A PYMNTS Company

AT&T Backs Off Political Argument in Antitrust Case

By  |  March 11, 2018

Politics have been at the center of the public debate about the Justice Department’s lawsuit to block AT&T’s $85 billion purchase of Time Warner. But the trial itself, starting later this month, is shaping up to be a fight focused on classic issues in antitrust law.

    Get the Full Story

    Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional logins required.

    Subscribe to our daily newsletter, PYMNTS Today.

    By completing this form, you agree to receive marketing communications from PYMNTS and to the sharing of your information with our sponsor, if applicable, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.

    In court filings on Friday, the Justice Department and AT&T laid out the arguments that they plan to make in the trial. Regulators will argue that the deal will hurt competition and lead to higher prices. AT&T and Time Warner will counter those arguments by saying that even with a merger, it is an underdog against online giants like Facebook and Google.

    “If TV-program distributor AT&T acquires TV-program producer Time Warner, American consumers will end up paying hundreds of millions of dollars more than they do now to watch their favorite programs on TV,” the Justice Department said in its brief submitted on Friday evening.

    Continue Reading…