AT&T, DirecTV complete merger to form biggest pay-TV company

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

Technology | Fri Jul 24, 2015 4:35pm EDT

AT&T, DirecTV complete merger to form biggest pay-TV company

WASHINGTON | BY ALINA SELYUKH

The No. 2 U.S. wireless carrier AT&T Inc and the biggest satellite-TV provider DirecTV became the country's largest pay-TV company on Friday, completing their $48.5 billion merger after receiving final regulatory approval.

The newly expanded AT&T leapfrogs the biggest U.S. cable company Comcast Corp. The company said it will serve more than 26 million U.S. customers and more than 19 million in Latin America, making it the world's biggest pay-TV company.

After more than a year of review, the Federal Communications Commission finalized its vote to approve the deal with conditions, imposed for four years and enforced by an internal and an external compliance officers.

The requirements from the FCC, which ensures that deals are in the public interest, include protections for rival video and pledges to expand high-speed Internet services to schools, low-income Americans and other customers.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/07/24/us-at-t-directv-fcc-idUSKCN0PY26L20150724

[Xipe Totec]

1. The worst internet provider merges with the worst cabe TV provider... nt

[jeff47]

2. Nah, Comcast has both those locked up. (nt)

[Xipe Totec]

3. I've had both AT&T and Comcast for internet, and DirectTV and Comcast for cable. Comcast wins

I'm now with Time Warner and it beats all three.

[Xipe Totec]

5. Their DSL internet service totally sucked. Totally unusable.

When I switched to TWC all of my connectivity issues went away.

It was six months of trying and failing with AT&T before I finally gave up and tossed them out.

[pscot]

6. Public interest be damned

Where's Jimmy Carter when you need him? He broke up ATT 35 years ago but it's like the Terminator. Here it is again.

[Fuddnik]

7. I'll see how this plays out.

I have DirecTV. And other than Dish, which sucks completely, they're the only providers that carry FSTV and Link. Gotta have Amy Goodman with my morning coffee.