Virgin Media O2 - comment

The Three deal is part of the same broad strategy that prompted Telefonica/Liberty Global to buy Netomnia. Owning more of the fibre outside of BT Openreach cements VMED as the primary competitor to BT, and allows it to sell capacity on its network to 3rd party operators. The regulator is currently comfortable with a duopoly emerging in fibre, as long as there are plenty of broadband providers.