Editing Comcast (section)

====Failed purchase of Time Warner Cable====
{{main|Attempted purchase of Time Warner Cable by Comcast}}
On February 12, 2014, the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' reported that Comcast sought to acquire Time Warner Cable in a deal valued at $45.2 billion.<ref>{{cite news
 | title     = Comcast strikes deal to buy Time Warner Cable for $45 billion
 | url       = http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-comcast-strikes-deal-to-buy-time-warner-cable-20140212,0,3700600.story#axzz2tJmR6Qzd
 | newspaper = Los Angeles Times
 | date      = February 12, 2014
 | first1    = Meg
 | last1     = James
 | first2    = Joe
 | last2     = Flint
 }}</ref> On February 13, it was reported that Time Warner Cable agreed to the acquisition.<ref>{{cite news
 | url       = https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-12/comcast-said-to-agree-to-pay-159-a-share-for-time-warner-cable.html
 | title     = Comcast Agrees to Buy Time Warner Cable for $45.2 Billion
 | newspaper = Bloomberg
 | date      = February 13, 2014
 | author1   = Alex Sherman
 | author2   = Jeffrey McCracken
 | author3   = Edmund Lee
 }}</ref> This was to add several metropolitan areas to the Comcast portfolio, such as New York City, [[Los Angeles]], [[Dallas–Fort Worth]], [[Cleveland]], [[Columbus, Ohio|Columbus]], [[Cincinnati]], [[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte]], [[San Diego]], and San Antonio.<ref>{{cite news
 | url       = https://www.theverge.com/2014/2/13/5407704/comcast-confirms-45-billion-acquisition-of-time-warner-cable
 | title     = Comcast confirms $45 billion merger with Time Warner Cable
 | newspaper = The Verge
 | date      = February 13, 2014
 }}</ref> Time Warner Cable and Comcast aimed to merge into one company by the end of 2014 and both have praised the deal, emphasizing the increased capabilities of a combined telecommunications network, and to "create operating efficiencies and economies of scale".<ref>{{cite news
 | url        = http://online.wsj.com/article/PR-CO-20140213-908767.html
 | title      = Time Warner Cable to Merge with Comcast Corporation to Create a World-Class Technology and Media Company
 | website    = The Wall Street Journal
 | author     = Comcas Press Release
 | date       = February 13, 2014
 | access-date = March 27, 2014
 }}</ref>

In 2014, critics expressed concern that the deal would give Comcast greater negotiating power in a number of areas, including [[rebroadcast fee]]s with television channels,<ref>{{cite magazine
 | url        = https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffbercovici/2014/02/13/what-the-comcast-time-warner-cable-merger-means-for-tv-viewers/
 | title      = What The Comcast-Time Warner Cable Merger Means For TV Viewers
 | magazine  = Forbes
 | author     = Jeff Bercovici
 | date       = February 13, 2014
 | access-date = March 27, 2014
 }}</ref> and [[peering]] agreements with ISPs.<ref>{{cite web
 | url        = https://www.theverge.com/2014/3/19/5526820/al-franken-says-comcast-buying-twc-threatens-open-nature-internet
 | title      = Sen. Al Franken: Comcast buying Time Warner Cable could threaten 'open nature' of internet
 | website  = The Verge
 | author     = Chris Welch
 | date       = March 19, 2014
 | access-date = March 27, 2014
 }}</ref>

Critics noted in 2013 that [[Tom Wheeler (FCC)|Tom Wheeler]], the head of the FCC, which has to approve the deal, is the former head of both the largest cable lobbying organization, the National Cable & Telecommunications Association, and as largest wireless lobby, [[CTIA – The Wireless Association]].<ref>{{cite web
 | url        = https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2013/10/ex-cable-and-wireless-lobbyist-confirmed-as-fcc-chairman/
 | title      = Ex-cable and wireless lobbyist confirmed as FCC chairman
 | website  = Ars Technica
 | author     = Jon Brodkin
 | date       = October 29, 2013
 | access-date = February 17, 2014
 }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine
 | url        = http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/comment/2014/02/comcast-time-warner-acquisition-competition-cable-internet-monopoly.html
 | title      = We Need Real Competition, Not a Cable-Internet Monopoly
 | magazine  = The New Yorker
 | author     = John Cassidy
 | date       = February 13, 2014
 | access-date = February 17, 2014
 }}</ref> According to ''[[Politico]]'', Comcast "donated to almost every member of Congress who has a hand in regulating it".<ref>Romm, Tony (March 9, 2014). [http://www.politico.com/story/2014/03/comcast-cash-spread-wide-on-capitol-hill-104469.html#ixzz2vew7KkGv Comcast spreads cash wide on Capitol Hill]. ''[[Politico]].'' Retrieved March 11, 2014.</ref> The [[United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary|U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee]] held a hearing on the deal on April 9, 2014.<ref>{{cite web
 | url        = http://articles.philly.com/2014-04-11/news/49035185_1_comcast-time-warner-cable-comcast-time-warner-comcast-corp
 | archive-url = https://archive.today/20140415030801/http://articles.philly.com/2014-04-11/news/49035185_1_comcast-time-warner-cable-comcast-time-warner-comcast-corp
 | url-status = dead
 | archive-date = April 15, 2014
 | title      = A sometimes-tense hearing on Capitol Hill on proposed Comcast-Time Warner merger
 | website    = The Philadelphia Inquirer
 | author     = Bob Fernandez
 | date       = April 11, 2014
 | access-date = April 14, 2014
 }}</ref> The [[House Judiciary Committee]] planned its own hearing.<ref>{{cite web
 |url         = http://judiciary.house.gov/index.cfm/2014/2/goodlatte-and-bachus-statement-on-proposed-comcast-time-warner-cable-merger
 |title       = Goodlatte and Bachus Statement on Proposed Comcast-Time Warner Cable Merger
 |publisher   = judiciary.house.gov
 |author      = Jessica Collins or Lauren Hammond
 |date        = February 13, 2014
 |access-date  = March 23, 2014
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20140324032919/http://judiciary.house.gov/index.cfm/2014/2/goodlatte-and-bachus-statement-on-proposed-comcast-time-warner-cable-merger
 |archive-date = March 24, 2014
 |df          = mdy-all
}}</ref> On March 6, 2014, the [[United States Department of Justice Antitrust Division]] confirmed it was investigating the deal.<ref>{{cite web
 | url        = https://news.yahoo.com/us-confirms-antitrust-probe-comcast-twc-deal-180451010.html
 | title      = US confirms antitrust probe of Comcast-TWC deal
 | publisher  = Yahoo News
 | author     = Agence France-Presse
 | date       = March 6, 2014
 | access-date = March 23, 2014
 }}</ref> In March 2014, the division's chairman, William Baer, recused himself because he was involved in the prior Comcast NBCUniversal acquisition.<ref>{{cite news
 | url        = https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/07/business/top-federal-antitrust-official-will-not-weigh-in-on-comcast-time-warner-cable-merger.html?_r=0
 | title      = Top Official Can't Rule on Cable Merger
 | website    = The New York Times
 | author     = EDWARD WYATT
 | date       = March 6, 2014
 | access-date = March 23, 2014
 }}</ref> Several states' attorneys general have announced support for the federal investigation.<ref>{{cite news
 | url        = https://www.reuters.com/article/us-timewarnercable-comcast-idUSBREA2I0XL20140319
 | title      = Exclusive: States to probe Comcast plan to buy Time Warner Cable
 | work  = Reuters
 | author     = Diane Bartz
 | date       = March 19, 2014
 | access-date = March 23, 2014
 }}</ref> On April 24, 2015, Jonathan Sallet, general counsel of the F.C.C., explained that he was going to recommend a hearing before an administrative law judge, equivalent to a collapse of the deal.<ref name=nyt>{{cite news
 | last1       = Steel
 | first1      = Emily
 | last2      = Gelles
 | first2     = David
 | last3      = Ruiz
 | first3     = Rebecca
 | last4      = Lipton
 | first4     = Eric
 | title      = Comcast Is Said to End $45 Billion Bid for Time Warner Cable
 | url        = https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/24/business/media/comcast-time-warner-cable-merger.html
 | access-date = April 24, 2015
 | work       = [[The New York Times]]
 | date       = April 23, 2015
 }}</ref>

In August 2015, Comcast announced that it would increase Internet speeds for low-income customers from 5 [[Data-rate units#Megabit per second|Mbit/s]] to 10 Mbit/s, provide free wireless routers, and pilot an initiative to increase Internet access for low-income senior citizens.<ref name=boston>{{cite news
 | author     = Tali Arbel Associated Press
 | title      = Comcast speeding up its discounted Internet service
 | url        = https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2015/08/04/comcast-speeding-its-discounted-internet-service/bZdG8mR0Dtf0vI1LUyEFzH/story.html
 | access-date = September 3, 2015
 | work       = [[The Boston Globe]]
 | date       = August 4, 2015
 }}</ref> In September of that year Comcast also launched Watchable, a [[YouTube]] competitor.<ref name="watchablevar">{{cite web
 | last1      = Spangler
 | first1     = Todd
 | title      = Comcast Launches Watchable: Can Web Video Help Save Cable TV?
 | url        = https://variety.com/2015/digital/news/comcast-watchable-launch-1201604855/
 | website    = Variety
 | date = September 29, 2015
 | access-date = April 10, 2016
 }}</ref> The move was seen by [[Variety (magazine)|''Variety'']] as an attempt to appeal to the [[cord-cutting]] market.<ref name="watchablevar"/>