According to Fierce Telecom, the FCC has approved the Qwest-CenturyLink merger. Now there is only one more hurdle – they need only to get approval from Oregon. Concessions were made to ensure the approval…

CenturyLink will be required to offer qualifying households broadband starting at less than $10 per month and a computer for less than $150, and keep the window open for five years.

From a broadband speed perspective, the newly combined company will have to expand the capabilities of Qwest’s current broadband network to enable download speeds of at least four Mbps to at least four million homes and businesses in addition to anchor institutions such as schools and libraries.

And with CenturyLink and Qwest upping the ante of their respective broadband offerings to support 25 and even 40 Mbps-based services, the FCC would also like the new companies to double the amount of homes and businesses that can get 12 Mbps broadband and triple the number that can get 40 Mbps-capable broadband speeds.