UPC IRELAND WILL be the latest company to enter the mobile market after it agreed a deal with Three Ireland.

The two companies signed a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) agreement which will see UPC Ireland become a mobile operator in 2015.

Under the deal, Three Ireland will provide the wireless network infrastructure to UPC for a fee, who will provide their own mobile service and set their own prices, similar to Tesco Mobile.

The CEO of Three Ireland, Robert Finnegan said in a statement that the announcement “further reinforces how Three’s acquisition of O2 Ireland will help drive competition by facilitating new entrants into the market.

Earlier this week, the European Commission approved the deal for Three Ireland to take over O2 Ireland.

As part of the EU’s approval process, Three has committed to provide network capacity and services to two operators to facilitate new MVNO entry into Ireland, UPC being one of them. It also provides the option to acquire spectrum that may be taken up by UPC or another party to become a network operator.

The deal brings Three’s market share to 37 per cent and brings subscribers numbers to over two million active users.

Read: EU approves Three takeover of O2, but ComReg is concerned >

Read: Google now has a form for those who want to be ‘forgotten’ >

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