New York Mayor Wants Conditions on Comcast Merger

When Philly Mayor Michael Nutter released a letter last week declaring the support of 50 of the country’s big-city mayors in support of the Comcast-Time Warner merger, one name was noticeably absent: New York Mayor Bill de Blasio.

Now de Blasio has weighed in, according to Next City. He’s not opposing the merger — he just wants Comcast to make a few guarantees before federal regulators give their approval to the merger:

• Affordable access for low-income and other underserved residents, including the elderly and persons with disabilities.
• Transparent accounting of rate changes.
• Improved customer service and notification.
• Timely upgrading of infrastructure to fiber optic cable.
• Expansion of affordable broadband infrastructure and services to geographic locations where they are lacking.
• Support for municipal access and resiliency initiatives.
• Meaningful and stable support for public, educational and government channels.
Protection and promotion of an open Internet, through Net Neutrality commitments.

Next City adds: “The letter to the FCC indicates de Blasio is prepared to keep pressing those points; he cites problems such as blocks of Brooklyn and Queens without broadband connectivity and says ‘Comcast must take steps to ensure that rates and services for all consumers are transparent.'”