Signatures Collected to Stop TWC-Charter Merger
Opposition to the expected has gained momentum with an online civil rights organization collecting signatures to stop it.
ColorOfChange has been the force behind the push and they are determined to make sure the merger does not see light of the day. ColorOfChange comprises black folks drawn from different sectors and they are unhappy with the merger.
In a press release, ColorOfChange said they have managed to reach out to over 200, 000 persons who have appended their signatures to the petition seeking to block the merger. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has been under growing pressure to halt the merger but they have remained adamant that they can’t do that if both parties meet the set requirements.
The new move to collect signatures is part of the renewed pressure and it remains to be seen how the FCC will react. “If this merger passes, New Charter and Comcast together would form a national broadband duopoly controlling nearly two-thirds of existing customers and the telecommunications wires connected to nearly 8 out of every 10 U.S. homes,” ColorOfChange said in the statement.
“Under this scenario, customers are likely to see industry-wide price increases and other harmful practices designed to stifle online video competition, such as arbitrary data caps and overage penalties.” ColorOfChange further stated that if the merger sails through, it will affect Internet usage negatively. They claim that is what they are fighting against by collecting the signatures. “A New Charter and Comcast duopoly could make Internet even more unaffordable for Black communities that need access as an economic lifeline.”
Both companies angling for the merger have immense pressure to abandon the deal but they are not ready to back down. But, who will blink first? Is it the companies or pressure groups like ColorOfChange? Only time will tell.
FCC not expected to act this week on Charter-TWC merger: sources
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-twc-charter-communi-fcc-idUSKCN0WP2M2
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