New Jersey has joined 23 other states and territories in signing off on CenturyLink’s proposed $34 billion acquisition of Level 3 Communications.
With the latest approval, that leaves California as the only state yet to clear the deal.
The news follows on the heels of July approvals from four states, when Alaska, Colorado, New, York, and Pennsylvania gave the merger a greenlight.
The remaining states that also gave regulatory approval include: Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, Ohio, Puerto Rico, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia.
“We’re pleased to announce, with the addition of New Jersey, 24 states and territories have approved or cleared CenturyLink’s acquisition of Level 3 and recognize this transaction is clearly in the public interest,” John F. Jones, SVP for public policy and government relations at CenturyLink, comments.
The transaction is still subject to various regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.
Jones adds that CenturyLink is working with the California Public Utilities Commission and federal regulatory agencies to clinch the remaining necessary approvals so that the deal can close by its target date of the end of the third quarter this year.
“The combined company will have an extensive global network with a greater range of services that will meet customers’ and communities’ growing bandwidth and technology needs,” Jones noted in July.
