CenturyLink needs approval from 21 states for their acquisition of Qwest. They announced today that 9 have given their blessing with public utility commissions from Louisiana and Mississippi the latest to approve the $22.4 billion transaction (including the assumption of $11.8 billion in debt).
In addition to Louisiana and Mississippi, California, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Ohio, West Virginia, and New York have approved the transaction. The combined company will serve approximately 5.2 million broadband customers, 16.2 million access lines, 1.5 million video subscribers and 980,000 wireless customers. CenturyLink expects the transaction to close sometime in the first half of 2011.
