Total Telecom – CK Hutchison mulls legal challenge as EC thwarts its UK ambitions
Telecoms consultant Bengt Nordstrom was also critical of the EC decision, saying it would not bring about the commission’s desired outcome for the UK mobile market.
“Continuing as things stand will not lead to competitive prices, better service and more choice for consumers. It also won’t encourage operators to continue investing in their mobile networks to deliver a high quality of service to customers,” Nordstrom said.
In his view, consolidation in the telecoms sector is inevitable: “The European Commission cannot prevent it: it can only delay it. A mature national market like the UK cannot sustain four mobile operators indefinitely. It’s unlikely that we’ll see new operators entering and disrupting the market either, since the barrier to entry increases every year,” Nordstrom said.