The Communication Workers of America plans to testify against Altice's buying Cablevision at a series of New York State Public Service Commission hearings in the New York City area in coming days, the CWA said in a news release Monday. The hearings are to be Tuesday in the Hudson Valley community of Peekskill, Wednesday in the Bronx, and a pair of hearings Feb. 2 on Long Island. "Given its track record in other business dealings in France and Portugal, the future of Cablevision under Altice's proposed deal would mean customers will get worse service and employees will lose their jobs," said CWA District 1 Vice President Dennis Trainor in a statement. "The PSC should reject the deal as currently proposed to protect customer service and jobs." In a statement, Altice said it "look[s] forward to a fair and open regulatory process with the relevant authorities in connection with our proposed Cablevision transaction, and as in all of our other territories we expect to deliver significant benefits to consumers and their communities." CWA raised similar concerns as it lobbied the FCC for conditions on the proposed transaction (see 1601220015). In a note to investors Monday, Macquarie Capital analyst Amy Yong said Altice and Charter Communications were having different degrees of success in locking down the financing for pending acquisitions as they face different hurdles. The FCC's 180-day Charter shot clock was paused earlier this month to deal with "hot topics including interconnection, Regional Sports Networks, and of course broadband competition [though] concerns around broadband share from the Comcast-Time Warner deal don't seem to apply to Charter," Yong said. New York state regulators earlier this month signed off on Charter buying Bright House Networks and Time Warner Cable (see 1601080048) and the California Public Utilities Commission plan a public hearing Tuesday (see 1601200060), but Altice is facing more pushback from New York City on its proposed Cablevision takeover because of how the $900 million in synergies Altice has cited could affect its 14,000 employees there and 3.1 million customers in the metropolitan region, Yong said.
The Communication Workers of America plans to testify against Altice's buying Cablevision at a series of New York State Public Service Commission hearings in the New York City area in coming days, the CWA said in a news release Monday. The hearings are to be Tuesday in the Hudson Valley community of Peekskill, Wednesday in the Bronx, and a pair of hearings Feb. 2 on Long Island. "Given its track record in other business dealings in France and Portugal, the future of Cablevision under Altice's proposed deal would mean customers will get worse service and employees will lose their jobs," said CWA District 1 Vice President Dennis Trainor in a statement. "The PSC should reject the deal as currently proposed to protect customer service and jobs." In a statement, Altice said it "look[s] forward to a fair and open regulatory process with the relevant authorities in connection with our proposed Cablevision transaction, and as in all of our other territories we expect to deliver significant benefits to consumers and their communities." CWA raised similar concerns as it lobbied the FCC for conditions on the proposed transaction (see 1601220015). In a note to investors Monday, Macquarie Capital analyst Amy Yong said Altice and Charter Communications were having different degrees of success in locking down the financing for pending acquisitions as they face different hurdles. The FCC's 180-day Charter shot clock was paused earlier this month to deal with "hot topics including interconnection, Regional Sports Networks, and of course broadband competition [though] concerns around broadband share from the Comcast-Time Warner deal don't seem to apply to Charter," Yong said. New York state regulators earlier this month signed off on Charter buying Bright House Networks and Time Warner Cable (see 1601080048) and the California Public Utilities Commission plan a public hearing Tuesday (see 1601200060), but Altice is facing more pushback from New York City on its proposed Cablevision takeover because of how the $900 million in synergies Altice has cited could affect its 14,000 employees there and 3.1 million customers in the metropolitan region, Yong said.
Critics of Charter Communications buying Bright House Networks and Time Warner Cable are continuing to lobby the FCC, seeking conditions or full blockage. The docket had been relatively quiet until the FCC paused the 180-day shot clock earlier this month, one cable industry lawyer told us. The shot clock resumed Wednesday and stood at 118 days Friday.
Critics of Charter Communications buying Bright House Networks and Time Warner Cable are continuing to lobby the FCC, seeking conditions or full blockage. The docket had been relatively quiet until the FCC paused the 180-day shot clock earlier this month, one cable industry lawyer told us. The shot clock resumed Wednesday and stood at 118 days Friday.
Critics of Charter Communications buying Bright House Networks and Time Warner Cable are continuing to lobby the FCC, seeking conditions or full blockage. The docket had been relatively quiet until the FCC paused the 180-day shot clock earlier this month, one cable industry lawyer told us. The shot clock resumed Wednesday and stood at 118 days Friday.
LAS VEGAS -- FCC Commissioners Mike O’Rielly and Ajit Pai told CES there are no guarantees the TV incentive auction will be a success. Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel urged the FCC to release data on broadcaster participation. Earlier at the show, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler projected confidence, saying all indications are broadcasters will offer spectrum for sale in every major market (see 1601060048). At the last CES a year ago, commissioners other than Wheeler discussed whether it was prudent for the agency to pause the auction, now set to start March 29 (see 1501080032).
LAS VEGAS -- FCC Commissioners Mike O’Rielly and Ajit Pai told CES there are no guarantees the TV incentive auction will be a success. Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel urged the FCC to release data on broadcaster participation. Earlier at the show, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler projected confidence, saying all indications are broadcasters will offer spectrum for sale in every major market (see 1601060048). At the last CES a year ago, commissioners other than Wheeler discussed whether it was prudent for the agency to pause the auction, now set to start March 29 (see 1501080032).
LAS VEGAS -- FCC Commissioners Mike O’Rielly and Ajit Pai told CES there are no guarantees the TV incentive auction will be a success. Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel urged the FCC to release data on broadcaster participation. Earlier at the show, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler projected confidence, saying all indications are broadcasters will offer spectrum for sale in every major market (see 1601060048). At the last CES a year ago, commissioners other than Wheeler discussed whether it was prudent for the agency to pause the auction, now set to start March 29 (see 1501080032).
The FCC Media Bureau paused for 16 days the 180-day shot clock on Charter Communications' buying Bright House Networks and Time Warner Cable, saying the extra time "will contribute to a more efficient and expeditious review." As of Monday, the clock stood at 115 days. In a letter dated Monday to Charter, TWC and the Advance/Newhouse partnership that's the Bright House parent, Media Bureau Chief Bill Lake referenced the variety of supplemental materials filed by the applicants in recent weeks and said pausing the clock to Jan. 20 "will ensure the commenters have sufficient time to review and comment on this new information and will provide Commission staff with the necessary time to review both the ... materials and any responses." In a statement, Charter said that having submitted supplemental information "to underscore the benefits of these transactions ... it is expected that the FCC would want to give the public time to comment. We are working well with the FCC on its review of our deal and continue to look forward to a timely approval.”
The FCC Media Bureau paused for 16 days the 180-day shot clock on Charter Communications' buying Bright House Networks and Time Warner Cable, saying the extra time "will contribute to a more efficient and expeditious review." As of Monday, the clock stood at 115 days. In a letter dated Monday to Charter, TWC and the Advance/Newhouse partnership that's the Bright House parent, Media Bureau Chief Bill Lake referenced the variety of supplemental materials filed by the applicants in recent weeks and said pausing the clock to Jan. 20 "will ensure the commenters have sufficient time to review and comment on this new information and will provide Commission staff with the necessary time to review both the ... materials and any responses." In a statement, Charter said that having submitted supplemental information "to underscore the benefits of these transactions ... it is expected that the FCC would want to give the public time to comment. We are working well with the FCC on its review of our deal and continue to look forward to a timely approval.”