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[FT] The prospect of a bidding war for T-Mobile UK was looming last night after it emerged that Telefónica is looking at the case for buying Britain’s fourth largest mobile phone operator.

Spain’s leading telecoms company has been spurred into action partly by the possibility that O 2 , its UK mobile business, could lose its top position in the British market if Vodafone purchases T-Mobile UK.

Separately, it emerged that France Telecom is considering the merits of forming a joint venture between Orange, its UK mobile business, and T-Mobile UK.

Deutsche Telekom is looking to sell T-Mobile UK, which analysts value at €3bn-€4bn (£2.6bn-£3.4bn), following several years of under performance.

Telefónica could set off T-Mobile UK bidding war