AT&T-DirecTV Merger Nearing Full Regulatory Approval

This week, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler said he will recommend that the Commission approve the merger of AT&T and DirecTV.

Separately, the U.S. Justice Department also gave the green light to the merger, stating that, "after an extensive investigation, we concluded that the combination of AT&T's land-based internet and video business with DirecTV's satellite-based video business does not pose a significant risk to competition."

Wheeler said AT&T's merger with DirecTV, the largest U.S. satellite TV company, will "directly benefit consumers by bringing more competition to the broadband marketplace" and by AT&T's pledge to deploy high-speed fiber to millions of customers, especially in rural areas. The combined DirecTV and AT&T will have more than 26 million customers.

In congressional hearings last year, AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson said that the merged company will offer to DirecTV employees the option to collectively bargain, or not. "That will be their choice," he said.