Charter and Cox to Merge

Astyanax

Charter Communications and Cox Communications to merge in $34.5 billion deal. Spectrum to be the customer-facing brand across both companies.

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/05/16/cable-rivals-charter-and-cox-to-merge.html

Ultibeam

We can hope this means the end of Cox data capping. I’m guessing the combined cableco will be larger than Comcast. They will get to feel what being number 2 is like.

Here’s the press release: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/charter-communications-and-cox-communications-announce-definitive-agreement-to-combine-companies-302457690.html

xpxp2002

Ultibeam Or that they will extend data caps across both footprints.

I see no good that comes from this merger. “Redundant” back office roles will result in layoffs. Even less competition in the provider space. An even-larger behemoth will be created to continue lobbying federal and state governments to create/strengthen roadblocks to overbuilders and municipal ISP competition.

vaxvms

Has the FCC approved this?

Not_Sure

vaxvms The deal was just announced. How would the FCC have time to approve it?

Not_Sure

xpxp2002 what competition? cable companies do not compete with each other as is. As far as the rest? hyperbole. I live in teh boonies rural area. TEC fiber is doing construction here as we speak. I have Verizon 5G Home Internet available at my address. I’m sure Cox customers that have caps will enjoy not having them anymore

toolman1990

I doubt Charter Communication’s will do data caps since they will lose even more customers to FWA services which are unlimited.

Not_Sure

toolman1990 Even if they did, in RDOF areas caps are required to be a minimum of 2 TB. But I agree caps aren’t coming. I remember 2 years ago when Charter’s restrictions on caps ended all the doom and gloom people were whining abut the incoming caps. 2 years alter and still no caps.

VerizonLover

toolman1990

FWA is worse than fixed broadband.

PON > DOCSIS > FWA (PON of course being the best)

toolman1990

VerizonLover Depends on the area. In addition, if you have to pay per GB the worse unlimited option might be a cheaper tolerable option.

AMDUSER

Ultibeam We can hope this means the end of Cox data capping. .."

I don’t see extending data caps happening.. It can cause too much churn rate. Given that in a number of markets, Charter / Spectrum has to deal with Frontier fiber [FTTP], with Frontier having no caps. I would not be surprised if they just eliminated the data caps over at the Cox service areas.

telcodad

Astyanax Charter Communications and Cox Communications to merge in $34.5 billion deal. Spectrum to be the customer-facing brand across both companies.

Yeah, but the combined company will be called Cox:

From:
https://www.tvtechnology.com/news/cox-charter-to-merge-in-usd34-5-deal

Within a year after the closing, the combined company will change its name to Cox Communications. Spectrum will become the consumer-facing brand within the communities Cox serves. The combined company will remain headquartered in Stamford, CT, and will maintain a significant presence on Cox’s Atlanta, GA campus following the closing.

terabitz

VerizonLover FWA is worse than fixed broadband.

The point being that customers who don’t know better about the technologies but know what a data cap is will migrate if they are put into place, and FWAs will use that in marketing.

CBusdude

telcodad Yeah, but the combined company will be called Cox:

Yeah, but it is keeping Charter’s executive team and HQ. It sounds like the changing of the name to Cox Communications is solely to stroke the ego of the Cox family!

MacLeech

terabitz They’ll move to FWA if their monthly cost goes up. If they’re staying under the cap and not charged more they wouldn’t move.

Man-of-Leisure

So I guess those Charter/Comcast rumors were false lol, or they decided it would be too difficult to get approved.

Should be interesting to see what happens with Cox’s data cap.

Man-of-Leisure

CBusdude It sounds like the changing of the name to Cox Communications is solely to stroke the ego of the Cox family!

It also sounds like they’re keeping the name “Spectrum” for branding because “Cox” is an unfortunate last name for a family to have lol and the jokes pretty much write themselves.

Most people will just call them Spectrum I’m sure.

Man-of-Leisure

telcodad

CBusdude It sounds like the changing of the name to Cox Communications is solely to stroke the ego of the Cox family!

Yeah, that’s what I was thinking too. Maybe it was a condition that Cox had for agreeing to the the merger.

CBusdude

Man-of-Leisure Should be interesting to see what happens with Cox’s data cap.

They’ve said they are going to be using Charter’s Spectrum packages and prices so Cox will lose the data cap which will be a win for their customers. To be honest I think this deal will do very little for us as existing Charter customers.