FCC to let cable company Charter purchase current rival Time Warner

Chairman recommends that the body approve the third-largest US cable company's plan to purchase the second-largest, as well as Bright House Networks

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is letting the third-largest cable company in the US buy the second-largest: chairman Tom Wheeler has recommended that the body approve TV and internet distribution giant Charter's plan to purchase Time Warner as well as the smaller Bright House Networks, so long as the new company abides by several conditions.

A draft approval of the agreement is being circulated among the commissioners and will likely be voted on soon. Perhaps the most immediately significant of those to consumers is that the new company will not charge usage-based prices or impose data caps on its customers for seven years.