Charter Boycotting WISPs for Wholesale Service: WISPA
Charter Communications seems to now have a policy of not renewing or signing new contracts with wireless ISPs for upstream wholesale services, which could cut off internet service to communities served by WISPA members, the trade group said Thursday. In an FCC filing in docket 25-233, WISPA said the Charter move could also mean higher costs for those communities due to less competition for upstream wholesale services. The policy could be applied more broadly once Charter closes on Cox Communications, it added.
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While the FCC might not want to mandate that Charter enter into or extend third-party contracts for upstream wholesale services, the agency could condition Charter/Cox approval on requiring such contracts to address a transaction-specific harm, WISPA argued. The commission should be aware of and monitor marketplace activities that could threaten rural internet access, the group said.
The filing recapped a meeting between WISPA President David Zumwalt and the office of FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez. Charter didn't comment.