Vodafone - Three merger.

[sc1999]

So the Vodafone - Three merger will be announced today. We know that Vodafone have their problems and Three, if you read this community, are having their problems.

Here is a maths question: poorly performing Vodafone + poorly performing Three = insert answer here.

On a serious note we can only hope that if the 2 networks hardware are combined then we should see an improvement. However, if the accountants are involved I can see duplicate towers being removed rather than being used to improve coverage and speed.

[Anvil_Iron]

Non-mathematically, two negatively performing companies combining doesn't necessarily equate to a positive result.

In my opinion, less competition can only be bad for the consumers.

Will there be a conflict of interest with Vodafone's fixed-line broadband service and Three's mobile boardband?

[sc1999]

Business is business and being able to offer fixed and mobile broadband will be good. I can only get fixed broadband as my mobile signal can drop into ks rather than megs.

[sc1999]

Will there be a competition to name the new business? I'm going for threedafone.

[Peter_L]

I am going for Vee3 or VeeThree  or V3 🙂 

[garetc]

Vodafone will be the controlling party (by 1% which I assume is to appease regulators) so I assume they’ll retain their brand? They are the more recognised internationally I guess.

[sc1999]

The merger is for UK business only.

[garetc]

Aye, am aware but Vodafone aren’t likely to give up their name in their home market.

[garetc]

Hopefully if this gets regulator and government approval and goes ahead it will lead to positive benefits for users but the cynic in me thinks not. Most of the coverage has been about each network's debt and working to get approval.

If customer's were at the forefront of this they would have been talking about the benefits it will bring for customers but we are going off rumours and leaked reports.

If and when it goes ahead they'll start to look at resources in HR, CS and Operations and where there's duplication of masts I assume they'll try to sell them to Arqiva, another third party and other MNO's, otherwise they'll decommission them to save money.

It would be nice for them to look at improving customer services, with more on-shore teams and a faster/wider deployment of 5G but that all costs money.

Whatever happens it's going to take a really long time for us to see any changes but I think we're in for more of the same.