Three UK's owner is reportedly plotting a £9 billion bid for O2

[viridis]

"Telefonica-owned O2 has quietly become the subject of interest from Three UK owner Hutchison Whampoa. According to The Sunday Times, the UK mobile market could quite soon shrink from four major operators to just three, after talks between the two companies reportedly progressed to a point where Hutchison Whampoa is ready to make a £9 billion bid for Britain's second-biggest carrier."

http://www.engadget.com/2015/01/18/hutchison-whampoa-o2-acquisition/

[Anonymous]

Of course if this takeover goes through then expect a reduction in the number of masts (like EE have and are doing) but overall service levels should improve.

[viridis]

And on point 1, they also don't lock bootloaders.
I do worry about if we gonna lose great perks such as refresh, being able to upgrade when I choose is a deal breaker for me.

[viridis]

@Anonymous I wonder if the merger/buyout will effect the current agreement with Vodafone regarding mast sharing?

[Beenherebefore]

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@viridis wrote:

In the grand scheme of things, who would you rather have buy o2?
3 or talk talk?

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[Anonymous]

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@viridis wrote:
@Anonymous I wonder if the merger/buyout will effect the current agreement with Vodafone regarding mast sharing?

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Very good point @viridis as between them 3 and o2 probably have a pretty good level of coverage.

My take on this would be that the mast sharing would be unpicked over time hence some winners and losers overall. 

[Anonymous]

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@viridis wrote:
And on point 1, they also don't lock bootloaders.
I do worry about if we gonna lose great perks such as refresh, being able to upgrade when I choose is a deal breaker for me.

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Refresh has been incredibly popular so I don't think Three would off load it. I think it is more likely to be extended to their customers. 

[viridis]

So if the agreement stays in place, technically o3 and Vodafone could sit down, pick apart the network mast map, drop up to 25% of current masts and end up with better coverage?

[Anonymous]

Tesco Mobile is a 50/50 joint venture between o2 and Tesco.

Giffgaff is owned by o2.

Wonder how they would be affected? 

[Anonymous]

aaarrrgh! I fled from O2 to 3 because my iphone kept falling back to gprs or edge even when there was a decent 3G signal; I reckoned if there wasn't a 2G signal all would be well, and it has been

[viridis]

Phone fault, not network issue.