Vodafone Faces Expanded EU Probe With O2 on Mobile-Payment Deal
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Vodafone Group Plc, Telefonica SA’s O2 and Everything Everywhere Ltd. face an expanded probe by European Union regulators examining their U.K. mobile-phone payment system.
The European Commission extended until Aug. 27 its deadline to rule on the deal, it said in an e-mailed statement today. Regulators cited concerns that the companies may be able to block competitors from offering their own “mobile wallet” services to U.K. customers or to “degrade the quality” of services to make them less attractive.