dslreports logo
 story category
FCC Quietly Votes 4-1 to Approve Charter Merger

The FCC quietly voted 4-1 this week to approve Charter Communications' $79 billion acquisition of Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks. Anonymous sources tell Reuters and Bloomberg that the only dissenting vote appears to be that of former Verizon regulatory lawyer turned FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai. A Pai staffer told The Hill his no vote was driven by concerns of over-regulation.

Click for full size
"The FCC's merger review process is badly broken," a Pai spokesperson said. "Chairman Wheeler's order isn't about competition, competition, competition; it's about regulation, regulation, regulation," the spokesperson added. "It's about imposing conditions that have nothing to do with the merits of this transaction. It's about the government micromanaging the internet economy."

As noted previously, the FCC's approvals comes with a few conditions. Most notable being that Charter cannot impose usage caps on the company's subscribers for a period of seven years after the deal is signed. Charter will also be prohibited into bullying broadcasters into preventing streaming companies from getting a fair deal on programming agreements, and will also police Charter's behavior on the interconnection front.

"The cumulative impact of these conditions will be to provide additional protection for new forms of video programming services offered over the Internet," FCC boss Tom Wheeler said of the conditions.

Granted there's historically not much the FCC does that Pai actually likes. The Commissioner has even voted down attempts to fine AT&T for defrauding the Lifeline program and similarly complained at great length (pdf) about the FCC's attempt to hold AT&T accountable for lying to consumers about its throttling practies. Pai's generally seen as the most likely to nab the Commission leadership should Trump win the White House later this year.

Most recommended from 32 comments


shmerl
join:2013-10-21

1 edit

18 recommendations

shmerl

Member

Back at you, commissioner Pai

quote:
Chairman Wheeler's order isn't about competition, competition, competition; it's about regulation, regulation, regulation," the spokesperson added.
Your constant position is not about "no regulation, no regulation, no regulation", it's about "monopoly, monopoly, monopoly".

Steve B
Premium Member
join:2004-08-02
Auburn, WA

11 recommendations

Steve B

Premium Member

The Standalone

It's no surprise. Ajit Pai is a shill. He's proven that time and time again. He obviously is banking on the GOP getting into the Oval where like it was mentioned, he'd get the top spot at the FCC. It's that or he's banking on getting into some highly paid lobbying position.

boonie
@suddenlink.net

10 recommendations

boonie

Anon

hopefully Wheeler goes against the norm.

Hope Wheeler goes against the norm.There nothing in the law that says he has to retire his seat for the incoming president to choose a new comissioner. I think if he goes against the norm like about retireing his seat like he has against the cable,telco's and satelite companies, There would be millions of happy consumers of the services.
Can just see Pat getting in the seat,Can we guess bottom of the list of contries with broadband and prices the consumers pay for service,rental fees on equipment,Overprice caps,etc. Would give it 2 years and our country would be at the bottom on everything that has to do with cable,voip,broadband,telco and satellite.

So the millions out there need to push it on Wheeler to not to retire even if it is the norm and expected by the incumbants. Its totally his right to refuse by law.

mixdup
join:2003-06-28
Alpharetta, GA

8 recommendations

mixdup

Member

Pai

Ajit Pai is a piece of work. Charter voluntarily agreed to those conditions, it's not like the FCC is forcing them onto an unwilling "victim".

maartena
Elmo
Premium Member
join:2002-05-10
Orange, CA

5 recommendations

maartena

Premium Member

No cap.

I'm just happy I won't have to worry about a cap for 7 years. I would have rather kept TWC as is, but I guess this isn't too bad of a deal compared to the Comcast one.

woody7
Premium Member
join:2000-10-13
Torrance, CA

3 recommendations

woody7

Premium Member

hmmmmmm

I can see his point, lord knows that that sector is so "over" regulated now ............./