Vodafone, Three deal faces in-depth inquiry unless solutions given urgently

Britain’s antitrust regulator said the merger between Vodafone’s UK operation and Hutchison’s Three UK unit could leave consumers worse off and that the tie-up will face an in-depth investigation unless the companies provide solutions. The $19 billion deal was announced last year, and if it proceeds, would reduce the number of mobile networks in Britain from four to three. It would therefore be expected to require an in-depth investigation on the basis of the long-held tenet that at least four networks are required to keep prices low.