(found on marketwatch.com)

A letter that AT&T Inc. filed with the Federal Communications Commission on Thursday, Oct. 22, may indicate significant progress in the review of the telecom's $2.8 billion acquisition of Centennial Communications Corp., a report from Stifel, Nicolaus & Co. states.

The letter outlines concessions that the carrier would be willing to make on roaming agreements and other matters. A Thursday report from Stifel, Nicolaus suggests that final approval from the purchase of the rural wireless carrier could be close at hand.

"Typically, these sorts of filings are made when discussions between the merging parties and the FCC have reached an agreement. Thus we view this as a significant and positive sign that the merger review may be reaching its conclusion," the Stifel, Nicolaus report states.

The U.S. Department of Justice cleared the deal in mid-October.

Stifel, Nicolaus cautions that complaints that Cincinnati Bell Inc.'s wireless arm lodged about handset agreements that large carriers make with manufacturers could resonate within the FCC.

"There is a risk that a commissioner may seize on this issue, particularly in light of the effort by Cincinnati Bell Wireless to make a case that it is a merger-related harm, and the political pressure on the commission to address the rural iPhone-envy issue," the reports states