Vodafone has struck a deal to take full ownership of VodafoneThree, the mobile network formed from last year's merger of its British operations with Three, in a move designed to accelerate its UK ambitions. The £4.3 billion ($5.8 billion) agreement will see Vodafone Group buy out Three parent CK Hutchison Group's 49 percent minority stake, pending regulatory approval, in the second half of 2026. The move came sooner than most industry watchers expected as the merger only completed last June , and the original terms gave Vodafone the right to bid for CK Hutchison's stake after three years. Market intelligence firm Megabuyte values VodafoneThree at £13.85 billion under the deal, some £2.65 billion below the original £16.5 billion threshold. "CK Hutchison is taking a haircut in favor of early cash, but this benefits the broader group's strategy of exiting European assets," Megabuyte senior analyst Tom Oughton commented.…