CMA raises concerns about proposed Vodafone-Three merger

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has expressed concerns over the proposed merger between Vodafone and Three, two of the UK's four major mobile network operators.

The regulator launched its initial Phase 1 investigation in January after the two companies announced a joint venture agreement last year that would combine their 27 million customers under a single network provider.

The CMA's 40-day Phase 1 review aimed to identify whether the deal could lead to a...

22 March 2024 | 5G

RootMetrics: Three overtakes EE for best UK 5G network 

RootMetrics has unveiled its latest UK mobile report based on over 600,000 tests conducted in the second half of 2023.

The results cover the entire spectrum of user experiences, spanning the UK, individual nations, and 16 prominent metropolitan markets. Here's a breakdown of how the key players—EE, Three, Virgin Media O2, and Vodafone—performed during this extensive testing period.

EE maintains overall dominance

For the 21st consecutive time, EE clinched the...

29 January 2024 | 5G

CMA launches Vodafone-Three merger investigation

The UK's competition regulator has opened an in-depth investigation into Vodafone's proposed merger with rival mobile network Three over concerns the deal could lead to higher bills for consumers.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it will assess whether combining two of the country's biggest telecom providers will negatively impact competition and choice in the market.

Concerns about the merger have been raised by Unite the Union. The union estimates that...

26 January 2024 | 5G

CMA invites opinions on Vodafone and Three merger

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has opened the floor to public opinions regarding the potential merger of mobile giants Vodafone and Three. This move marks the first step in what could potentially be a significant shift in the UK’s mobile telecoms landscape.

Sarah Cardell, Chief Executive of the CMA, said:

“We will be carefully considering how this deal may affect competition in the UK, which could affect the options and prices available to customers. We...

11 October 2023 | Legislation & Government

EE issue causes problems for customers of all UK networks

Customers of all the UK's mobile networks found themselves grappling with connectivity problems after a technical issue hit EE.

Reports of the problems first surfaced around midday yesterday via customers of the UK’s second-largest mobile operator, Vodafone. The issues were shown through Downdetector, a platform used to track service problems and outages.

Vodafone assured the public that its network was functioning correctly. However, the hiccup lay in the inability of...

5 September 2023 | Networks

Vodafone and Three announce UK merger

Vodafone and Three-owner CK Hutchison have officially announced the merger of their UK operations, a move that is set to create the largest operator in the country.

After several months of speculation and discussions, Vodafone and CK Hutchison made the long-awaited announcement on Wednesday, unveiling the details of the merger. The merger aims to enhance competition and stimulate investment with a commitment of $14 billion in the UK.

According to the agreement, Vodafone...

14 June 2023 | 5G

Vodafone UK and Three to announce merger ‘Friday or early next week’

Vodafone and Three-owner CK Hutchison are expected to announce the merger of their British operations “as soon as Friday or early next week”.

The report comes via Reuters which cited three sources familiar with the plans. According to the sources, the long-anticipated merger is now in its final stages.

According to insiders, the structure of the deal will adhere to Vodafone's previous announcement in October. Under the arrangement, Vodafone would own 51 percent of...

7 June 2023 | 5G

Vodafone and Three prepare to announce merger

Vodafone and Three are close to agreeing on a merger of their UK telecoms businesses, creating the biggest mobile operator in the country.

The deal is expected to be worth £15 billion ($19 billion) and will knock BT-owned EE from the top spot in terms of mobile subscribers.

The merged company's equity is valued at around £9 billion, with £6 billion in debt. The merger is expected to be agreed this month, with a formal announcement due to be made "very...

4 May 2023 | 5G

Vodafone confirms merger talks with Three UK

Vodafone has confirmed that it’s in talks with Three to merge their UK operations.

Following recent speculation, Vodafone confirmed today that it’s in discussions with Three-owner CK Hutchison Holdings Limited to combine the companies.

The proposed transaction would result in Vodafone owning 51 percent of the combined business while CK Hutchison would own the remaining 49 percent.

Ernest Doku, telecoms expert at Uswitch, comments: “Two of the UK mobile...

3 October 2022 | Networks

Opensignal: Three UK dominates in 5G download speed, leads in availability

Three UK has achieved some impressive 5G results in OpenSignal’s latest Mobile Network Experience Report.

The UK’s smallest mobile operator by subscribers got its name from being the first to launch a 3G network in the country. When it came to 4G, many reports found that Three often fell behind rivals in speed and availability.

With the rollout of 5G now fully underway, Three is making a serious effort to secure its leadership.

Three UK customers saw...

7 April 2022 | 5G