The merger between Orange and T-Mobile's UK businesses could run smoothly following a mast-sharing agreement that's apparently been signed with 3 UK. 3 and T-Mobile already had a partnership in place; it's now said to have signed a new deal with T-Mobile and Orange over the weekend
Orange and T-Mobile would also apparently hand back some of their radio spectrum to Ofcom.
These concessions are said to be acceptable to the European Commission, which would mean there'd be no separate UK investigation of the deal by the OFT. No official announcement has been made yet. [Sources: Guardian.co.uk; TimesOnline.co.uk]