The FCC has signed off on Charter Communications’ $34.5 billion acquisition of Cox Enterprise.
The mega-merger was announced in May 2025, and will see Charter, the second largest cable company in the U.S. acquire Cox, another one of the largest cable companies, with six million subscribers. The combined entity will take the Cox name and use the Spectrum brand name for the consumer market.
Per the agreement, Charter will indirectly control Cox’s residential broadband, video, mobile, and voice businesses; its advertising and enterprise businesses; and its Segra, UPN, and RapidScale businesses. The FCC notes that the combined company to investing billions of dollars to upgrade its network and deliver high-speed service to homes and businesses across the country, including bringing internet to rural areas.
“By approving this deal, the FCC ensures big wins for Americans. This deal means that jobs are coming back to America that had been shipped overseas. It means that modern, high-speed networks will get built out in more communities across rural America. And it means that customers will get access to lower priced plans. On top of this, the deal enshrines protections against DEI discrimination,” FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said.
Per the FCC, Charter has also agreed to onshore all job functions currently handled off-shore by Cox within 18 months, and has committed to extending its benefits and wage policies, including a $20/hour minimum starting wage, to Cox workers.
Additionally, all employees will receive “Invest in America” Trump accounts and other opportunities for investment and growth.
As the Trump administration has cracked down on diversity, equity and inclusion programs across the country, the FCC says Charter “commits to recruiting, hiring, and promoting individuals based on the factors that matter most: skills, qualifications, and experience.”