AT&T, DirecTV Extend Termination Date; AT&T Expects To Close 'Shortly'

AT&T and DirecTV gave themselves a little more time to win approval of their deal from the Department of Justice and FCC, said an SEC filing the companies made Monday. The prospective partners "elected to further extend the 'Termination Date' of the Merger Agreement for a short period of time to facilitate obtaining final regulatory approval required to close the merger," it said. "AT&T expects that the merger will be consummated shortly." The filing didn't specify the old or new termination dates, and an AT&T spokeswoman repeated to us that the company expects to close shortly. AT&T/DirecTV appears to be getting closer to winning approval but the review could extend past the July 4 holiday, industry attorneys and analysts told us Monday (see 1506290061). New Street Research analysts said they believe the FCC could approve the transaction the week of July 6 but that they think "the odds favor the week of the 13th or the 20th." Separately Tuesday, AT&T reached an interconnection deal with GTT (see 1506300048).