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Effect of Time Warner Cable’s purchase on St. Lawrence County customers remains unclear

Posted 4/26/14

By JIMMY LAWTON As Comcast moves closer to purchasing Time Warner Cable, details on how the move will affect St. Lawrence County customers remain vague. Time Warner Cable spokeswoman Joli …

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Effect of Time Warner Cable’s purchase on St. Lawrence County customers remains unclear

Posted

By JIMMY LAWTON

As Comcast moves closer to purchasing Time Warner Cable, details on how the move will affect St. Lawrence County customers remain vague.

Time Warner Cable spokeswoman Joli Plucknette-Farmen said it’s too early to speculate what programming changes might occur for TMC customers.

"We expect it to be months before the merger closes," she said in an emailed response to questions regarding the merger.

Plucknette-Farmen said there will not be any "near-term changes" in operations. She said any changes in services and offerings to customers will be communicated, as they are determined.

"Plucknette-Farmen did not answer a question regarding potential changes to costs, but offered the following statement.

"More consumers will benefit from the innovation of the combined company; faster internet, more TV Everywhere, the fastest home WiFi and Comcast’s comprehensive video experience," she said. "Comcast’s acquisition of Time Warner Cable will enable Comcast to bring value to consumers and continue to drive innovation to a highly competitive and dynamic marketplace as well as the unique opportunity it presents to create a pro-consumer and pro-competitive national cable operator."

Pluckette-Farmen was also asked if anything was impeding the merger process, as Comcast's takeover of Time Warner would merge two of the largest cable providers in the United States.

"The regulatory approval process is going very much as planned, and we continue to expect the merger to close at the end of the year," she said.

The deal has worried St. Lawrence County Legislators, who recently passed a resolution opposing the merger.

Ogdensburg City Councilors, who are reviewing a franchise agreement renewal are also concerned with further increased costs.

At a recent meeting, Mayor William Nelson said prices continue to go up, while service continues to decline.