LONDON: Telefonica has joined Vodafone in considering a bid for T-Mobile UK, while France Telecom is weighing up a possible joint venture with the British mobile operator, the Financial Times said.

The FT had on Monday reported that Vodafone, the world's biggest mobile phone company by revenue, was exploring a bid to buy T-Mobile UK, the British arm of Deutsche Telekom.

Citing people close to the matter, the FT said on Thursday that the Spanish group Telefonica was considering bidding for T-Mobile UK, a move which it said could spark a bidding war.