The FCC vote on AT&T’s acquisition of BellSouth rescheduled for Friday has been postponed yet again. At issue: the conditions under which the merger, which would give AT&T complete control of the nation’s largest mobile carrier, might be approved.  The FCC faces a 2-2 deadlock along party lines because the third Republican appointee, Robert McDowell, has refrained from involvement; he was a lobbyist for COMPTEL, which opposes the merger. Even if he is cleared by the general counsel, he still could abstain. Thus, the need to find enough concessions to get one of the Democrats to budge. AT&T has offered some last-minute concessions.
From the AP: “Those concessions included $10-per-month Internet access in its service area, free modems, promises to temporarily freeze prices for competitors that use the company’s networks and even a pledge to bring back some BellSouth jobs that were shipped overseas.” Not included: net neutrality guarantees, reasonably priced unbundled DSL or the return of unused wireless spectrum.  DOJ skipped conditions altogether when it approved the deal last month. So far, no new date.