The UK's competition watchdog, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), is weighing up whether to carry out a review of the planned merger of mobile phone firms Orange and T-Mobile.
It comes after the pair submitted their proposal to European regulators in a move viewed by many as an attempt to achieve a quicker and more lenient hearing than they might on home turf.
Consumer groups like Which? and Consumer Focus are particularly keen for a UK review of the merger, which will see the new entity overtake rival firms O2 and Vodafone to become the UK's largest mobile phone company. The OFT has until 15 February to make a ruling on the matter.
"It is a significant competition issue with serious implications for UK consumers, the government's Digital Britain agenda and future spectrum auctions," a spokesperson for O2 remarked of the proposed tie-up.
Orange is currently the UK's third-largest mobile operator, while T-Mobile is the fourth. The deal between their parent companies - Deutsche Telekom and France Telecom - was formalised last November, two months after the proposed merger was announced. 
A parcel delivery firm based in the North West had fallen into administration and ceased trading, with administrators now seeking to sell the company’s assets, including its fleet of vehicles and leasehold property. An auction of the vehicle fleet...
Prime coastal development opportunity with full planning permission is available for sale. Total site area approx. 0.88 acres (0.36 hectares). Full Planning Permission for 19 apartments across two blocks with basement parking. The deadline for off...
This vibrant and rapidly growing online business specialises in British craft beer gift hampers, tapping into both D2C and B2B marketplaces, making it an ideal investment for those looking to capitalise on the thriving gift industry. With a streamlin...
Please choose your settings for this site below. For more information please read our Cookie Policy
These cookies are necessary for our website to function properly and provide you with access to all features.
These are analytics cookies that help us to improve the way our website works.
These are used to improve the functional performance of the website and make it easier for you to use.