Why Google could merge with Verizon

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) are two behemoths in the corporate world, and in telecommunications and the Internet economy. However, a merger between the two of them in the next few years is not so far-fetched, according to an opinion column from FierceCable Editor Steve Donohue. A Google-Verizon marriage would be the largest corporate merger ever. The companies had a combined market cap of $537 billion at Wednesday's market close. Yet there are more than a few reasons why such a deal might work, including the fact that there is no overlap (yet) between Verizon's FiOS footprint and Google Fiber deployments. The combined company could also deliver affordable high-speed Internet service through both wired and wireless networks, and it could provide competition to a combined Comcast and Time Warner Cable. Further, it might improve home automation and telemedicine. For all the reasons, read this Editor's Corner.