Vodafone sponsorship review shows uncertainty in telecoms

IN ITS HEYDAY, mobile operator Vodafone was determined to colour the globe red as it acquired companies in India, Australia, the Middle East, North Africa and across Europe, often using sponsorship to drive market share. Its management paid billions of pounds for spectrum in the UK and elsewhere as shareholders bought into the dream of Vodafone as a portal for a range of content and services. The company is still the world’s second largest telco but its announcement that it is reviewing all sponsorship arrangements including its headline McLaren F1 partnership shows just how the world has changed.