<2> Charter Gets FCC Permission To Buy Cox, Become Largest ISP In the US
<3> Charter Communications, a leading cable and telecommunications provider, has received approval from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to acquire Cox Communications, a major cable and internet service provider. This acquisition will make Charter the largest home internet service provider in the United States, surpassing Comcast.
<4> According to a report by Ars Technica, Charter has 29.7 million residential and business internet customers, while Comcast has 31.26 million. The acquisition of Cox will add an additional 5.9 million internet customers to Charter’s portfolio, making it the largest ISP in the country.
<5> The FCC approved the deal on Friday, but the companies still need to obtain approval from the Justice Department and sign-offs from states including California and New York. Opponents of the acquisition have expressed concerns that eliminating Cox as an independent entity will make it easier for Charter and Comcast to raise prices.
<6> However, the FCC dismissed these concerns, stating that Charter and Cox do not compete directly against each other in the vast majority of their territories. In a press release, the FCC said that Charter has committed to new safeguards to protect against diversity, equity, and inclusion (