In the international mobile market wouldn't it be incredibly short-sighted for the UK's largest operator to end up an isolated entity? Perhaps there are less global synergies for the mobile networks than meets the eye and, in fact, such a large player in just one market could function just as well if not better given its own freedom.

I'm not sure why DT/FT would want to offload their UK proposition, though? Surely this is an essential market for any global operator to have a foothold in. Yet when you consider the transaction that took place, the merger of the two companies rather than one buying out the other, it does seem that DT/FT could be bundling their assets into one bag with the hope of spinning it off at a decent price. Exit strategy from the beginning?