U.S. Regulatory Agencies Clear Path For AT&T-DirecTV Mega Merger

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) may have put a stake through the heart of the Comcast-Time Warner Cable merger, but it appears to be satisfied with another major deal that has heavy Internet users like Netflix worried: AT&T appears poised to get the green light from the FCC for its $49 billion purchase of DirecTV.


Acquiring DirecTV will be a huge boost to the reach of AT&T’s TV service. The move worries some companies, but apparently not the FCC, which seems to be nearing the end of its review and hasn’t expressed major concerns. Of course, conditions are a possibility: the FCC could impose conditions aimed at protecting Netflix and other online video services.

The word is that AT&T is likely to find the conditions palatable. That’s not surprising, considering what the company stands to gain by the deal – it will become the largest pay TV company in the U.S., according to The Wall Street Journal. The process may be wrapped up in the next few weeks.