Cuomo Counsel Raises Concerns About Charter in New York

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) has “pressing concerns” about Charter after the company’s acquisition of Time Warner Cable, Cuomo’s counsel, Alphonso David, told the New York Public Service Commission in a letter released Tuesday. Charter isn’t providing broadband to unserved areas, “which appears to violate the essential terms and conditions of Charter and Time Warner Cable's merger agreement with the State of New York,” David said. “For Charter to have failed to comply with the terms of the merger agreement so early in the process raises significant concerns about Charter's ability to meet its obligations moving forward.” The cable operator's workforce appears to have “diminished in size and skill, leaving customers vulnerable to poor service,” despite it promising the PSC it would maintain its workforce, David said. The PSC shares the "concerns about Charter's commitment," a spokesman said Tuesday. "The PSC intends to vigorously enforce the terms of its merger order, as demonstrated by our recent $13 million settlement with Charter for missing its broadband buildout target last May, and we will immediately commence the additional review called for in Mr. David's letter." The agency approved the settlement last month (see 1709140041). In a Sept. 14 statement on the settlement, PSC Chair John Rhodes said Charter is "delivering on many" of its commitments but failed to expand its network to unserved customers as fast as it said it would. Rather than pay penalties, it agreed to pay $1 million in equipment grants to provide computer and internet access to low-income users and to set aside $12 million as a security to meet the network expansion commitment. The company blamed delays on slow pole-attachment and make-ready processes. Charter shares the governor's "goal of connecting more New Yorkers to our high speed broadband network and [is] working closely with the PSC to obtain the access to poles needed to do so," a spokeswoman said Tuesday. The company provides at least 60 Mbps across the state and hired more than 3,000 New Yorkers this year, she said.