Verizon Deal Nears Regulatory Approval
Federal regulators are preparing to clear Verizon Wireless’s $3.9 billion deal to acquire airwaves from several cable companies including Comcast Corp., according to people close to the negotiations, after the companies reached broad agreement to settle antitrust concerns.
To clinch their deal with Verizon Wireless, the cable companies have agreed to limit the scope and duration of side agreements to sell each other’s services, the people said. Consumer groups and other critics had said the joint marketing pacts were effectively agreements between the companies not to compete for customers seeking broadband Internet, television and phone services in their homes.
