FCC poised to approve AT&T-DirecTV merger

The Federal Communications Commission is preparing to sign off on AT&T’s proposed merger with DirecTV, Reuters reported on Wednesday night.

Though the agency is reportedly likely to ask for conditions on the deal, none of them are severe enough to cause AT&T to call off the transaction.

{mosads}The conditions are likely to include measures aimed at having AT&T provide Internet access to middle- and low-income Americans, according to Reuters. This will reportedly include asking them to offer a standalone Internet service that would not require a TV subscription.

They are also looking at ways to have the provider follow the net neutrality order, according to the report. AT&T has filed a lawsuit challenging the rules.

AT&T has already volunteered to provide more service in rural areas and create certain standalone options.

The FCC declined to comment on the report.

The news comes as lawyers at the Justice Department are reportedly winding down their own review of the $48.5 billion deal.

The two regulators effectively killed a proposed merger between Comcast and Time Warner Cable earlier this year. But the AT&T deal has received significantly less public criticism than the Comcast transaction.

The FCC did announce earlier this month that it was planning to fine AT&T for allegedly misleading users about throttling on some of its plans. AT&T denies any wrongdoing.