FCC Approves AT&T buyout of DirecTV, Comcast now #2

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Today the FCC has finally voted to allow AT&T to acquire DirecTV.
Once completed AT&T will become the biggest cable/satellite/pay-TV provider in the U.S., beating out Comcast.
Though the FCC decision comes with conditions which AT&T must deliver and some are binding for 4 years (breaking these conditions will result in penalties):

*Deploy 12.5M fibre connections to consumers (AT&T had been refusing to do this for years now).
*Create an E-rated tier of broadband (discounted) for schools and libraries
*Start providing discounted broadband to low cost individuals
*AT&T's Data Caps but be applied in the same manner to AT&T online services as done to all other online services
*AT&T must give FCC access to their network connections to ensure anti-competitive practices aren't being done (AT&T has been fighting claims of anti competitive behavior with online services)
*AT&T must appoint both an internal and external compliance directors to ensure compliance with the terms.
http://arstechnica.com/business/2015/07 ... customers/

This deal should bring better services and prices for all (at the very least stave off a price hike for a few months).

Sorry. Never cared for DirecTV, because they refuse to carry local affiliates from small US markets, while DISH does. Hopefully AT&T will make DirecTV catch up with the 21st century and give all viewers access to their local channels, regardless of where they live.
I did get to tour the huge DISH upload centre in Cheyenne, Wyoming (about 90 minutes north of where I live) and it was quite impressive. I believe that location can receive more TV channels (via satellite) than any other place on Earth.

Of course nowdays internet streaming is giving both cable TV and satellite some pretty stiff competition, and I suspect the end result will be the big TV providers refocusing on high-speed internet service instead of actual TV programme delivery.

I find it an interesting development.

Thank you. Southeast Wyoming (as well as the rest of the Rocky Mountain Front Range) does see some really dramatical thunderstorms in the summer months. IIRC I found that pic at an Echostar satellite website.