LANSING — Comcast confirmed that almost all of its customers in Michigan will be transferred to a new company under a pending deal with Charter.

Comcast Corp. on Monday announced it had reached an agreement with Charter Communications to create a new spin-off company to take over 2.5 million Comcast cable customers nationwide. That includes all of Michigan except a small portion in the southwest bordering Lake Michigan that's considered part of the company's Chicago region, said spokeswoman Michelle Gilbert.

"All other customers – both residential and business – who have any of our products and services will be transitioned into the new, publicly traded company that is being created," she said in an email.

The move is meant to help Comcast's ability to get regulatory approval for its $45 billion purchase of Time Warner Cable. Nothing will change for Comcast customers until after the merger, which still needs regulatory approval and may not happen for several more months.

Comcast shareholders will be the majority owners of the new spinoff, with Charter owning a minority stake. It will have its own independent management team, and Charter will provide operational support under a services agreement, Gilbert said.

"The new company will offer the same types of products and services to customers, such as high-speed data, video on demand, phone and business services," she said.

It was not clear whether current Comcast customers would have to switch their equipment or if they would see any changes to their cable services, such as a different channel guide.

Gilbert said she didn't know how the deal would impact local franchise agreements that Comcast has with many local units of government in Michigan. She also did not know if the infrastructure would change.

The move is "a very big deal" for the cable and Internet market in Michigan, said Scott Stevenson, president of the Telecommunications Association of Michigan.

"I don't know enough to say if it's a good move or bad move," Stevenson said, adding that Charter has gone through some issues in the past.

The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2009 and emerged from bankruptcy later that year.

"It's a big, big change and could be an opportunity for a lot of competitors," he said.

Smaller cable and Internet providers may choose to enter new markets if existing Comcast customers aren't satisfied with their services under the new arrangement, he said.

Charter actually tried to purchase Time Warner Cable earlier this year, but their offers were rejected. Shortly after, Comcast announced it planned to acquire Time Warner Cable.

Under the agreement announced this week, the newly merged Comcast would sell 1.4 million Time Warner Cable customers to Charter. Charter and Comcast also would swap cable systems that each serve 1.6 million customers in order to better align geographic service areas.

Email Melissa Anders at manders@mlive.com. Follow her on Google+ and Twitter: @MelissaDAnders. Download the MLive app for iPhone and Android.