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UK: BT and EE’s £12.5 billion merger set for regulator scrutiny

By  |  September 9, 2014

Britain’s competition watchdog is inviting telecoms companies to voice their concerns about BT and EE’s planned £12.5 billion merger.

A letter to telcos and media firms from the Competition and Markets Authority seen by the Financial Times their views on whether to let BT and EE merge their businesses.

If the merger goes ahead, BT will take a 31 per cent share of mobile subscribers in the UK and 35 per cent of broadband subscribers. BT claims both firms’ customers stand to benefit from the deal by gaining twin access to the UK’s biggest fibre and 4G networks.

But one issue that telcos may object to is that, as a result of the merger, BT will take 70 per cent of all wholesale broadband connections, which will significantly shake the market up.

 

Full Content: The Financial Times

 

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