ALBANY – If you currently subscribe to cable TV through Spectrum Media, with all their cute TV commercials, they are going the way of the Ipana toothpaste commercials of yesteryear.
Spectrum is owned by Charter Communications, which merged with Time Warner Cable. But, the state Public Service Commission on Friday revoked its approval of the 2016 merger agreement saying that Charter made clear that it has no intention of providing the public benefits upon which the PSC’s earlier approval was conditioned.
Spectrum provides Cable TV, Internet and Voice Over Internet telephone service to much of Orange County and portions of Ulster and Dutchess counties.
The commission also directed its lawyers to bring an enforcement action in State Supreme Court to seek additional penalties for Charter’s past failures and ongoing non-compliance.
Charter is ordered to file within 60 days a plan with the PSC to ensure an orderly transition to a successor provider (s).
Meanwhile, Charter must comply with all local franchises it holds in New York State and all obligations under Public Service Law and commission regulations.
Charter must also ensure no interruption in service by customers and, in the event it does so, the PSC will take further steps, including seeking injunctive relief in Supreme Court to protect New York consumers.
