Three-O2 deal: European Union watchdog launches in-depth investigation

Margrethe Vestager, European Union Competition Commissioner, has begun an in-depth investigation into Three’s £10.5bn acquisition of O2 in the UK, a deal that has raised concerns among regulators in Britain and Brussels.

The competition authority is worried that the combination of the third- and fourth-largest mobile groups in the UK will lead to higher prices, reduced innovation and lower investment in networks. Vestager said the investigation would aim “to ensure that consumers in the UK do not pay higher prices or face less choice as a result of this proposed takeover”.