US: Senate guides AT&T, DirecTV review towards consumers

The Senate Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights subcommittee is reportedly encouraging regulators to focus on consumers when considering the proposed acquisition of DirecTV by AT&T.

The subcommittee is reportedly planning to hold a hearing this summer to discuss the merger, announced earlier this month. The deal is valued at about $45 billion, or $67.1 billion when considering debt.

Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Mike Lee (R-UT) sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission head Tom Wheeler and Department of Justice Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division William Baer. The letter encourages the regulators to focus their merger review on the effects of price, quality, innovation and consumer choice, reports say.

”As you review this transaction, we believe it is important to validate and weigh these efficiencies against the potential competitive harms that could result from the transaction,” the letter said.

Full content: Broadcasting Cable

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