Comcast Corporation's Merger with At&T Broadband

In December 2001, Comcast won the auction to acquire AT&T Broadband. The $72-billion winning bid would combine Comcast, the country's third-largest cable operator, with the industry leader. Comcast Corp. President Roberts and Comcast Cable President Burke had to consider post-merger-integration strategies. This case examines (1) how government legislation can affect the competitive dynamics of an industry, (2) the difficulties companies face in integrating senior-management teams with different management styles and companies with different cultures, (3) integrating complementary products with low opportunity to cross-sell and achieve cost savings, (4) establishing "success metrics" for a defensive acquisition, and (5) understanding how integration activities can send signals across a corporation.