The deal between T mobile and o2 to share infrastructure in the UK and Germany has been backed by EC competition regulatorsInfrastructure sharing has been the most significant safety valve through which even the least flexible telecoms regulators in the European Union have taken the opportunity to release the pressure on third-generation (3G) mobile operators.

The European Commission (EC) has encouraged a more flexible approach with its preliminary approval at the end of August of the arrangements to share 3G infrastructure costs in Germany and the UK between O2′s parent company, mmO2, and T-Mobile.