Altice/Cablevision Benefit Claims Lack Material Evidence To Back Them, MFRConsulting Says
Altice arguments haven't shown any material evidence of how it will deliver benefits it claims its buy of Cablevision will provide, and the savings it hopes to see "will implausibly be doing double duty, both to increase investment and to…
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help service the substantially increased debt Cablevision will be carrying post-transaction," MFRConsulting said in an FCC filing Monday in docket 15-257. MFRConsulting has repeatedly raised red flags about the deal (see 1602190041 and 1512300024). Its latest filing said Cablevision's announced monthly cable modem fee hike from $4.95 to $9.99 is an example of Altice/Cablevision's ability "to raise prices without a basis" and Altice paints a "confusing and arguably inconsistent picture" of its Cablevision relationship by claiming the two will be separate operations yet Cablevision also will benefit from being part of Altice's worldwide operations. It also raised numerous questions about Altice's answers in response to an FCC information request (see 1602260029). "Altice has ignored and continues to fail to rebut the substantial evidence [demonstrating] that it has not delivered such benefits with its other properties," MFRConsulting said. Altice didn't comment.