 The companies are expected to announce the deal to merge Telefonicas British mobile operator O2 and Libertys Virgin Cable network company on Thursday after five months of negotiations, the newspaper said citing sources. The parent companies, which expect to achieve 700 million pounds worth of synergies by merging, would have equal ownership of the combined entity, the report said, adding that Telefónica would receive 5.5 billion pounds in cash to help it reduce its heavy debt. Liberty Global and Telefónica did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment. 