The Federal Communications Commission has decided it needs more time to make a decision on the proposed merger between Comcast and Time Warner Cable.
In a statement released Wednesday, the FCC announced it would extend its self-imposed 180-day timeline for the discussion of the deal. The extension would allow “interested parties” in the technology industry to submit responses on the merger by Dec. 23. The original due date was Oct. 8.
The FCC is also resetting the shot clocks on a potential merger between AT&T and DirecTV. In that case, the FCC has decided to roll back the 180-day counter to day 70 from day 76.
This isn’t the first time the FCC has put off making a decision on high-profile mergers.
The FCC already paused discussion of the Comcast-TWC deal twice this October in response to extension requests from Comcast competitors including DISH Network, Comptel, and Grande Communications. A similar extension was granted Oct. 22 in the AT&T-DirecTV case.
During Comcast’s controversial acquisition of NBC Universal, the FCC took even longer, needing over 230 days to finally reach a decision that would allow the deal the $45 billion dollar deal to go through.
The FCC’s 180-day discussion deadline has proven to be a symbolic gesture rather than a practical timetable, meaning consumers and investors alike have no clear indication of when either of these mergers will be resolved.
