london feb 21 reuters breakingviews  eu watchdogs have previously blocked consolidation between mobile operators now executives like vodafone boss nick read urged on by activist investors and buyout firms such as kkr are once again pushing for deals but the case for protecting competition remains compelling  britain’s vodafone said on feb 10 that it had rejected an 1125 billion euro offer for its italian unit from privately owned french rival iliad and apax partners  iliad said its allcash offer entailed a “very high” premium it would now pursue its “standalone strategy” in the highly competitive italian market it added  britain’s telecoms regulator said on feb 9 that it was not ideologically wedded to retaining four mobile phone networks and would consider the specific circumstances of proposed tieups  spanish media have reported that kkrowned masmovil is in talks with the local unit of vodafone and france’s orange the three companies have not commented  the european union’s competition commissioner margrethe vestager told breakingviews on feb 3 that she had no “magic number” for the ideal size of markets she also said she believed that competition not consolidation was the main driver of investment  orange chief executive stéphane richard said on feb 17 that europe was “ready for a new cycle of inmarket consolidation” even though the regulatory regime in brussels “has not really changed” “let’s do it let’s try it” he said at the presentation of orange’s 2021 results