On July 2, 2015, Charter Communications, Inc. (Charter) and Time Warner Cable, Inc. (Time Warner) filed a joint petition with the New York State Public Service Commission (Commission).  The Joint Petition is seeking Commission approval to transfer certain Time Warner telephone and cable systems, franchises and assets to Charter.  

Under the proposed transaction, Charter and Time Warner will merge into a company identified as New Charter.  If this merger occurs, New Charter will own and/or manage systems serving approximately 19.4 million broadband customers, 17.3 million video customers, and 9.4 million voice customers across 41 states.  Charter will acquire, and intends to retain, all of Time Warner’s existing assets in New York State.

The petitioners assert that New York consumers will benefit from the merger because of the introduction of Charter’s all-digital platforms to Time Warner’s customers, additional service offerings and faster broadband. 

Information Sessions and Public Statement Hearings

The Commission is seeking public comment on Time Warner’s and Charter’s petition to merge.  Interested members of the public are invited to attend a series of public statement hearings and provide comments before an Administrative Law Judge.  The hearings will be preceded by an information session, during which staff from the New York State Department of Public Service (DPS) will provide an overview of the procedures for review of the petition.  A summary of the proposed merger will also be presented.  The presentations will be followed by an opportunity for members of the public to ask questions about the proposed merger.

Please join us at the following locations:

It is not necessary to be present at the start of the hearings, or make an appointment in advance, or present written material in order to speak at the hearings.  All comments given at the hearings will be transcribed and become part of the Commission's formal record.  The hearings will remain open until everyone wishing to speak has been heard or other reasonable arrangements have been made. 

Disabled persons requiring special accommodations may place a collect call to the DPS's Human Resources Management Office at 518-474-2520.  TDD users may request a sign language interpreter by placing a call through the New York Relay Service at 711 to reach the Department of Public Service’s Human Resource Office at the previously mentioned number.  If you have difficulty understanding English, please call the Department at 1-800-342-3377 for free language assistance services.

 Methods for Commenting on the Case

• Via the Internet or In Writing:  Submit comments electronically to Kathleen H. Burgess, Secretary, at [email protected] or by mail or delivery to Secretary Burgess at the Department of Public Service, Three Empire State Plaza, Albany, New York 12223-1350.  Comments may also be entered directly into the case by locating the case via the home page of the Commission’s website, www.dps.ny.gov, by clicking on “Search,” and entering 15-M-0388 in the “Search by Case Number” field.  After clicking to open the case, enter comments in the “Post Comments” section located at the top of the page. 
   
• Toll-Free Opinion Line: Individuals may choose to submit comments by calling the Commission’s toll-free Opinion Line at 1-800-335-2120.  This line is set up to receive in-state calls 24-hours a day.  Callers should press “1” to leave comments about “Case 15-M-0388 Joint Petition of Charter Communications, Inc. and Time Warner Cable”.  Comments received via the Opinion Line are not transcribed, but a summary is provided to the Commission for their consideration. 

All comments will become part of the record considered by the Commission.  Comments will be accepted at any point while this proceeding is pending, but are requested by September 16, 2015 to ensure full consideration.