France Telecom and Deutsche Telecom have now finalised the deal to combine T-Mobile UK with Orange UK into a 50/50 joint venture reports an article over on mobile today.

Of course completion of said agreement depends on approval from the regulatory authorities and is also subject to the board of directors of France Telecom and the supervisory board of Deutsche Telecom approval, which both companies expect to happen in the first half of 2010.

If the approval comes the merger between T-Mobile UK and Orange UK will make the newly formed venture the UK’s largest mobile phone operator by share.