BT agrees rescue deal to buy broadband operator TalkTalk

The UK's biggest broadband provider, BT, has agreed to rescue rival operator TalkTalk in a takeover. The deal, which will need to be approved by the UK's competition regulator, would mark end of months of speculation over the future for TalkTalk, which has been on the brink of administration because of its debts. TalkTalk has 1.5 million retail customers and one million wholesale customers across the UK. Some have raised concerns about the increased control BT will have over the broadband market as a result of the deal. BT chief executive Alison Kirkby said the deal provided a safety net for the households and businesses who rely on TalkTalk.