Linklaters has advised CK Hutchison Holdings Limited and the Three UK Group on the merger of Three UK and Vodafone UK, combining their respective telecommunications operations to create the largest mobile operator in the country.

The combined group will be owned 51% by Vodafone and 49% by Hutchison. The merger of the Vodafone UK Group and the Three UK Group will enable the combined business to transform customer experience and create a best-in-class mobile telecommunications network in the UK for coverage and reliability.

The combined company will be able to invest significantly in the UK to create one of Europe’s most comprehensive 5G networks, addressing exponential traffic growth on a sustainable basis and driving economic growth, innovation and jobs in the UK. Through combining its standalone 5G network with best-in-class spectrum, the merged business will be better positioned to enable advanced 5G-based innovations. The transaction will accelerate the UK government’s levelling-up agenda and drive European digital tech leadership for the UK.

A cross-practice team was led by Corporate partners Robert Cleaver and Hugo Stolkin, alongside managing associates Sam Kember and Matthew Halliday, associates Thomas Greenhalgh, Connor Chalmers, Maesya Roebuck, Christian Mok, Venkatesh Renganathan, Sadia Chowdhury and Monique Fraser.

The TMT team was led by partners Georgina Kon, Marly Didizian and Rich Jones, alongside counsel So Yeon Um, managing associate Tatum Govender, associates Danny Greenland, Kirill Albrecht, Nicholas Puschman, Matthias Schorer, Rachel Varnam, Hansen Ong and Silvia Curin Brown.

The Tax team was led by partner Chris Smale, with managing associate Catherine Sam and associate Klara Janiec.