The bosses of BT and EE have accused their rivals of trying to derail their agreed £50 billion merger deal for their own ends.
Gavin Patterson, chief executive of BT which made its £12.5 billion bid for mobile giant EE in February, said: “The likes of Sky, TalkTalk and Vodafone are obviously doing things to push their own causes but they are doing it through innuendo and suggestion.
“There is no evidence that a combined BT and EE will lessen competition.”
Patterson’s opposite number at EE, Olaf Swantee, said: “These competitors only want to put up roadblocks, while we want to build motorways for the UK.”
The Competition and Markets Authority last week fast-tracked the £12.5?billion takeover to a full merger investigation and is now taking submissions from BT, EE and their rivals.
It could take until early next year to make a final decision.
Full content: The Times
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