last updated: Tuesday 8 September 2009, 21:10pm

Print this page

Orange and T-Mobile merger

Mobile phone merger

Orange and T-Mobile's owner have agreed to merge their UK businesses.

It will create a mobile phone giant with around 28.4 million customers.

France Telecom's Orange and T-Mobile - owned by Deutsche Telekom - confirmed they were in 'exclusive' talks to join forces in a 50/50 joint venture.

The tie-up will form the UK's biggest mobile phone operator with a market share of around 37 per cent.

T-Mobile is the fourth largest mobile operator in the UK, with a 15 per cent share of the market. O2 has a 27 per cent share, followed by Vodafone and Orange.

Orange and T-Mobile say their deal would 'bring substantial benefits to UK customers', promising expanded network coverage, better network quality and improved customer services.

© Independent Television News Limited 2009. All rights reserved.