News
Vodafone and Three agree massive merger to become biggest mobile phone operator in the UK
They have assured customers a smooth transition.
Telecomm companies Vodafone and Three have announced that they have agreed a massive merger that will see the join together to become the UK’s biggest mobile phone operator.
Vodafone and Three UK are two of the biggest mobile phone companies in the country and have been direct competitors for two decades, but following a deal with Three’s holding group, CK Hutchinson, the pair are now set to join forces pending approval from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).
Once the merger is completed, the newly-formed company will be the biggest mobile phone network in Britain, boasting an estimated market share of 27 million users, taking them past the likes of Virgin Media O2’s 24m and EE’s (owned by BT) 20 million-strong customer base.
It is thought that the transition for existing customers of each brand will be smooth, providing a “better network experience with greater coverage and reliability at no extra cost”, all from “day one”.
Read more:
Expected to have fully joined forces by the end of 2024, Vodafone and Three — or whatever they might rebrand as post-merger — the pair have promised to invest over £11bn into “the next generation of telecommunications“, i.e. the further implementation of 5G.
The deal will see Vodafone hold the controlling share of the business with 51% of the shares of and Three taking up the rest, however, they have revealed that Vodafone has the option to buy up the remaining shares in three years’ time.
As for those of you who currently subscribe to either one of these companies, both sides have assured that there will be little disruption to your service, with Vodafone’s UK chief exec Ahmed Essam stating that this “will bring more choice and better value to customers nationwide”.
Speaking to the BBC, head of mobile at a European research firm, Karen Egan, backed up his confidence, noting that other recent mobile mergers haven’t resulted in price hikes, adding instead that “consumers benefit from effectively funding just three nationwide networks rather than four”.
For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.
Featured Image — Three UK/William Cook (via Unsplash)/Vodafone
News
Beloved Manchester artist Stanley Chow slams Conservative Party for using his artwork
Daisy Jackson
Celebrated local artist Stanley Chow has lashed out at the Conservative Party.
The illustrator, who is famed for his cartoon portraits of famous faces, has discovered that the political party have been using his Andy Burnham illustration at their party conference.
Publicly addressing the usage, Stanley said he would be ‘seeking legal advice’.
He shared a photo of his Andy Burnham portrait that has been placed onto a water bottle with the slogan ‘Bottler Burnham’.
The label also says: “0% strength. Bottled under pressure from Badenoch.”
In another photo, Stanley Chow revealed that the Tory party conference has used his Andy Burnham portrait on pots of sweets, too.
This time, they say: “Andy Panders’ people pleaser pick n mix. Free sweets for everyone, it will only cost you higher taxes.”
Stanley wrote: “It seems like @conservatives have been using my artwork without my permission at their conference party…
“Regardless of whatever your political allegiances are, it’s still copyright infringement… I’ll be seeking legal advice.”
Backing him up in the comments are a number of other local artists, including Mancsy, who said: “As well as the copyright infringement, I expect more of political parties than making gags at the expense of the opposition. It’s alarming on multiple levels.”
Someone else wrote: “Imagine calling a prime minister a people pleaser like it’s an insult… when it’s their job.”
Another person said: “How does that even happen?! Layers of people signing off who go, ‘Sure, let’s not worry about copyright’ (people who’ve presumably never step foot in MCR and seen your artwork, like EVERYWHERE). Drag em, babe. Copyright and reputation, surely.”
Read more
Featured image: The Manc Group
News
Manchester man jailed after sexually assaulting and masturbating in front of woman on train
Emily Sergeant
A man has been jailed after sexually assaulting and masturbating in front of a woman on board a train to Manchester.
Following an extensive British Transport Police (BTP) investigation, Nisan Fernando Kurukulasuriya, of Troutbeck Road in Altrincham, was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court last month.
At the trail last month, the court heard how, on Monday 20 April 2026, 39-year-old Kurukulasuriya was on a train from Stoke to Manchester and sat next to a woman he didn’t know, who was on the phone.
He then sexually assaulted her repeatedly, doing so again even after being pushed away by the woman.
The woman then noticed that Kurukulasuriya had exposed himself and was masturbating in front of her. She shouted at him, and in response, he stood up and ran away to leave the train – but the woman immediately got up to report the incident to staff.
When the train arrived at Manchester Piccadilly, the woman alerted a member of staff while Kurukulasuriya was stood only a few meters away, and BTP were subsequently called straight away.
Police quickly attended and arrested Kurukulasuriya.
When police interviewed him, Kurukulasuriya showed no remorse for his actions and refused to answer any questions put to him.
After pleading guilty to Sexual Assault and Outraging Public Decency at a previous court hearing, Kurukulasuriya was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment, and was also handed a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) which will bar him from sitting next to any woman he doesn’t know on public transport, as well as being put on thensex offenders register for 10 years.
Read more:
BTP Detective Sergeant, Mark Haviland, called Kurukulasuriya a ‘despicable man’ who targeted a woman travelling alone ‘for his own sick sexual gratification’.
Featured Image – BTP
Danny Jones -
14th June 2023 
