Government Approval: Vodafone and Three Merger with National Security Oversight
Government security agencies have granted approval for the merger of Vodafone and Three, with the condition that the National Security Committee oversees activities with potential national security implications.
A technical group will be established within the National Security Committee to monitor cyber, physical, and personnel security aspects. Additionally, the migration planning of the newly merged network will be scrutinized by an external, Government-approved auditor.
A Government notice concluded that these measures would “mitigate any risks to national security related to Vodafone’s role as a strategic supplier of services to many parts of HM Government, the security of UK networks and data, including cyber, personnel, and physical security. This results from the process of merging two large, complex organizations and their respective staffing, policies, processes, and networks.”
“The Secretary of State considers that the Final Order is necessary and proportionate to mitigate risk to national security.”
