AT&T, which just completed a $48.5 billion purchase of rival DirecTV, is now really worried that cable companies are merging too often and not competing against each other. Cable companies are coordinating and could end up acting as "a single national cable company," AT&T claimed.

AT&T submitted a filing to the Federal Communications Commission yesterday, explaining its views on Charter's proposed acquisition of Time Warner Cable (TWC) and Bright House Networks. AT&T started the letter by saying that it doesn't oppose the merger and then spent a few pages arguing that cable companies should compete against each other instead of merging.

AT&T's views here are strikingly similar to those of FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, who has urged cable companies to compete against each other and played a key role in blocking Comcast's proposed takeover of TWC. But AT&T just wants cable companies—those using coaxial cable—to compete against each other. A traditional telco buying the nation's biggest satellite TV operator, despite already offering a pay-TV service of its own, was just fine, AT&T said.

AT&T urged the FCC to "review the [Charter/TWC] transaction carefully and consider the impact of cable consolidation and coordination on emerging competition."

The cable industry "is marked by a lack of head-to-head competition," AT&T noted. "Cable companies have chosen not to compete and instead coordinate to gain shared advantages over rivals, which further industry consolidation will only facilitate."

Scrutiny of cable mergers is necessary both in the Charter/TWC case "and more broadly," AT&T told the FCC.

"Careful scrutiny is especially warranted because this increased consolidation and coordination comes just as new competitive threats are emerging," AT&T wrote. "Over-the-top video providers are disrupting the traditional cable pay TV model by revolutionizing the way consumers access and view video. AT&T/DirecTV—which the Commission described as 'a bet on competition'—is investing billions to go toe-to-toe with cable incumbents and foster online video distribution (OVD)."

UPDATE: After this article published, the National Cable & Telecommunications Association responded to AT&T with this statement: “AT&T recently merged with DirecTV to become the largest pay TV provider in the United States. So it is an amazing act of hubris to see them implore the government to help them diminish the effectiveness of a competitor, disparagingly citing actions that are common, pro-consumer or purely imaginary. Having long criticized others for making sweeping, vague, industry-wide allegations in the context of its own mergers, it is precious to see them employing the same self-serving tactic against others. Undoubtedly, the FCC will see AT&T’s action for what it is, a flimsy ad hominem attack to advance its own commercial interests.”

Cable mergers are bad, but our merger was great

In approving AT&T/DirecTV, the FCC said the deal would increase competition for "bundles of video and broadband." AT&T had said its own pay-TV service couldn't compete against cable, while DirecTV had no Internet service to offer.

AT&T claimed that its newfound ability to compete against cable "is vulnerable to coordinated exclusionary actions by cable" because of further consolidation.

"Cable companies share common, national rivals in broadband, video, and telecommunications services," AT&T wrote. "These geographically segregated cable companies therefore have incentives to coordinate their activities to fend off these common rivals and have demonstrated the ability to do so... The transaction would reduce by two the number of major cable operators, and create a second cable giant—alongside Comcast—that together would be able to dictate strategy for the entire cable industry."

AT&T urged the FCC to examine how cable's affiliated programming, such as Comcast's ownership of NBCUniversal and other networks, creates potential for anticompetitive conduct.

AT&T said it has "firsthand experience" of cable companies using programming interests against competitors, pointing back to Cablevision withholding high-definition versions of regional sports networks from AT&T. "A national online distribution platform created through cable coordination could likewise pose a threat to OVD development," AT&T wrote.

Next, AT&T argued that cable companies have the ability to "impede the development of a consumer-friendly mobile video experience," due to their ownership of hundreds of thousands of Wi-Fi hotspots. AT&T also doesn't like CableLabs, a consortium founded by cable companies. "With closed membership and a process opaque to outsiders, major cable companies could use their control over CableLabs to promote technical features and intellectual property that favor cable and its technologies over other [pay-TV companies] or OVDs," AT&T wrote.

In 2011, the FCC prevented AT&T from buying wireless rival T-Mobile US.

AT&T continues net neutrality and throttling fights

AT&T is already clashing with the FCC on other issues, suing the commission to overturn net neutrality rules and fighting a $100 million fine the FCC issued as punishment for throttling customers on unlimited wireless data plans.

The telco's letter about Charter/TWC also urged the FCC to "resist calls by the cable industry" to more heavily regulate business-class Internet enterprise services offered by companies like AT&T.

AT&T concluded its letter by warning that a combined Charter/TWC will, "along with the other major cable companies that have chosen not to compete with each other, effectively act as a single national cable company capable of 'put[ting] sand in the gears of competition through the totality of its efforts,' impairing broadband service, video distribution, and program access." The "sand in the gears" quote refers to a recent speech by FCC General Counsel Jon Sallet.

Though AT&T technically isn't opposing the Charter merger, other organizations are. TV broadcasters are trying to stop the deal, as is Dish Network and several consumer advocacy groups.

Charter must prove to the FCC that the deal will benefit consumers. The FCC is gathering evidence, having recently sent requests for information to a variety of companies that might be affected by the merger, including AT&T.

Disclosure: Bright House, a smaller cable company that is part of the Charter/TWC deal, is owned by the Advance/Newhouse Partnership, which is part of Advance Publications. Advance Publications owns Condé Nast, which owns Ars Technica. Advance/Newhouse would own 13 percent of Charter after the proposed transactions.