Orange and T-Mobile merge
It has been announced that telecommunications firms Orange and T-Mobile are to increases their market shares by becoming one entity.
UK Mobile phone companies Orange and T-Mobile have announced that they are to merge into one entity, prompting concerns about whether the deal will see cheap bargain deals being offered to consumers.The amalgamation will make the joined firm the largest on the UK market with 28.4 million customers, beating current biggest shareholder O2 by ten per cent to take 37 per cent.
But moneysupermarket.com has commented on the decision, saying that one less major mobile operating platform will ultimately mean less choice for consumers and may decrease competition in the industry.
It recognised that T-mobile has offered "creative tariffs" and Orange has been popular through its text-message-based money off coupons deal at cinemas every Wednesday, but with such a large market share then it may lose the incentive to keep them going.
James Parker, manager of broadband and mobiles for moneysupermarket.com, said: "Ofcom will have a role to play in this merger and should do all it can to ensure that the best interests of the consumer are taken in to consideration at every stage.
"There will be many customers of both Orange and T-mobile who have questions on what this will mean for them and whether the talk of better customer service and network coverage will actually be delivered if the merger is given the go ahead," he added.
moneysupermarket.com recently closed entries for a competition which gave consumers the chance to have their utility bills paid for a year.
The lucky winner received free energy for 12 months, a prize worth £1,300, while ten runners up also got their hands on £300 to offset the average rise in utility bill costs between this year and 2008.
Written by Garry Sagan
© Copyright
Related Articles
- Npower sparks further utility bill competition - 15th December, 2009
Consumers hoping to keep their utility bill costs down this winter are being offered an early Christmas present from Npower, which has announced a new market-leading tariff.
As competition among energy providers increases, customers could see their utility bills drop to as low as £907 a year by taking up Npower's new Sign Online 17 Dual Fuel package... - Moneysupermarket.com warns of inflated energy bill costs - 3rd February, 2010
The website has warned consumers to expect an expensive energy bill because of the recent cold weather.
Britons are bracing themselves for their highest winter heating bills ever after the cold snap bloated quarterly energy costs by as much as 20 per cent, new research has revealed... - Utility bill customers in credit with energy companies - 17th December, 2009
Nearly five million householders in the UK are owed money by their gas company because their direct debit payments have not been updated to reflect lower utility bill prices, according to new research by moneysupermarket.com.
Some £454 million is owed to consumers from energy suppliers – equivalent to £89 each – and even when the £280 million of customer debt is taken into account, gas giants are still in credit by £174 million... - New First:utility tariff 'ideal' for central heating cover customers - 19th January, 2010
Central heating cover customers could save as much as £20 per year by selecting a new energy tariff, it was suggested today (January 19th).
According to research by Confused.com, the cheapest basic deal for households at present is npower's Sign Online 17 tariff, which should offer average annual fuel bills of £907... - Consumer rights advice offered by BIS - 14th December, 2009
The Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has released some information for shoppers unhappy with any Christmas gifts they have bought as part of a new consumer rights advice campaign.
The scheme is to remind Brits that any purchases made over the festive period must still adhere to three golden rules – they should match any descriptions, be fit for purpose and be of satisfactory quality... - Take advantage of cheap bargains on Christmas movie deals - 18th December, 2009
Families hoping to get into the Christmas spirit by settling down in front of a classic festive film should make sure they get a cheap bargain on movie packages through their TV service provider.
According to uSwitch.com, 91 per cent of Brits are looking forward to getting the popcorn out with a film this season, with 28 per cent claiming that "Christmas would not be Christmas" without their favourite movie... - Voucher site championed for January sales - 13th January, 2010
One leading high street voucher website was championed yesterday (January 12th) for the value it is providing shoppers with in the January sales.
Many retailers have launched promotional offers in an attempt to lure bargain-hunting Britons, who are tightening their purse strings after an expensive Christmas period... - Central heating cover customers told fuel prices 'not set to rise' - 8th January, 2010
Central heating cover customers have today (January 8th) been reassured that their fuel bills will not become more expensive in the coming months.
With a cold snap currently gripping the UK, energy supplies are being tested to the limit, prompting some observers to suggest that prices will inevitably rise... - Advice given for budget weddings - 16th December, 2009
Couples hoping to hold a budget wedding as the recession keeps its grip on the nation's finances have been offered some tips by one newspaper.
The Daily Comet spoke to various marriage experts to find out the best ways to save money on the special day, after revealing the extent of spending that US brides-to-be are willing to make... - Asda backed to beat Tesco in online shopping battle - 27th January, 2010
A discount website has revealed that Asda.co.uk, the supermarket’s online shopping service, could soon usurp Tesco.com if customer trends continue.
Myvouchercodes.co.uk said that Tesco's website had the majority share of online grocery shoppers with 41 per cent, compared to just 27 per cent for Asda.co.uk...