Respect Mike joining established mobile phone company (6)

I believe the answer is:

esteem

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'respect mike' is the definition.
'esteem' can be an answer for 'respect' (synonyms). I am not certain of the 'mike' bit.

'joining established mobile phone company' is the wordplay.
'joining' means one lot of letters goes inside another (inserted letters join the word).
'established' becomes 'est' (abbreviation).
'mobile' becomes 'm' (this might be a standard abbreviation which I don't know about).
'phone company' becomes 'EE' (British mobile network EE).
'est'+'m'='estm'
'estm' going around 'ee' is 'ESTEEM'.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for esteem that I've seen before include "High regard as for customer" , "Look upon favourably" , "judge" , "Admire - honour" , "Hold in deference and respect" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.

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