Vodafone and RWE have announced a seven-year contract that will see the mobile company take over the running of the electric utilities firm's telecommunications, internet and video networks.
The multi-million pound deal will encompass all RWE subsidiaries, including npower, which it acquired in 2002.
In tapping up Vodafone to control its network, RWE aims to streamline its communication needs between facilities across the continent and in the UK.
The German firm also hopes the deal will encourage innovative and efficient ways of working through enhanced videoconferencing capabilities.
"This is a demonstration of our commitment to becoming a total communication supplier serving large organisations as well as our traditional consumer mobile audience," Will Cameron, senior communications officer at Vodafone, told IT Pro.
"Bringing in a single supplier will provide RWE with reduced costs and an integrated service linking all aspects of its IT infrastructure."
Vodafone, one of the world's largest telecommunications companies, holds equity interests in over 30 countries worldwide, and boasts more than 415 million customers.
The firm recently celebrated reaching the milestone of half a million subscribers on its 4G network.
RWE expects the introduction of Vodafone will help reduce its overall running costs.
"Given the scope of services we were looking to upgrade, it was important to us that we had a partner who was both a good technological and cultural fit," said RWE chief information officer Michael Neff. "I believe that Vodafone met our needs on both levels."
