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Justice Department Sues to Block AT&T-Time Warner Merger

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What the blocked $85.4 billion merger means for your bills

The Justice Department sued to block AT&T’s $85.4 billion bid for Time Warner, warning the deal could mean higher monthly TV bills and fewer options for American consumers.

1 The DOJ Moves to Block the Deal

In an attempt to curb corporate power, the Justice Department sued to block AT&T’s $85.4 billion bid to buy Time Warner Cable. If the sale were to go through, the merger would create a media and telecommunications giant. AT&T is already one of the largest telephone and internet providers. After it acquired DirecTV in 2015, it became the largest television distributor as well.

2 Why Antitrust Regulators Object

According to the DOJ, this merger violates anti-trust law. “This merger would greatly harm American consumers,” Makan Delrahim, the assistant attorney general for antitrust, said in a statement. “It would mean higher monthly television bills and fewer of the new, emerging innovative options that consumers are beginning to enjoy.”

This merger would greatly harm American consumers. It would mean higher monthly television bills and fewer of the new, emerging innovative options that consumers are beginning to enjoy.

3 AT&T Vows to Fight in Court

AT&T said it would fight this move in court. Claiming that “it defies logic, and it’s unprecedented,” AT&T chief executive Randall L. Stephenson. According to AT&T, the government has not challenged a similar merger in many years. In fact, in 2011, the former administration approved a similar sale: Comcast’s acquisition of NBCUniversal.

Some are speculating that this move by the Trump administration is a direct result of President Trump’s personal feud with CNN, but the Justice Department claims that the reason for its opposition is that “AT&T / DirecTV would hinder its rivals by forcing them to pay hundreds of millions of dollars more per year for Time Warner’s networks, and it would use its increased power to slow the industry’s transition to new and exciting video distribution models that provide greater choice for consumers.” The complaint states that “the proposed merger would result in fewer innovative offerings and higher bills for American families.”

4 The Risk of Too Much Power Over Content

When the deal was first proposed in October of 2016, critics called it “an unhealthy concentration of power between a distributer and a maker of content.” What made the deal even more frightening to some critics is that mobile carriers have much more control over how video gets to consumers’ smartphones. Companies like AT&T and Verizon have zero-sponsored data programs where companies can pay a fee to exclude their services from a data cap. This gives carriers too much power to decide which services are free, thereby pushing consumers in a certain direction.

5 What It Means for Consumers

Whether or not this deal goes through remains to be seen. The benefit and cost of this merger to consumers is debatable, and largely depends on whose perspective you get. No matter what the outcome, Billshark’s only wish is that consumers win.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why did the Justice Department sue to block the AT&T-Time Warner merger?

The Justice Department sued to block AT&T's $85.4 billion bid to buy Time Warner because, according to the DOJ, the merger violates anti-trust law. Officials argued it would greatly harm American consumers, leading to higher monthly television bills and fewer of the new, emerging innovative options consumers were beginning to enjoy.

How much was AT&T's bid for Time Warner?

AT&T made an $85.4 billion bid to buy Time Warner Cable. If completed, the merger would create a media and telecommunications giant, combining one of the largest telephone and internet providers with a major maker of content.

How did AT&T respond to the lawsuit?

AT&T said it would fight the move in court. Chief executive Randall L. Stephenson claimed the action defies logic and is unprecedented, noting the government had not challenged a similar merger in many years. AT&T pointed to 2011, when the former administration approved Comcast's acquisition of NBCUniversal.

Why were critics worried about the merger?

When the deal was first proposed in October 2016, critics called it an unhealthy concentration of power between a distributor and a maker of content. They warned that mobile carriers control how video reaches smartphones, and that zero-sponsored data programs let carriers decide which services are free, pushing consumers in a certain direction.

What did the merger mean for consumers' bills?

The DOJ's complaint stated the proposed merger would result in fewer innovative offerings and higher bills for American families. Regulators also said AT&T could force rivals to pay hundreds of millions of dollars more per year for Time Warner's networks and slow the industry's transition to new video distribution models.

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The DOJ sued to block AT&T's $85.4 billion Time Warner merger, warning of higher monthly TV bills and fewer choices for consumers. Learn what's at stake.

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The Justice Department sued to block AT&T’s $85.4 billion bid for Time Warner, warning the deal could mean higher monthly TV bills and fewer options for American consumers.

In an attempt to curb corporate power, the Justice Department sued to block AT&T’s $85.4 billion bid to buy Time Warner Cable.

According to the DOJ, this merger violates anti-trust law.

AT&T said it would fight this move in court.

Some are speculating that this move by the Trump administration is a direct result of President Trump’s personal feud with CNN.

When the deal was first proposed in October of 2016, critics called it “an unhealthy concentration of power between a distributer and a maker of content.”.

Whether or not this deal goes through remains to be seen.

The Justice Department sued to block AT&T's $85.4 billion bid to buy Time Warner because, according to the DOJ, the merger violates anti-trust law.

AT&T made an $85.4 billion bid to buy Time Warner Cable.

AT&T said it would fight the move in court.

When the deal was first proposed in October 2016, critics called it an unhealthy concentration of power between a distributor and a maker of content.

The DOJ's complaint stated the proposed merger would result in fewer innovative offerings and higher bills for American families.

Billshark negotiates your bills for you — no savings, no fee.

Billshark helps lower internet, wireless, cable, satellite radio, and other monthly bills.

Our experts handle providers for customers and share updates throughout the process.

Customers pay only when Billshark finds savings on eligible bills.

1 The DOJ Moves to Block the Deal.

2 Why Antitrust Regulators Object.

3 AT&T Vows to Fight in Court.

4 The Risk of Too Much Power Over Content.

5 What It Means for Consumers.

Frequently Asked Questions.

Why did the Justice Department sue to block the AT&T-Time Warner merger?.

How much was AT&T's bid for Time Warner?.

How did AT&T respond to the lawsuit?.

Why were critics worried about the merger?.

What did the merger mean for consumers' bills?.

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