO Ralph Dommermuth said the mobile service will follow the launch of home broadband services by the end of this year, with all Orange-powered roaming services to be available when it completes the transition from MVNO to MNO.

Orange said it would provide 1&1 a “one-stop-shop roaming experience”, covering next-generation mobile technologies, along with customisation options and anti-fraud technology.

1&1 began trialling its network earlier this year, but revealed progress in meeting domestic 5G coverage targets had been hampered by global supply issues.

It has tapped Rakuten Group’s open RAN expertise for what the Japanese giant previously claimed would be the first fully virtualised mobile network in Europe.