HARTFORD, CT – Today, Attorney General Tong and Consumer Counsel Coleman applaud the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority’s approval of their jointly filed agreement in Charter’s acquisition of Cox Communications’ Connecticut operations. PURA’s approval makes enforceable a comprehensive package of consumer protections designed to strengthen pricing transparency, improve service reliability and outage reporting, safeguard customer rights, and invest $3 million in digital access and literacy across the state.
Charter’s newly expanded territory provides cable, wireline and wireless voice, and broadband internet services through Connecticut. The combined service territory will serve 56 municipalities throughout the state.
“This is a significant merger of two major cable service providers that will require close monitoring as parts of Connecticut will now be left with very limited choice for cable TV and broadband internet. We secured and PURA has now approved a series of commitments regarding services, costs and local presence to ensure Connecticut consumers, workers and communities remain a priority. We are going to watch this like a hawk, and will not hesitate to act if those commitments are not honored,” said Attorney General Tong.
“I am pleased that our regulators saw the merit in the jointly negotiated agreement, anchored by significant investments, enforceable consumer protections, and important cost controls that put customers first. Today’s approval makes clear that corporate growth does not have to come at the expense of consumers, and in Connecticut, the public interest standard will remain important in merger proceedings before PURA,” said Consumer Counsel Coleman.
Under the approved agreement, Charter must invest $3 million in digital access and literacy programs in the merged companies’ service territories, with a focus on distressed municipalities. Charter will also be required to maintain its corporate office in Stamford, Connecticut, as well as a sufficient in-state workforce for at least five years after the close of the transaction. Additionally, customers are protected from any costs associated with securing regulatory approval from being passed on to their monthly bills.
The settlement strengthens service reliability and outage protections, including battery backup options for wireline phone customers, annual notice requirements regarding backup power, and enforcement of outage credits required under Connecticut law. Charter must also provide enhanced outage notifications to state regulators and emergency management officials during major service disruptions, continue quality-of-service reporting, and submit annual updates on network upgrades.
Customer service quality and consumer protections are also enhanced as a result of today’s approval. The agreement requires 24/7 customer contact options, mandatory identification for door-to-door representatives, protections for vulnerable customers, and the honoring of qualifying pre-existing “price for life” agreements entered into prior to the transaction’s close. The settlement also limits certain equipment and service package fees and improves billing transparency.
Additionally, Charter must expand its video service offerings in former Cox service areas and carry any future Connecticut-focused local news channel on basic service tiers. The company is further required to maintain ongoing regulatory cooperation and data sharing with state agencies, comply with state non-discrimination laws, and submit a Connecticut Data Privacy Act impact assessment and a state-focused integration report.
These commitments are now enforceable conditions of the transaction in Connecticut as a result of today’s decision.
More information and PURA’s approval can be found here.
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Media Contact: Brooke Parker
brooke.parker@ct.gov | 203-540-7154
About the Office: The Office of Consumer Counsel (OCC) is an independent state agency that represents the interests of consumers of Connecticut’s electric, natural gas, telecommunications, and private water companies before PURA, federal regulatory agencies, the legislature and courts. OCC’s team of attorneys, accountants, financial and policy analysts appear before PURA to argue for the most reasonable rates while expecting the best utility service possible for all customers.