Sources have told Reuters that AT&T’s planned acquisition of DirecTV is close to being approved by the US Justice Department and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
The two companies have been in negotiations for over a year, in a deal valued at more than $67 billion and which would make AT&T the largest pay-TV provider in the US. Regulators are expected to impose conditions on the deal to lessen any possible negative impact as a result of the merger.
There have been concerns in the industry that the merger would make it harder for smaller telecoms to compete. AT&T has made some concessions in order to win FCC approval, including promising to deliver an internet service to around 12 million low-income US households.
