Orange seals MasOrange deal; US, UK tech talks stall

The Friday File: Mobile World Live brings you our top three picks of the week as Orange edged closer to full control of its Spanish joint venture (JV), the US paused tech talks with the UK government over escalating trade tensions and Ericsson teamed with stc Group to give Saudi Arabia’s digital infrastructure a boost.

Orange advances towards full ownership of Spanish JV

What happened: Orange signed a binding agreement to acquire the remaining 50 per cent stake in its Spanish JV MasOrange from partner Lorca for €4.3 billion, moving towards full ownership of the business.

Why it matters: The transaction follows an initial agreement reached at the end of October and is subject to regulatory approval and customary closing conditions, with completion expected in the first half of 2026. Orange said the deal would accelerate its strategy and strengthen its position in Spain, its second-largest European market. The operator added the deal “confirms its long-term industrial commitment” in the country and its “confidence in MasOrange and its management to create value for all stakeholders”. CFO Laurent Martinez said the acquisition “marks a decisive step in strengthening Orange’s leadership in Europe”, citing MasOrange’s scale of more than 30 million customers. MasOrange was created last year through a merger of Masmovil and Orange’s Spanish operation, following Lorca’s acquisition of Masmovil in 2020. Thomas Railhac, partner at Lorca backer Cinven, said the deal punctuates MasOrange’s “transformational growth story” of becoming Spain’s largest mobile operator, with its enterprise value rising from €5 billion to more than €20 billion.

US halts technology trade talks with UK

What happened: The US suspended technology-related trade talks with the UK, halting progress on a bilateral “technology prosperity deal” agreed during US President Donald Trump’s state visit to Britain in September.

Why it matters: According to the BBC, Trump’s administration paused discussions last week amid frustration over the pace of wider trade negotiations as the US lobbies for concessions beyond the scope of the technology partnership. The agreement, designed to boost cooperation in areas including AI, quantum computing and nuclear energy, reportedly also included £31 billion in investments from US heavyweights including Microsoft, Nvidia and Google. Despite the setback, a spokesman for UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer told the publication the UK remains in “active conversations with US counterparts at all levels of government”, while cautioning that “negotiations of this kind are never straightforward”. Allie Renison, director of communications company SEC Newgate UK, told the BBC the impasse reflected the countries’ “slightly piecemeal approach” to trade deals. “Instead of having everything done at once, different areas are being linked to different parts,” she said, adding that concerns in other trade areas were feeding into technology talks. While questions remain over the pledged investments, Renison argued the disruption was unlikely to be more than “a bit of posturing in the wider negotiations”.

Ericsson, stc strike deal to drive digital in Saudi Arabia

What happened: Ericsson signed a five-year agreement with stc to support the development of Saudi Arabia’s digital infrastructure, with a focus on 5G hardware and software, cloud-native technologies and advanced AI capabilities.

Why it matters: Under the agreement, stc will use Ericsson’s latest portfolio to accelerate its 5G expansion and advance the rollout of standalone (SA) 5G, 5G-Advanced and massive MIMO. The operator said SA 5G features, including network slicing, will enable it to deliver differentiated connectivity across a range of consumer and enterprise use cases, supporting its aim to develop a “scalable, resilient and future-ready mobile network”. The partnership also aims to support Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 government programme, alongside longer-term readiness for 6G and self-optimising networks. Abdullah Alowini, supply chain VP at stc, said the agreement will help accelerate enterprise innovation and support the country’s ambition to “build a globally competitive digital economy”. Ericsson and stc have a long-standing partnership, which has included the rollout of one of the country’s first 5G networks in 2019. The deal also strengthens Ericsson’s presence in a strategically important market, following its announcement earlier this year its new Middle East and Africa headquarters will be in Riyadh.