DISH Reiterates Its Call For FCC To Deny Charter/Time Warner Cable Merger

(RTTNews) - DISH Network Corporation (DISH) said it filed a reply with the Federal Communications Commission or FCC countering arguments made by Charter Communications, Inc. (CHTR), Time Warner Cable Inc. (TWC) and Bright House Networks defending the proposed merger between the companies.

In the reply, DISH outlines how the applicants have failed to prove that this proposed merger is in the public interest and reiterates its call for the FCC to deny the merger.

"If the proposed merger is approved, 90 percent of the nation's high speed broadband homes would be controlled by two companies, and the combined 'New Charter' would have every incentive to sabotage OTT services like Sling TV that compete with the old school cable bundle," said Jeffrey Blum, DISH senior vice president and deputy general counsel. "The proposed merger is harmful for consumers, competition and innovation, and should be denied."

In May 2015, Charter Communications agreed to acquire Time Warner Cable in a cash-and-stock deal. Including debt, the deal valued Time Warner Cable at $78.7 billion.