Vodafone and Centrica Agree Four-Year UK Enterprise Network

Vodafone Business has secured a four-year deal with Centrica, the parent company of British Gas and Hive, to deliver enterprise connectivity and digital workplace services across 80 UK sites and 30,000 devices. 

Designed to support Centrica’s shift to a more agile, integrated and data-led organisation, the agreement also involves VOIS (Vodafone Intelligent Solutions) and global IT consultancy CGI.

Nick Gliddon, Business Director at Vodafone, says: “This partnership is a catalyst for real change. 

“By combining our advanced connectivity, IT services and automation with the collective expertise of Vodafone Business and our partners, we are creating a new blueprint for how businesses can transform at scale. 

“We’re enabling smarter, faster and more resilient operations - delivering benefits that will be felt by teams and customers across the UK.”

Centrica replaces a traditional managed service model with a flexible approach centred on network visibility, automation and user experience. 

The partnership positions Vodafone Business and its partners as core suppliers in the digital transformation of the UK energy provider’s operations.

Telco-led workplace services for enterprise IT

Vodafone Business delivers fixed-line and mobile connectivity to Centrica’s office estate and field workforce, forming the foundation of the operator’s managed workplace solution. 

This includes End-User Compute Services, which refer to the management of devices, software and digital tools used by Centrica staff.

Core services include Microsoft Office 365, cloud access, Power Apps and support for ServiceNow – Centrica’s workflow automation platform. 

These services are backed by service desk and deskside support to resolve technical issues and maintain business continuity.

The setup simplifies Centrica’s legacy systems, introduces automation at scale and gives teams the ability to build internal digital tools. The aim is to streamline operations and deliver consistent experiences across both back office and customer-facing environments.

Centrica also incorporates generative AI and machine learning to personalise services and remove complexity from day-to-day digital interactions.

Gary Adey, CEO at VOIS, says: “At VOIS, we bring together talent, technology and transformation to help businesses accelerate their growth, increase productivity, simplify systems and create better experiences for their customers. 

“The new partnership marks a landmark deal for VOIS since partnering with Accenture and launching our new commercial blueprint for Shared Operations. 

“It also highlights our potential to deliver long-term value and we’re excited to work with Centrica, Vodafone Business and CGI on this ground breaking partnership.”

Infrastructure, data centres and AI-led support

The agreement also focuses on infrastructure modernisation and data centre consolidation across Centrica’s UK operations. 

With connectivity and IT workloads spread across 80 sites and 30,000 devices, Vodafone Business takes on responsibility for ensuring secure, consistent performance at scale.

CGI provides infrastructure support, with a role that includes managing physical assets and delivering AI-powered service desk operations. 

These tools use automation to accelerate resolution times and support Centrica’s energy services across millions of households.

Tara McGeehan, President of CGI UK and Australia, says: “CGI is proud to partner with Vodafone Business to help Centrica strengthen its infrastructure and networking capabilities. 

“By combining our award-winning service desk with AI-driven automation at the core and our service management capabilities, we will deliver a step change in resilience, productivity and user experience that boosts efficiency and empowers employees to keep critical services running. 

“Together with Vodafone Business and VOIS, we will create a seamless, responsive digital experience that empowers Centrica’s people to work smarter, stay connected and make a real difference to millions of households.”

Bundled customer offers and social impact

Centrica, British Gas and Hive also plan to launch bundled offerings with Vodafone, combining home broadband with energy and smart devices. 

Following a successful offer linking Hive smart thermostats with Vodafone plans, the companies explore further connected services for UK households.

As part of the agreement, Vodafone also supports Centrica’s community initiatives through the British Gas Energy Trust, which provides funding and support to address fuel poverty across the country.

For telcos, the partnership showcases how network providers can play a lead role in enterprise transformation by combining connectivity, cloud access and IT automation with ecosystem partners.