ALBANY, NY — The New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) today announed legal action against Spectrum, and plans to kick the company out of New York. Spectrum serves most of the cable television customers in Sullivan County and many in the region.

The PCS approved a merger in 2016 between Charter Communications and Time Warner Cable.  But PSC says Charter, doing business as Spectrum, has not provided the services to consumers that it promised to provide, and repeatedly has missed deadlines to do so.

Perhaps most important to rural consumers, Spectrum agree to deliver broadband speeds of 100 megabytes per second (MPS) statewide to customers by the end of this year and 300 MPS By the end of next year, and also to expand the network to reach an additional 145,000 un-served or under-served houses.

A press release from the PSC said, “By its own admission, Charter has failed to meet its commitment to expand its service network that was specifically called for as part of the Commission’s decision to approve the merger between Charter and Time Warner Cable. Its failure to meet its June 18, 2018 target by more than 40% is only the most recent example.  Rather than accept responsibility Charter has tried to pass the blame for its failure on other companies, such as utility pole owners, which have processed tens of thousands of pole applications submitted by Charter.

A spokesman for Spectrum, Andrew Russell, said the move against the company was political and was taken because Governor Andrew Cuomo is seeking a third term in office

 He said, "In the weeks leading up to an election, rhetoric often becomes politically charged. But the fact is that Spectrum has extended the reach of our advanced broadband network to more than 86,000 New York homes and businesses since our merger agreement with the PSC."

The PSC also issued a fine against the company for $1 million; Spectrum now owes the state $3 million in fines.  PSC also directed its lawyers to bring an action in state court to seek additional penalties.

The PSC also ordered that Spectrum “file within 60 days a plan with the Commission to ensure an orderly transition to a successor provider(s).”

Spectrum is the largest cable provider in the state with more than two million cable and voice-over-internet phone service customers.