Coalition Formed to Oppose Charter-TWC Deal

NEW YORK: DISH Network is among the members of the newly formed Stop Mega Cable Coalition, which was established in response to the proposed merger of Charter Communications, Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks.

The Stop Mega Cable Coalition includes industry groups such as U.S. Telecom and the NTCA rural broadband group, along with advocacy groups, including Common Cause and Public Knowledge. The coalition believes that the FCC and DOJ need to address “the harms” that would result from the merger. In particular, it takes aim at the “duopoly” of Comcast and the merged entity, which it dubs Mega Cable.

Together, Mega Cable and Comcast would dominate the high-speed broadband marketplace, the coalition argues. The two companies would serve the vast majority—nearly 90 percent—of all high-speed broadband homes in the country. “That puts these giants in a position to control the fate of new and emerging OTT services that rely on a robust high-speed broadband connection.”

The new Mega Cable will also have too much power, the coalition asserts. “Mega Cable, combined with Comcast, would control nearly 90 percent of the high-speed broadband market. With that much power, Mega Cable will most likely act on its incentives to favor its own content at the expense of competitors and consumers. Among other things, Mega Cable could raise prices, shortchange customer service, stifle innovation, strangle competition and starve-out independent programmers.”