Spanish operators Orange and Yoigo have become the latest European carriers to announce a 3G network sharing agreement. Orange and Yoigo, subsidiaries of France Telecom and TeliaSonera AB respectively, have signed a five year agreement aimed at improving service coverage throughout the whole of Spain, speeding up network deployment, and reducing the number of mobile masts necessary for the deployment of two operator networks. Launched in December 2006, Yoigo is Spain’s smallest operator with approximately 326,000 customers. It markets itself as a ‘low-cost’ mobile operator with reduced tariffs. Orange Spain is the country’s third largest operator with approximately 11 million subscribers (source: Wireless Intelligence).

At the end of last year T-Mobile and 3UK announced a similar network sharing agreement which they hope will generate cost savings of £2 billion over the next ten years. Other recent high-profile 3G network sharing deals include Vodafone and Orange UK, a venture announced in February 2007. At the time both companies said the deal aimed to achieve a 20-30% reduction in capital and operating costs whilst improving mobile phone coverage in the UK.