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US: How AT&T, Comcast mergers can help each other

By  |  June 12, 2014

AT&T is vying for support of its proposed acquisition of DirecTV, touting the merger as a deal that would lead to service bundling and stronger competition against cable giant Comcast.

The wireless firm issued a filing to the Federal Communications Commission Thursday ahead of the regulator’s review of the $48.5 billion merger. The deal will offer improved Internet service across the US, AT&T said, enabling the combined company to offer enhanced communications service packages and offer new competition against Comcast.

Suggesting AT&T’s own deal could compete against Comcast could also help Comcast’s own plans to acquire Time Warner Cable, according to some experts, as Comcast faces an uphill battle to convince regulators it will still face significant competition after a TWC purchase.

Both deals will need to face the Federal Communications Commission. According to reports, if both transactions pass, AT&T and Comcast will collectively hold 55 percent of the nation’s pay-TV industry.

Full content: Bloomberg

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