Skip to main content
The VergeThe Verge logo.The Verge homepage
The VergeThe Verge logo.

Verizon's spectrum-for-cable deal with Comcast and Time Warner facing government scrutiny

Verizon's spectrum-for-cable deal with Comcast and Time Warner facing government scrutiny

/

According to Bloomberg, Verizon's bid to buy $3.9 billion worth of spectrum from the Comcast / Time Warner / Bright House partnership known as SpectrumCo will face increased government scrutiny.

By Nilay Patel, editor-in-chief of the Verge, host of the Decoder podcast, and co-host of The Vergecast.

Source Bloomberg (Twitter) and Bloomberg | Via Washington Post

|

Share this story

Verizon truck
Verizon truck

According to Bloomberg, Verizon's bid to buy $3.9 billion worth of spectrum from the Comcast / Time Warner / Bright House partnership known as SpectrumCo will face increased antitrust scrutiny from the DOJ. It's not necessarily surprising news, as spectrum transactions are always subject to regulatory approval and Verizon just filed with the FCC for approval today, but the deal effectively eliminates the cable companies from the field of wireless competition, and the FCC and DOJ made it clear throughout their successful opposition to the AT&T / T-Mobile merger that they take wireless competition extremely seriously. What's more, the deal also allows Verizon to stall FiOS development and offer cable services from its new partners instead, reducing competition in the all-but-stagnant wireline market as well. We'll see what the FCC and DOJ say; stay tuned.

More from this stream Verizon, Comcast, and Time Warner partnering up: the story so far

See all 30 stories