STATE RECEIVES APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL TO TRANSFER OCEANIC TIME WARNER CABLE’S HAWAII CABLE TELEVISION FRANCHISES TO CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS
News Release from DCCA, July 15, 2015
HONOLULU – The state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs’ (DCCA) Cable Television Divison (CATV) received an application from Charter Communications, Inc. (Charter) and Time Warner Cable, Inc. (TWC), the parent company of Oceanic Time Warner Cable, LLC (Oceanic) for approval of the indirect transfer of control of Oceanic’s six cable television franchises statewide pursuant to the merger transaction between Charter and TWC.
The application includes a request for the approval of the proposed financing mechanism needed to complete the proposed transaction. In addition, the proposed transaction involves the acquisition of Bright House Networks, LLC, which does not have subsidiaries or operations in Hawaii.
According to Charter and TWC, the proposed merger will result in new jobs and investments, a faster internet experience at a better value, and increased innovation and quicker rollout of advanced video technology, among other public benefits. In addition, Charter and TWC state that they are committed to, among other matters:
(1) the protection of a “free and open internet”;
(2) investment in infrastructure and customer service; and
(3) a broadband program for low-income consumers.
Under federal law, CATV has 120 days from the filing of the application and all information required by the terms of the franchise agreement or state law to review the application and issue a decision. If no action is taken within the 120-day period, the application will be considered approved, unless an agreement is reached to extend this deadline.
“We will thoroughly review the application and all related information regarding the proposed transaction, to determine if it’s in the public interest” said CATV Administrator Ji Sook “Lisa” Kim.
As part of its review, CATV will issue information requests and/or clarification questions, as applicable, and seek input and comments from the Cable Advisory Committee (CAC) members, and the general public. For this, CATV will hold a CAC meeting and statewide public hearings, details of which will be announced in the following weeks.
Information regarding the proposed transaction will be made available online at: cca.hawaii.gov/catv/.
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May 26, 2015 News Release from TW: Charter Communications to Merge with Time Warner Cable and Acquire Bright House Networks