| If anything charter might be BUYING Not selling. Otherwise this makes no sense.. |
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openbox9Premium
join:2004-01-26
japan
kudos:2 | How exactly? said by Karl Bode:Add to that a consolidation in the number of major cable players, and you've got a recipe for even less competition moving forward. How exactly does allowing non-competing cable providers merge reduce competition? |
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| AT&T, Verizon, Cox, Comcast, Charter, Time Warner Cable
becomes
Comcast, Charter Warner Cable, Cox
The point being made in terms of overall consolidation resulting in even less competition is not complicated. |
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Reviews:
 ·T-Mobile US
·Sprint Mobile Br..
| reply to Metatron2008
Re: If anything charter might be BUYING said by Metatron2008:Not selling. Otherwise this makes no sense..
Charter is not really big, or really good. There are reasons they've been streamlining operations and changing all sorts of things around. It really wouldn't make a difference either way. |
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ame101
join:2002-05-02
Southington, CT | Not shocked. Stuff has been up with Charter in CT, would not be shocked. |
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| reply to Komo Misomo
Re: How exactly? said by Komo Misomo :AT&T, Verizon, Cox, Comcast, Charter, Time Warner Cable
becomes
Comcast, Charter Warner Cable, Cox
The point being made in terms of overall consolidation resulting in even less competition is not complicated.
It's not less competition. For example there are ZERO areas where Charter and Cox compete for customers. And if a merger happens it make sense for these 2 to do it than have Time Warner involved. Cox is privately owned and would not need to ask shareholder permission or accpetance to get bought out or merge with Charter. |
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| Nobody is saying cable operators compete with each other. But AT&T and Verizon's exit from DSL and the further consolidation of cable operators does mean even less competition and higher rates. Anyone arguing otherwise, or denying the problems inherent in just three or four major companies controlling a nationwide market is smoking some very lovely ISP industry employee reefer. |
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| reply to bobjohnson
Re: If anything charter might be BUYING Yeah I don't see an acquisition or merger with any of the other inattentive, investment-phobic operators resulting in anything good. |
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 jgkoltPremium
join:2004-02-21
Lakewood, OH | think smaller Maybe they are looking to buy(or be sold) by one of the smaller communication companies like windstream, centurytel, etc. |
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Reviews:
 ·Charter
| good ol stock bumping I wonder who is selling out their portion of the stock, because charter does not have the assets, or the credibility to even sell themselves right now, so this is nothing more than stock fluffing, and if they do sell, it would probably be a bad thing. |
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| reply to Komo Misomo
Re: How exactly? said by Komo Misomo :Nobody is saying cable operators compete with each other. But AT&T and Verizon's exit from DSL and the further consolidation of cable operators does mean even less competition and higher rates. Anyone arguing otherwise, or denying the problems inherent in just three or four major companies controlling a nationwide market is smoking some very lovely ISP industry employee reefer.
Once again how would a Cox, Charter merger effect competition? At&t and Verizon are going to do what they do regardless. You're not making much sense. Also and maybe just a coincidence but in most Charter areas the main telco is at&T and same thing goes with Cox. So really this would have zero effect on Verizon either way.
On the TV side a Charter/Cox merger would still be much smaller than Comcast, TW, DirecTv and Dish Network. And be less of an issue for approval than say a Charter/TW merger. |
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| reply to Chubbysumo
Re: good ol stock bumping said by Chubbysumo:I wonder who is selling out their portion of the stock, because charter does not have the assets, or the credibility to even sell themselves right now, so this is nothing more than stock fluffing, and if they do sell, it would probably be a bad thing.
Why would they need to fluff their stock? Even before this talk came about the stock had been up 30% over the past year. |
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| reply to anon anon
Re: How exactly? I think you're being intentionally obtuse.
There's about a thousand studies out there highlighting how market consolidation, and/or the reduction in number of overall market gatekeepers reduces competition and harms consumers -- regardless of whether or not Comcast competes with Cox directly.
Read one. |
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 hdmanFlt RiderPremium
join:2003-11-25
Appleton, WI
 ·exede by ViaSat
| Something needs to happen... Charter is horrible in my area. Being bought by TWC who covers the area all around us might not be a bad thing at all. Couldn't get worse, thats for sure.....
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The proper way to break in a Harley: Grab a fist full of throttle, and ride it like you stole it!!! |
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 LinklistPremium
join:2002-03-03
Longport, NJ
kudos:5 | reply to openbox9
Re: How exactly? said by openbox9:said by Karl Bode:Add to that a consolidation in the number of major cable players, and you've got a recipe for even less competition moving forward. How exactly does allowing non-competing cable providers merge reduce competition? True. There is very little over-building in cable areas. Except for WOW and where FIOS TV is available, there is little to no competition at the street level for cable companies.
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A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves money from the public treasury. |
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JPLPremium
join:2007-04-04
Downingtown, PA
kudos:2 | reply to Komo Misomo
said by Komo Misomo :I think you're being intentionally obtuse.
There's about a thousand studies out there highlighting how market consolidation, and/or the reduction in number of overall market gatekeepers reduces competition and harms consumers -- regardless of whether or not Comcast competes with Cox directly.
Read one.
Maybe I'm obtuse too, because I think you're missing it. Their footprints don't overlap. If I'm in a Charter market, my choices for broadband suppliers doesn't go down because of this merger. They stay exactly the same. If they competed in the same market you would have a point. But they don't. You're not reducing providers in any market if this merger were to happen. |
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LinklistPremium
join:2002-03-03
Longport, NJ
kudos:5 | said by JPL:said by Komo Misomo :I think you're being intentionally obtuse.
There's about a thousand studies out there highlighting how market consolidation, and/or the reduction in number of overall market gatekeepers reduces competition and harms consumers -- regardless of whether or not Comcast competes with Cox directly.
Read one.
Maybe I'm obtuse too, because I think you're missing it. Their footprints don't overlap. If I'm in a Charter market, my choices for broadband suppliers doesn't go down because of this merger. They stay exactly the same. If they competed in the same market you would have a point. But they don't. You're not reducing providers in any market if this merger were to happen. I agree with you, but you are missing his point - that being big alone is bad all by itself. It is all part of the philosophy some have that big corporations are all evil and that bigger is more evil.
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A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves money from the public treasury. |
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 IowaCowboyWant to go back to IowaPremium
join:2010-10-16
Springfield, MA
·Comcast
·Verizon Broadban..
| Good riddance I think Charter may be on the brink of collapse. A few years ago, Charter had to file chapter 11 bankruptcy and almost ended up in chapter 7 liquidation. I would actually like to see Charter go out of business as I live in an area that is dominated by Charter and Comcast (fortunately I'm on the Comcast side of the Ludlow bridge) and many of the locals who've dealt with both Charter and Comcast say Charter is worse. I'd like to see either Time Warner or Mediacom come to town. Time Warner has better support while Comcast has better technology.
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I've experienced ImOn (when they were McLeod USA), Mediacom, Comcast, and Time Warner. They are much better than broadcast TV.
I have not and will not cut the cord. |
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| reply to anon anon
Re: How exactly? While I agree they don't directly over lap coverage areas, I seem to remember that each municipality has a specific contract with a particular Cable operator. Periodically those contracts come up for renewal, so in the case of a Cable merger the Townships now have less choices for their particular town. That being said I don't think I have ever heard of a town kicking the incumbent provider out. |
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| reply to Linklist
No, I'm not simply saying that bigger is naturally bad and evil, trolling smart ass.
I'm saying there's an ocean of data showing that consolidation, even if companies don't directly compete, has a direct impact on overall competition, opinion diversity, service quality, customer support. When you combine cable consolidation with Verizon and AT&T's decision to hang up on tens of millions of customers, you run into massive issues. When you consolidate mindlessly customer support always suffers.
I'm glad some of you think that's something people should be cheering about.
We'll see how glib and obtuse some of you are when your only choice is Cox. I swear to god, people on this website love cheerleading against their own best interests. |
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