Comcast Corp.'s bold move to buy rival Time Warner Cable in a $45-billion deal once seemed inevitable.
Wall Street figured combining the nation's two largest cable operators wouldn't have much problem clearing regulatory hurdles. Both companies operate in different parts of the country, and wouldn't be seen as anti-competitive. Subscribers, including 1.8 million in the Los Angeles region, would have the same number of choices for pay-TV as they currently do.
But that was 11 months ago — and a lot has changed.
