Vodafone and Three Announce Merger to Create UK's Largest Mobile Operator
Vodafone and CK Hutchison, the owner of Three, have reached an agreement to merge their British telecoms networks, creating the largest mobile phone operator in the UK. The merged company, if the merger is completed, will have over 27 million subscribers, surpassing rivals EE and Virgin Media O2. The deal is expected to face scrutiny from competition regulators, although the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has shown openness to consolidation in the sector. The merger is seen as a significant move in the telecoms industry and could potentially lead to changes in the UK telecoms market.