Senate Democrats Share Their Concerns On AT&T® And Time Warner® Merger

A group of Senate Democrats, led by Senator Al Franken (D-Minn.), recently requested the US Justice Department to reject the proposed $85 million merger between AT&T^® and Time Warner^® if the government finds out that the deal will bring more harm to customers than good.

The group of Senators sent a letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions, in which they argued that they have concerns regarding the proposed deal between the companies. They also claimed that the deal would consolidate the pay-TV industry and offer fewer choices to the customers for a comparatively higher price. Additionally, they also pointed out that any conditions that are put on the proposed merger will be unenforceable and unreliable in long run.

“Should you determine that the substantial harms to competition and consumers arising from the transaction outweigh the purported benefits, you should reject the proposed acquisition,” the Senators said in their letter.

The letter from the Senators was signed by Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.). Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) also supported the move and signed on the letter.

The Senators said, “We have strong concerns that the combined company’s unmatched control of popular content and the distribution of that content will lead to higher prices, fewer choices, and poorer quality services for Americans, substantial harms that cannot be remedied with unreliable, unenforceable and time-limited behavioral conditions.” However, there is still no indication on when the Department of Justice will be making a public decision regarding the issue.

“As the DOJ finalizes its review of the transaction, we call on you to defend American competition and innovation and ensure that Americans have open and affordable access to communications services, as well as a wide range of programming,” the Senators added.

President Donald Trump earlier mentioned during his Presidential election campaigns that he will block the proposed merger, but he still hasn’t made any public announcement on where he stands on the issue currently. On the other hand, a spokesman from AT&T^® said that, “[AT&T^®] has addressed all of the issues raised by this letter in AT&T’s and Time Warner’s testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee last January in our February 2017 response to this same group of Senators, as well as in the extensive review of this transaction currently in process at the Department of Justice.”

The officials from AT&T^® also claimed that customers could acquire cheap internet and TV deals if the merger with Time Warner^® goes as planned.