The merger of BT and EE has been given the full go-ahead by the CMA (Competition and Markets Authority) paving the way for a full union.
Just as Carrie gets to keep her apartment in Sex and the City 2, BT has reiterated that EE will continue to exist as a separate entity, meaning that the plug won’t be pulled on EE TV and EE broadband customers will continue to be EE broadband customers, just as Plusnet punters are Plusnet punters.
Related: BT and EE’s conscious coupling cautiously cleared by competition czarsMarc Allera will replace Olaf Swantee as CEO of EE following formal completion of the deal, which is expected to be done by January 29.
BT chief executive Gavin Patterson said: “It is great news that the CMA has approved our acquisition of EE. We are pleased they have found there to be no significant lessening of competition following an in-depth investigation lasting more than ten months.
“The combined BT and EE will be a digital champion for the UK, providing high levels of investment and driving innovation in a highly competitive market. I have no doubt that consumers, businesses and communities will benefit as we combine the power of fibre broadband with the convenience of leading edge mobile services. I look forward to welcoming EE into the BT family.”
It’s expected that the deal will see BT Mobile, which already uses EE’s network, get a big shot in the arm; EE’s investment in WiFi Calling means that BT may be able to finally realise its dream of an ‘inside-out network’, with the wireless signal of BT Home Hubs being essentially being used as signal boosters in the home.
EE’s work with UK start-up V-Nova could also be beneficial to BT; live trials of V-Nova’s Perseus tech has seen live 4K Ultra HD video successfully streamed over a superslow 6Mbps connection.
BT Sport Ultra HD currently requires customers to take a superfast BT Infinity FTTC service in order to work, so there’s potential for Perseus to slay the big bandwidth gorgon. Or, BT could continue to use live 4K football to drive sales of Infinity…
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