Better broadband at better prices? Welcome to Charter CEO's fantasy

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[Commentary] To hear the chief executive of Charter Communications tell it, his company's acquisition of Time Warner Cable will mean a better broadband experience for all. "We'll offer consumers a broadband product that makes watching online video, gaming and engaging in other data-hungry applications a great experience, including at peak times," Tom Rutledge said after the planned merger was announced. In short, he said, consumers can look forward to "better products at better prices." As best as I can tell, he wasn't trying to be funny.

"When it comes to cable consolidation, history teaches us to be very concerned about the benefits for consumers," said Delara Derakhshani, policy counsel for Consumers Union. "Prices for cable and broadband continue to go up, and customer service is dismal." Oxnard resident Barclay Totten has similar concerns that highlight some consumers' questions about the broadband market. He received an offer from Time Warner Cable recently to more than double his broadband speed for an extra $10 a month. Wait a minute, Totten thought. Doesn't the government have rules about that? He went to the website of the Federal Communications Commission, where he learned that service providers such as Time Warner Cable and Charter can't "block, impair or establish fast/slow lanes to lawful content." Totten filed a complaint with the FCC saying that charging a higher price for faster service was tantamount to creating a broadband fast lane. The agency, he said, never responded.


Better broadband at better prices? Welcome to Charter CEO's fantasy