FCC Approves AT&T's DirecTV Purchase

An anonymous reader writes: The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has granted approval to AT&T to purchase DirecTV for $48.5 billion. AT&T will become the largest provider of cable or satellite TV in the U.S., with 26.4 million subscribers. "Adding TV customers gives AT&T more power to negotiate with big media companies over prices for those channels. The deal also combines a nationwide satellite TV service, the country's largest, with the No. 2 nationwide wireless network as time spent on mobile devices increases." The FCC did put conditions on the deal: AT&T must make fiber internet service available to 12.5 million people, offer cheaper internet plans to low-income customers, and not mess with the internet traffic of online video competitors.

Comments

We need a verification stage

[Anonymous Coward]

I read someone else's comment that said that companies should be required to complete the past-due, public-benefit conditions made for their previous mergers before merging again. I like that idea. Maybe if we repeat that enough then it will start to become a real criteria.