There could soon be less competition for cable TV and Internet subscribers in Wisconsin if a plan for Charter Communications to buy out Time Warner Cable for $55.33 billion goes through. That could also mean fewer Wisconsin jobs.
According to a Wisconsin State Journal report, Charter already serves much of Wisconsin, including Madison, while Time Warner serves the Milwaukee area, Oshkosh, and Green Bay. UW telecommunications professor Barry Orton said Charter has a big customer service center in Fond du Lac and a smaller one in Madison; Time Warner has a big call center in Appleton and a smaller one in Milwaukee. “When they combine, they don’t need all four,” he said.
Orton said cuts are also likely in administrative and marketing positions, as well as installation and service technicians. Consumers shouldn’t expect prices to go down either, which could push even more to break their ties with the traditional cable provider in favor of cheaper streaming and online TV services like Hulu and Netflix.
