T-Mobile and Orange to form super-network

Mobile Phone firms T-Mobile and Orange are set to merge, it's just been announced.

Due to the complexities of such a merger, the super-network won't come into being until 2011 at the earliest, and is still subject to regulator approval.

Assuming the deal goes ahead, the new company would control around 37% of the UK mobile phone business, making them the largest UK operator by a long way with around 28 million customer. (Current number 1 o2 is said to have 20 million subscribers).

Merging the two networks will also mean changes to the network - some duplicated cellbases will be removed, and the combined network will see an increase in coverage.

There will doubtless be other changes - to high street shops, duplicated call centres and back-end departments, and of course a new name, which won't be announced for about a year or so.