Feds Defend approval of Telecom Megamergers

FEDS DEFEND APPROVAL OF TELECOM MEGAMERGERS
[SOURCE: C-Net|News.com, AUTHOR: Anne Broache]
The U.S. Justice Department on Thursday denied allegations that it fudged the analysis that prompted it to approve two telecommunications megamergers now under scrutiny by U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan. In a filing Justice lawyers took issue with accusations of wrongdoing lodged by opponents of the twin deals -- between AT&T and SBC Communications, and Verizon and MCI -- at a November 30 court hearing. When approving the mergers, the Justice Department concluded that it needed to place limited conditions--namely, requirements aimed at ensuring that the companies' competitors could gain access to fiber optic connections in certain commercial buildings where Verizon and MCI or AT&T and SBC had been the only two companies supplying some types of connections.
http://news.com.com/Feds+defend+approval+of+telecom+megamergers/2100-103...