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UK: EE chief “merger opponents are holding back Britain”

By  |  June 17, 2015

The bosses of BT and EE have accused their rivals of trying to derail their agreed £50 billion merger deal for their own ends.

Gavin Patterson, chief executive of BT which made its £12.5 billion bid for mobile giant EE in February, said: “The likes of Sky, TalkTalk and Vodafone are obviously doing things to push their own causes but they are doing it through innuendo and suggestion.

“There is no evidence that a combined BT and EE will lessen competition.”

Patterson’s opposite number at EE, Olaf Swantee, said: “These competitors only want to put up roadblocks, while we want to build motorways for the UK.”

The Competition and Markets Authority last week fast-tracked the £12.5?billion takeover to a full merger investigation and is now taking submissions from BT, EE and their rivals.

It could take until early next year to make a final decision.

Full content: The Times

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