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FCC approves AT&T’s acquisition of DirecTV

On Behalf of | Jul 28, 2015 | Mergers & Acquisitions

In our last post, we highlighted the latest major acquisition in the health care industry, where Blue Cross Blue Shield’s Anthem announced that it would acquire Cigna in a deal worth more than $53 billion. The move would leave only three major medical providers in the industry.

The telecommunications industry is likely to be smaller as well, after it was announced that AT&T was approved to acquire satellite cable provider DirecTV. Indeed, the $48.5 billion merger was first announced last year, but the Federal Communications Commission approved the deal last Friday. 

The combination of AT&T’s broadband and wireless communication capabilities and DirecTV’s satellite TV service is poised to change the company as more television and movie video content is delivered to mobile phones, tablets and computers. The acquisition appears to be in line with how many major networks are delivering shows, such as HBO, CBS, Disney, Amazon and Netflix.

Aside from the potential benefits and drawbacks for consumers, the acquisition is another prime example of the continuation of how more deals are in the offering through the end of the year and beyond. Indeed, executives across a number of industries may see opportunities to better their companies in the marketplace by acquiring complimentary companies, as well as competitors.

The story is also an example of why it is necessary to have an experienced team of lawyers to facilitate such a transaction. They can be quite complicated because the details involved in resolving existing contracts, employee relationships, and compensation plans, to name a few. 

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