OTI to FCC: Charter Petition Puts Consumers at Risk During Pandemic

Yesterday, OTI urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to reject Charter Communications’ petition to rescind conditions that the company agreed to in 2016 as part of a deal to acquire two rival companies. The conditions prevent Charter from imposing data caps on its customers or charging access fees for online services to reach Charter customers. Charter offers internet service under its Spectrum brand and is the only available internet provider for an estimated 38 million Americans.

The following quote can be attributed to Joshua Stager, Senior Counsel at New America’s Open Technology Institute:

“Charter’s petition would expose consumers to service disruptions and new fees. This company exposed its customers to such risks in 2014, when interconnection disputes effectively broke the internet for millions of people. If this were to happen again in 2020, it would be a public health crisis. Service disruptions would wreak havoc on people who are relying on home connectivity to access telemedicine and comply with lockdown orders.

“These conditions are helping millions of Charter customers access critical online services during the pandemic. There is no reason for the FCC to take such an enormous risk with public health and the public interest. The agency should have confidence in its 2016 order and reject Charter’s petition.”