[1/2] FILE PHOTO: The company logo of CK Hutchison Holdings is displayed at a news conference in Hong Kong, China March 17, 2016.
REUTERS/Bobby YipHONG KONG/LONDON, June 7 (Reuters) - Vodafone (VOD.L) and CK Hutchison (0001.HK) are in the final stages of agreeing to merge their British operations, with a long-awaited announcement expected as soon as Friday or early next week, three sources have told Reuters.
Including debt the deal could be valued at around 15 billion pounds ($18.6 billion), according to analysts.
The deal will face intense scrutiny from regulators who have previously opposed deals that reduce the number of networks in major markets from four to three.
($1 = 0.8061 pounds)Reporting by Clare Jim in Hong Kong and Paul Sandle in London; Editing by Kate HoltonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Persons:
Bobby Yip HONG, CK Hutchison, Hutchison, Clare Jim, Paul Sandle, Kate Holton
Organizations:
CK Hutchison Holdings, REUTERS, Vodafone, CK, HK, Reuters, British, Hutchison, BT's, VM O2, Telefonica, Liberty Global, Thomson
Locations:
Hong Kong, China, Bobby Yip HONG KONG, London