A merger between British cellular communications company Vodafone Group Plc, formerly known as Vodafone Airtouch Plc, and German telecoms company Mannesmann AG, valued at £103.4 billion ($171.1 billion), was completed on April 12, 2000.

The company reported more than 59 million subscribers worldwide in July 2000. It operates in 25 countries, on five continents.