UK mobile phone operators Vodafone and Orange have followed T-Mobile and Three (3) by signing their own network/mast sharing agreement. The deal, which applies to both 2G and 3G services, will see the total number of masts reduced by 15% (3,000) without impacting coverage.

Naturally this is expected to result in a significant cost saving for both sides. However, it will also foster the wider coverage of 'Mobile Broadband' (3G) services and possibly even cheaper prices. Meanwhile others suspect that the move could lay the ground work for a future merger, similar to the suspicion surrounding T-Mobile and Three's deal, although in both cases this has been denied.