Skip Header
Important information: The value of investments can go down as well as up so you may get back less than you invest. Investors should note that the views expressed may no longer be current and may have already been acted upon. This is a third-party news feed and may not reflect Fidelity’s views.

CMA to launch in-depth probe into Vodafone's merger with Three

(Sharecast News) - The Competition and Markets Authority said on Thursday that it will launch an in-depth investigation into the planned £15bn merger between Vodafone and CK Hutchison's Three that was announced last year. On 22 March, the CMA told Vodafone and Three that they had until 2 April to address the regulator's competition concerns or face a full investigation.

The regulator said they needed to provide "meaningful" solutions to concerns the merger would lead to higher prices for customers and lower investment.

"Whilst Vodafone and Three have made a number of claims about how their deal is good for competition and investment, the CMA has not seen sufficient evidence to date to back these claims," it said at the time.

"These warrant an in-depth investigation unless Vodafone and Three can come forward with solutions."

But on 28 March, both parties informed the CMA that they would not be offering any such undertakings.

The CMA said on Thursday that it was launching the phase 2 probe "on the basis that, on the information currently available to it, it is or may be the case that this merger may be expected to result in a substantial lessening of competition within a market or markets in the United Kingdom".

The regulator has until 18 September to carry out the investigation.

Share this article

Related Sharecast Articles

Frontier IP's Alusid launches another range with Topps Tiles
(Sharecast News) - Frontier IP announced on Friday that its portfolio company Alusid has launched its first range of floor tiles through Parkside Architectural Tiles, the commercial division of Topps Tiles.
Enteq appoints new head of finance
(Sharecast News) - Energy service engineering and technology company Enteq announced the appointment of Amir Absoud as its head of finance on Friday, to immediately succeed the current chief financial officer, Mark Ritchie.
EnSilica to raise £0.3m through retail offer
(Sharecast News) - EnSilica announced a retail offer through the Winterflood Retail Access Platform (WRAP) on Friday, to raise up to £0.3m.
Recurring revenue, adjusted earnings rise for Pulsar Group
(Sharecast News) - Audience intelligence software specialist Pulsar Group said in its final results on Friday that its annualised recurring revenue (ARR) increased £2.7m, a significant improvement from the flat performance in the prior financial year.

Important information: This information is not a personal recommendation for any particular investment. If you are unsure about the suitability of an investment you should speak to one of Fidelity’s advisers or an authorised financial adviser of your choice. When you are thinking about investing in shares, it’s generally a good idea to consider holding them alongside other investments in a diversified portfolio of assets. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns.

Award-winning online share dealing

Search, compare and select from thousands of shares.

Expert insights into investing your money

Our team of experts explore the world of share dealing.