Everything Everywhere has announced a £1.5 billion network evolution plan, which will see the further integration of the T-Mobile and Orange mobile networks and deployment of “4G-ready” (LTE) technology.

The investment will be made over a three-year period, with the company planning “double digit” growth in its 2012 network investment compared to 2011.

In the first half of 2012, Everything Everywhere intends to “further improve” its cross-network roaming for T-Mobile and Orange subscribers, to enable devices to automatically select the stronger signal from either network. It will also begin a “phased programme” to streamline network sites, as part of a plan to deliver synergy savings of £3.5 billion by 2014.