Looks like Trump's not going to block the AT&T / Time Warner deal after all.
AT&T is reportedly feeling confident about its ability to buy Time Warner after meeting with President-elect Donald Trump's transition team—even though Trump himself vowed to block the merger during his campaign.
"Donald Trump’s transition team has reassured AT&T that its $85.4 billion acquisition of Time Warner will be scrutinized without prejudice," the Financial Times reported yesterday. "After talking with the president-elect’s team, AT&T executives are confident that their deal has a good chance of passing regulatory scrutiny, people informed about the conversation said."
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As he prepares to shift the Federal Communications Commission from Democratic to Republican control, Trump has also appointed advisors who want to reduce regulatory burdens on telecom companies. That's likely good news for telecom companies that want to increase consolidation and face fewer consumer protection regulations.
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2...to-trump-team/