This deal is sadly going to go through. It's all based on anchoring and based on the industry's first "offer" to the FCC and other regulators:
1. Let us create a "fast" lane and a "slow" lane. This allows Telcos and ISPs to raise rates and gain even more power than we already had.
2. Let us, as the #1/2 player in an oligopoly, merge with the #3/4 "competitor". This allows us to provide better service, etc, etc, etc.
#1 is ridiculous and the public push-back has been strong that it likely won't happen (let's pray to God it doesn't). However, in the context of asking for industry-wide de-regulation (that still might go through), a merger between industry leaders, which happens all the time, doesn't seem that ridiculous. Plus, having an FCC chairman who used to be your head lobbyist helps the merger even more[1].