Earlier this week, Comcast and Time Warner Cable released a massive 300 page rebuttal to criticism of their proposed merger. Not only are these two telco giants extraordinarily defensive in this missive, but they actually go as far as claiming that their harshest critics are extortionists. Unsurprisingly, competitors, clients, and critics alike have taken umbrage with these accusations, and some are asking for a formal apology.

In the gargantuan 300 page redacted PDF, Comcast and TWC run the gamut of emotions from outrage to disgust. They flatly reject the criticism and demands of companies like Netflix and Discovery, and frequently bring up the potential AT&T-DirecTV merger as a reason why the FCC should give its thumbs-up to the Comcast-TWC merger. Despite the fact that many Americans don’t have any choice in internet service providers, Comcast and TWC seem determined to reduce the total number of ISPs even further.

In a public statement from the Common Cause advocacy group, former FCC Commissioner Michael Copps says “We’ve never sought anything from Comcast, directly or indirectly, and the company knows it. Comcast owes us an apology.” Considering the issues surrounding aggressive customer service reps, poor treatment of monopoly victims, and forcing Netflix to pay up for better access, it’s shocking to see Comcast accusing others of extortion. At its core, this is little more than the pot calling the kettle black.

In this lengthy public letter, Comcast and TWC frequently bring up the fact that they don’t compete with each other in the same markets. While this is largely true due to the government-approved local monopolies that cable companies enjoy here in the US, that doesn’t make the potential merger any better. After all, merging two monopolies together doesn’t exactly fill me with confidence. If anything, these near-constant attempts at merging telcos makes this seem like a return to the dark days before the Baby Bells. If we let these megacorps continue to merge unchecked, we’ll end up right back where we started.

Here in the US, the internet is under constant attack from both private companies and our own government. Net neutrality is on the brink of giving way to “internet fast lanes,” our wired and wireless service providers can’t wait to get rid of pesky competition, and Hollywood is doing its damnedest to pull the strings behind the scenes. Unfortunately, there’s no end in sight, and so we have no other option than to keep fighting. As always, you can make your voice heard by contacting the FCC, your representative, and your senators.

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