Bad news for anyone who needs cheap internet: Comcast has dropped its bid to acquire Time Warner Cable. The deal, which would have cost an incredible $45 billion, collapsed when regulators decided to turn to an administrative judge.
Let’s answer a couple of the most important questions raised by the announcement:
Why is this considered bad news? Because Comcast offers customers the incredibly inexpensive Internet Essentials program in the areas it does business, and experts — including us — assumed that Time Warner would also begin offering the $9.95 per month service as one of the conditions regulators would require to approve the merger/acquisition.
Why didn’t regulators like the proposed merger? Critics said the merger would put too much power in the hands of one company. Comcast is the nation’s largest cable and broadband company and Time Warner is number two. The combined company would have controlled 30 percent of TV and 55 percent of broadband internet subscribers, which is too much power for one company.
Critics hailed the announcement because they believed that the merger would reduce competition and result in higher prices and less consumer choice.
Some industry observers don’t believe the deal is completely dead and that it, or some other merger of industry giants, will it rise up out of the grave like a zombie on the cable TV show “The Walking Dead?” They wouldn’t be surprised if Charter Communications, the nation’s fourth largest cable TV provider, swoops in to purchase Time Warner.
Despite the fact that Time Warner will not become part of the Comcast family, we urge the company to introduce a program similar to Comcast’s Internet Essentials. This valuable program is already helping millions of low-income Americans bring high-speed broadband service to their homes for just $9.95 per month.
Here’s a list of cities and states in which Time Warner is the primary internet service provider. Millions of needy families live in these areas and we hope Time Warner management will see the light and begins offering a program that parallels the efforts of Comcast’s Internet Essentials.
Alabama – Dothan, Enterprise
Arizona – Yuma
California – Barstow, Desert Cities, El Centro, Orange County, San Diego, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Palm Springs
Colorado – Gunnison, Telluride
Hawaii (operating as Oceanic Time Warner Cable) – Honolulu
Idaho – Coeur d’Alene, Moscow
Indiana – Terre Haute
Kansas – Kansas City, Overland Park, Olathe, Shawnee
Kentucky – Lexington, Louisville, Northern Kentucky, Ashland
Maine – Bangor, Portland/Auburn, Presque Isle
Massachusetts – Athol, Pittsfield
Missouri – Kansas City, Independence, Lee’s Summit
Nebraska – Lincoln/Hastings/Kearney, Omaha
North Carolina – Charlotte, Raleigh, Greensboro, and Wilmington
New Hampshire – Berlin, Keene
New Jersey – Bergen County, Hudson County
New York – New York City (Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island, most of western Brooklyn), Mount Vernon (parts of Westchester County), Binghamton, Buffalo, Elmira, Rochester, Syracuse, Utica, Watertown
Ohio – Akron, Bowling Green/North Baltimore, Canton, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Findlay/Lima, and Youngstown
Pennsylvania – Erie County, Sharon, Franklin
South Carolina – Columbia, Sumter, Florence, Summerville, Hilton Head and Myrtle Beach
Texas – Arlington, Austin, Beaumont/Port Arthur, Corpus Christi, Dallas, El Paso, Harlingen, Killeen/Temple, Laredo, Rio Grande Valley, San Antonio, Waco, and Wichita Falls
Virginia – Charlotte, Greensboro/Winston Salem/High Point, Greenville/New Bern/Washington, Norfolk, Raleigh/Durham/Fayetteville, Wilmington
Washington – Pullman
West Virginia – Clarksburg, Weston
Wisconsin – Green Bay/Appleton, Milwaukee
Time Warner makes billions of dollars a year. Spend a little of that profit to close the Digital Divide and benefit the needy people in all the areas you serve.
Kim Marie says
I am VERY grateful for this program! It took awhile to get things straight with the whole thin. I live in Ventura Ca, in a 90+ yr. old unit. Between the change from wires on the pole to fiber optics underground and finally allowing other companies to offer service , it took At&t Tech’s a few visits with the,outside change & realizing,the insides of my unit needed. help also FINNALY ( took 5 mths of trial & error) it’s been. yr since and I still don’t have $ to buy a computer but it helps with using the smart phone for searching & recently figured out how to acess free T V & movies on my phone ( I sound like I’m from another planet ) I’m 58 from the pin ball generation… Pong & duck hunt was a big deal LOL. Recently saw that supposadly there were computers for a discounted price but it’s 2020 & I was told that was in 2017. Google needs to do some spring cleaning in their search department!
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
You can still find discounted laptops and desktops, Kim. Check out EveryoneOn.org to find out what’s available in your area.
Brenda says
I would love to get this internet services
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
You can find a list of all the low-income Internet plans currently available at this link:
https://www.cheapinternet.com/low-income-internet
Larry says
I’m a 48 yr old disabled man,on disability and I can’t afford a high bill for tv or internet.i spend 90 percent of my time at home it would be nice to enjoy those luxuries like everyone else.
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
The good news is that there are probably a couple plans that would work for you. Check them all out very carefully to find the one that fits your needs best — AND pay particular attention to PCs for People, an excellent choice if it’s available in your area.
Here’s where you can find them all:
https://www.cheapinternet.com/low-income-internet
brenda says
i live in maryland and would really benefit from low cost internet. i am retired on 600 dollars social security
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
Check out ALL the low-income internet plans available to find the one that fits your needs best. You can find them all here:
https://www.cheapinternet.com/low-income-internet
Jennie DeMarco says
as a 81 year old, low income Senior who is on food stamps and the GA snap program I find the Comcast bill the highest bill I have. As you know we need to pay for paper goods and I live alone on 100 per month for food, 75.00 for basic t.v. It would be nice to have more for food. need help. thank you. Jennie
Jennie DeMarco says
also Im housebound with degenerative joint andspine disease plus legally blind. The tv does fill my dayeven though I cant read anything.please giide me in the right direction.
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
There are a number of low-income internet plans that may be just what you need, Jennie. Check them all out at the following link to find the one that fits your needs best:
https://www.cheapinternet.com/low-income-internet
Victoria Nino-cortez says
My name is Victoria Mini-cortez I just turned 41 and I can’t work cause I have to many health problems and I have tried to get my disability 8 different times and have been denied 8 different times I don’t know what to do.I am off and on homeless because of this. I have tried several different places to find a job and then when it comes time to ask me if I have any disabilities to keep me from doing the jobs and I tell them whats wrong with me and they say well I am sorry to tell u this with all that’s wrong with u no one will hire me so what am I to do. I have tried to go through this company and the very same internet services that told me that they don’t provide this service is on this site I am just trying to make it from day to day just as all the people that apply for this service. I would greatly appreciate some help the only income is my boyfriends and I am on food stamps of 194.00 a month an my boyfriend works for a Mexican restraint he brings home maybe 200.00 a week on a good day on other maybe 160.00 for the week. So please could some one please help me I would like to have cheap internet so that I don’t go stir crazy in my house even though I am going to try again to get my disability again and maybe by the grace of god they will see I really need it cause I am always stressed out cause I can’t help my boyfriend pay bills. He also gets stressed because of being the only one to pay everything even though he tells me he don’t. Its because he doesn’t want me to get more depressed and upset than I already am so he lies to me about it but I see through him, but at the same time I love him for it so please if u would be so kind could u help me out? It would forever so greatful. Thanks
Victoria nino- cortez
heydi says
Hola kiero conectar el internet de 9.99 gracias
Virginia Rohde says
It should be free as it is downtown Sacramento, Ca. The people on SS don’t make that much so it should be free, no matter what company it is.
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
If Social Security is your only source of income, Virginia, the odds are that you will qualify for low-income Internet plan. If you don’t qualify under current guidelines, new guidelines coming out on December 1 of this year will probably assure that you will qualify.
Ashley Lenartson says
Listen up: when you want a cheap $9.95 broadband connection you have to go down the list and find out which companies are located in your area…that’s what you have to do…you have to do the research to find the companies that do business in your area and that offer you an inexpensive Internet Connection for $9.95 a month. So far for Maine I’ve ruled out Suddenlink, Time Warner, xfinity, and Mediacom as possible inexpensive Internet Connections…that’s the way the cookie crumbles especially when there is no milk to dip it into so that you eat a soggy cookie…you don’t want a dsl: domain server linkup unless you have a really great computer that can get you online fast but that’s a different story…
Ola Reynolds says
I’m disabled senior and low income . Can you help me please
nellie says
are there any internet providers for low income seniors?
Patty Walker says
I.am a.single. I am disable live without any internet is hard can’t go back to school cause I have no internet. I can at less go back to school.
Linda says
Hi my name is Linda Bell I’m 53 and single and on disability so you know I don’t get much of an income. I want the Internet for myself and my grand kids when they come over. I can’t afford $50.00 a month I was reading here where you have a program for $10.00 a month now that’s something I could afford. My grandkids would love me. Please can you set me up
connie martinez says
I would like cable an highspeed internet for a low price
Saedah says
Is there Internet Essentials offered in Atlantic City, New Jersey?
winston hale says
I did not see Miami Florida here. I wonder why that is, as if a low income senior single divorced qualifies.
James Coleman says
I live in Richmond, VA and I have a serious question. Why do I have to have a child living with .me who is in school to get the 9.95 internet plan. I meet ALL the other requirements. So why does comcast discreminate against me for this reason? I suggest that people like me stsrt to write the federal government and ask tbem to take another GOOD HARD LOOK at tbis discrimination and tell comcast and all the others with this stipulation to drop it or be stripped of their right to paticipate. It’as simple as that. So lets start the letter writing now