The US Justice Department ( DOJ)announced on Wednesdayit ’s suing AT&T , allege the society used DirecTV in an illegal campaign to block carriage of a television channel own by the Los Angeles Dodgers .
Thelawsuitaccuses DirecTV and its parent company AT&T of sharing private negotiating entropy with other TV providers including Cox Communications and Charter Communications to derive an illegal advantage over common adversary Time Warner Cable , which had been selling licenses to send the Dodgers Channel on other networks .
When the three cable providers ( AT&T , Cox , and Charter ) collectively agreed not to carry the Dodgers channel being licence by Time Warner Cable , the DOJ alleges , they illegally reduced the likeliness that a customers would jump to another supplier so as to watch live Dodgers games . The DOJ outlines itsallegations of collusionin tremendous item .
… a significant number of Dodgers fans have had no opportunity in recent years to watch their squad play on boob tube because overlapping and free-enterprise pay television provider did not telecast Dodgers games . Those consumers were divest of a fair competitive process when DIRECTV unlawfully exchanged strategical info with three competitor during their parallel negotiations concerning carrying Dodgers games .
To this solar day , Dodgers games are still not useable on AT&T , DirecTV , or Cox Communications . The importance of this character of blockage has been amplified by the fact that the Dodgers have made it to the playoff in both of the last two season . Unfortunately for TV reader , it ’s really been very difficult to take in the games .
The cause does not betoken well for AT&T , which is currently in the unconscious process of taste to develop Time Warner Cable ( a disjoined company from Time Warner ) for$85.4 billion . The deal will belike be reviewed by the Justice Department . The DOJ ’s new lawsuit could lift question about the party ’s ability to wound competition , something that could forbid the mountain from rifle through . As for Dodgers fans , at least they have the whole offseason to find better TV providers .
AT&T
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