Charter Communications, the parent company of Spectrum, has finalized its $34.5 billion acquisition of Cox Communications, a move that expands its customer base to roughly 35 million across 45 states. The California Public Utility Commission granted the deal its final regulatory approval on August 20.
In California alone, the combined company's network will serve over 16 million people. While Cox customers are currently advised that no immediate changes to their service, pricing, or packaging are expected, this could shift as Spectrum branding, pricing, and packages are slated to be rolled out in former Cox markets beginning in mid-September.
This consolidation has drawn attention due to past precedent. Following Charter's significant acquisition of Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks in 2016, former Time Warner customers in Southern California experienced increased bills. By October of that year, these customers faced higher costs as promotional rates expired and they were transitioned to Spectrum packages, according to The Los Angeles Times. By 2017, Charter reported that 30% of its legacy customers had moved to new pricing plans, with many facing increased costs, as noted by Ars Technica.
While the previous merger does not guarantee price hikes for Cox customers, it illustrates how pricing can evolve after major cable acquisitions, especially when older plans are eventually replaced. Charter is also leveraging this takeover to introduce Spectrum's wider array of products and pricing into the newly acquired regions. Notably, Southern California customers will gain access to Dodgers games on SportsNet LA, a channel previously unavailable through Cox due to disputes over licensing costs.