Therefore, the regulatory review process which could take anywhere from the standard 50 days to upwards of the eight months that it took federal officials to sign off on Time Warner's acquisition of Turner Broadcasting has yet to begin. Case said that AOL Time Warner would be committed to the principle of choice and would open its cable network to ISPs, but did not specify a timetable. There is not really a consolidation in the sense of expanding your position, which might be the case if we were buying a major Internet company. Time Warner Chairman Gerald Levin said during the call that he expects the company will seek approval from the FCC and local municipalities for the transfer of cable franchises from Time Warner to the new company. The combination of AOL and Time Warner doesn't really hit any regulatory barriers and, certainly from my perspective, this is a compelling combination that actually has an opportunity on a worldwide basis to make a substantial contribution.
Analysts agree that the potential antitrust implications of the deal are few.
But Roadrunner is a pipsqueak of a player compared to AOL's service. It's conceivable they could force the divestiture of Roadrunner. But that's not a big deal. Others speculate that consumer groups are likely to raise questions with federal authorities about the new company's commitment to opening its cable systems to competing ISPs and about the potential hazards for consumers if a company can combine content and access on the Internet. These are rules that favor them and not a level playing field.