FTC talking to Google rivals about AdMob deal

SAN FRANCISCO, USA:  U.S. regulators are stepping up their investigation into Google Inc's planned acquisition of mobile advertising company AdMob, suggesting that the government may challenge the $750 million deal, according to a media report on Wednesday.

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has asked at least two companies that compete with Google or are involved in advertising to sign sworn declarations, Bloomberg reported, citing unnamed people with direct knowledge of the matter.

The declarations put on paper information that the companies have already provided to the FTC during its investigation into the competitive impact of the deal.

In December, Google said it had received a "second request" for information from the FTC, postponing the immediate closing of the deal

Stephen Calkins, a former general counsel at the FTC, told Bloomberg that declarations are typically collected when agency officials believe there is a "significant chance" the agency will ask a court to block a merger or modify a deal. He added that it was not uncommon for the agency to collect affidavits and then not litigate.

Google and the FTC were not immediately available for comment.