There are strong rumours in the market that Deutsche Telekom, the owner of T-Mobile, and France Telecom, the owner of Orange, could be about to enter talks about a change in ownership of the T-Mobile business. The UK is one of few European countries where five mainstream mobile phone networks are still in operation and observers have some time forecast a reduction in this number. A merger of T-mobile and Orange would bring together two well-known and popular mobile network brands in the UK and offer the potential for significant cost savings to customers.
While mobile phone income is very much “bread and butter” for mobile phone companies in the UK, it is mobile broadband and the vast number of potential services this opens up which is the future. Mobile broadband has increased in popularity over the last few months, although there is still some work to do on delivery systems and the technology associated with broadcasting content and media over mobile phone networks.
A merger of Orange and T-Mobile is highly likely to prompt further mergers and partnership discussions in the sector as the main players now look to reposition themselves for the future and the ever changing landscape of mobile phone broadband and connected services.