Cox-Charter Merger Leaps Over Final Hurdle

The proposed $34.5 billion merger between Cox Communications and Charter Communications made it through the last review needed to finalize the deal when it was approved by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).

Citizens Against Government Waste wrote to the CPUC on February 4, 2026, spotlighting the consumer benefits that would be derived from the combined strengths of the two companies, including increased competition, improved services for the areas covered by Charter and Cox, and the ability for the two companies to build on their track record of delivering affordable products to consumers.

The August 12, 2026, merger approval by the CPUC came with several conditions, including “expanded affordable broadband options, major infrastructure investments, improved customer protections, and meaningful support for digital inclusion,” according to CPUC Commissioner Matthew Baker.  Other conditions include offering Lifeline service tiers for five years; free broadband and Wi-Fi service for eligible community centers, including schools and libraries; automatic bill credits for customers for qualifying service outages; and honoring current  “price for life” contracts.

The merger received approval from the Federal Communications Commission on February 27, 2026, and the New York State Public Service Commission approved the merger on March 19, 2026.  California was the last state to approve the merger, freeing the pathway for the two companies to move forward with their plans.

The merging of these two companies will provide significant benefits to their current and future customers by improving the merged company’s pay television market for its customers, leveraging the combined resources of the two companies to accelerate high-speed network upgrades and deployments, and effectively and efficiently connecting businesses and households.