DOJ Approves AT&T Buyout Of BellSouth

One down, one to go for the next phase of resurrecting Ma Bell … the Justice Department has approved the $78.5 billion deal that would make BellSouth part of already massive AT&T, giving it complete control of Cingular’s 57.3 million customers. The FCC is slated to vote on the matter Thursday although AP says that might be postponed. The commission already has one vocal “no” voter: Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein, who called today’s move “a reckless abandonment of DoJ’s responsibility to protect competition and consumers.”
Update: The FCC vote is now scheduled for Friday.

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