The Comcast/Time Warner Cable deal last week was officially submitted to the FCC and got a semi-official sendoff in the form of the first Hill hearing on the acquisition.
If questions at that hearing were any indication, it will not be a simple case of no overlapping geographic markets, so no problem.
Key to the review of the deal will be the degree to which combining the country’s top ISP and the No. 3 ISP creates any game-changing issues for either the Justice Department or the FCC.
Obviously, Washington is right to ask the question. But Comcast has done much to try and allay those fears, including pointing out that it is subject to no-blocking and non-discrimination rules through at least 2018—likely longer if this deal goes through.
Big is not always bad. The FCC and Justice should keep that in mind.
