AOL Time Warner: Timeline of the merger

The key events in the merger of AOL and Time Warner, creating the world's largest internet and media company.

10 January 2000

Time Warner and America Online announce their plans to merge in a deal originally worth about $165bn. The two firm's combined stockmarket value at that point was $350bn. AOL's shares soar on the stock market.

29 February 2000

AOL chairman Steve Case and Time Warner chairman Gerald Levin testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee, pledging to open up their cable broadband services to internet providers besides AOL.

27 March 2000

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) begins its review of the merger.

14 April 2000

US high-tech stock market Nasdaq crashes, bringing down the value of the AOL deal.

26 April 2000

Consumer groups file a petition with the FCC seeking a major restructuring of the proposed merger.

They say the new company would dominate the new, fast-growing broadband internet market, especially if it was allowed to cooperate with rival AT&T.

They also complain that the merger would create a monopoly on instant messaging systems.

19 June 2000

European Commission begins investigation of the merger, focusing on concerns that it will dominate the online music business.

23 June 2000

Shareholders of AOL and Time Warner overwhelmingly approve the proposed merger.

28 June 2000

AOL promises the FCC that it will support efforts to make its popular instant messaging service work with rival systems, but first it wants to ensure the privacy and security of its users.

20 July 2000

AOL announces its first $1bn profit achieved during a single financial year, and has now 25m subscribers.

September 2000

Staff of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the US anti-trust agency reviewing the merger, seek binding assurances that the proposed deal will allow AOL rivals access to Time Warner's broadband cable systems.

11 October 2000

The European Commission approves the merger but blocks the acquisition of EMI by Time Warner and any future deals with Bertelsmann, AOL's European partner.

20 November 2000

Time Warner agrees to carry AOL's internet service rival, EarthLink, on its high-speed broadband cable systems.

14 December 2000

FTC approves the merger, subject to Time Warner opening its broadband services to AOL's competitors.

11 January 2001

The FCC approves the merger subject to further protection for AOL and Time Warner's rivals and open access to future instant messaging services.