Tag Archives: Charter Communications

Charter blocked customer-owned modems for two years, must pay fine

Posted on by Leave a comment

photo: Cisco, Ars Technica

The FCC’s Media Bureau began an investigation in July 2015 after modem maker Zoom Telephonics asked the commission to take action. Zoom also petitioned the FCC in October 2015 to reject Charter’s purchase of Time Warner Cable (TWC) and Bright House Networks. […] Because of the FCC investigation, Charter is shortening its modem testing period to three weeks. The $640,000 fine will be paid to the US Treasury. – Jon Brodkin, Ars Technica

The FCC won’t let Charter/Time Warner put data caps on internet plans

Posted on by Leave a comment

photo: Shutterstock/Everett, Re/Code

If you’re a broadband subscriber at one of those companies, here’s what that means for you: Go ahead and stream all you want, all the time — your internet company can’t penalize you for bandwidth consumption. New rules from the Federal Communications Commission mean that Charter Communications “will not be permitted to charge usage-based prices or impose data caps” for at least seven years after the merger. – Peter Kafka, Re/code

Anti-Charter/TWC Form Complaints Flood FCC

Posted on by Leave a comment

The merger docket is by far the most active, with over 40,761 comments filed in the last 30 days (the special access proceeding is second at 3,688). […] There are countless such form complaints-and at a minimum many hundreds posted in the past couple of days–which stem from a nomoremergers.com Web site that allows web surfers to submit it to the FCC with a click of a mouse (and a name, address, e-mail and Zip Code). In fact, in a random check of 25 of the most recent comments (posted Feb. 18), all 25 were that same online petition. The site was showing a big spike in activity over the past two days. – John Eggerton, Multichannel News

Comcast and Charter may soon control 70% of 25Mbps Internet subscriptions

Posted on by Leave a comment

photo: Free Press/Flickr, Ars Technica

Market share measurements based on the 25Mbps standard could factor into the FCC’s ongoing review of Charter’s merger. Comcast’s attempt to buy TWC was prevented by the FCC over fears Comcast would use its greater size to harm online video services. But Charter argues that it isn’t a danger in this case, because Charter doesn’t impose data caps and promised not to charge online video services like Netflix for network interconnection deals that improve video quality. Charter said in November that it would serve 23 percent of the nation’s 25Mbps-and-up broadband subscribers if it can buy TWC and BHN. Comcast has about 47.6 percent based on our calculations, pushing the two companies’ total over 70 percent. The vast majority of Comcast subscribers have speeds of at least 25Mbps. – Jon Brodkin, Ars Technica

After NY OKs merger, Time Warner Cable raises rates

Posted on by Leave a comment

photo: Albany Times Union 

Time Warner Cable is raising its Internet and TV rates for customers in New York state just a 10 days after getting approval from state regulators for its $55 billion merger with Charter Communications. [TWC]’s standard TV package will increase from $76.99 a month to $78.99 a month. […] There are also new prices for the company’s basic and standard Internet services, which will now be $49.99 a month and $59.99 a month, although it is unclear what the current prices are for those offerings. The cost of a Digital HD, DVR or HD DVR set top box and remote is rising from $6.98 a month to $8.50 a month. – Larry Rulison, Albany Times Union

U.S. Carrier Notes: T-Mobile’s Free Streaming Plans; Sprint Restructuring Updates

Posted on by Leave a comment
So far, cord-cutting is moving at a stroll, not a stampede. Although Charter Communications has added customers for its other services, the number taking cable TV is down about 1 percent over the past year. In its latest financial report, Charter said that 32 percent of its customers reject TV (also called video service), up from 28 percent a year earlier. Still, even a small percentage equals a big number of customers lost. Last spring alone, 479,000 people cut the cord at the nation’s 20 biggest cable and satellite TV providers, according to Strategy Analytics. – Jim Gallagher, Forbes

AT&T blasts cable mergers, says cable companies should compete instead

Posted on by Leave a comment

photo: Paramount/CBS, Ars Technica

[T]he 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.” – Jon Brodkin, Ars Technica

Comcast spent $336 million on failed attempt to buy Time Warner Cable

Posted on by Leave a comment

Comcast’s earnings report for Q1 2015, released today, notes $99 million in “transaction-related costs” for its attempt to acquire Time Warner Cable and execute a related transaction with Charter. That’s in addition to another $99 million in Q4 2014, $77 million in Q3 2014, $44 million in Q2 2014, and $17 million in Q1 2014. – Jon Brodkin, Ars Technica

Time Warner Cable is reportedly open to being acquired by Charter

Posted on by Leave a comment

Reuters reports that Time Warner is “open” to being acquired by Charter Communications, in a move that would create a cable giant with 15.6 million video subscribers and 16.4 million broadband customers. That’s smaller than the giant that would have been created by a combination of Comcast and Time Warner, which would have had 21.7 million video subscribers and 20.7 million broadband customers. But given the Federal Communications Commission’s close scrutiny of the earlier merger attempt, a Charter bid for Time Warner could still face rough going. – Casey Newton, The Verge

Charter Acquires Rival Bright House For $10.4B

Posted on by Leave a comment

According to Charter Communications, business will be conducted through a new partnership of which Charter will own 73.7%, with Bright House owner Advance/Newhouse owning the other 26.3%. The consideration to be paid will include common and convertible preferred units in addition to $2 billion in cash. […] It’s unclear whether this tie-up would cause a problem for Comcast: If the Time Warner Cable deal goes through, then the cable giant has agreed to unload 3.9 million subs to Charter and a new co-owned company. Comcast wants to assure federal regulators that, after a merger, it would serve less than 30% of all pay TV subscribers — which used to be a ceiling for one company. It’s not clear whether the Bright House customers would count in that tally. – Patrick Hipes & David Lieberman, Deadline Hollywood
« Older Entries