STATE TO SEEK PUBLIC INPUT INTO CABLE TV TRANSFER OF OCEANIC TIME WARNER TO CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS

KAHULUI – Akaku Maui Community Media is urging Maui County residents to attend public hearings on the  sale of the nation’s second largest cable operator, Time Warner Cable including Oceanic Time Warner to Charter Communications. If the sale goes through,”Charter will hold a virtual Internet and cable monopoly in Hawaii for the next twenty years” according to Jay April, CEO of Akaku Maui Community Media.

“Akaku would like the state to put binding service level  agreements into the deal so all Maui County residents including those who reside in the most rural areas , actually get the cable TV and fast internet  service we pay for.  Under the  Oceanic regime we have not and Maui is lagging behind Oahu and the nation in almost every category of service and price” he said.  He encouraged residents to go to the Akaku website: akaku.org  or to [email protected] for more information.

The hearings will take place in Lahaina, on Tuesday, September 8 at 4:30 PM  at the at the West Maui Senior Center; in Wailuku, Friday, September 11 at  4:30 PM; at the Cameron Center Auditorium; in Lanai, Tuesday, September 15 at noon in the Lanai Senior Center;  In Hana,Wednesday, September 16 at noon in the Hana Community Center and, on Molokai,Thursday, September 17 at 4:30 PM in the Kaunakakai Gym.

The purpose of the public hearings is to afford those residing in each of  Oceanic Time Warner Cable franchise areas the opportunity to submit written or oral comments, views, and/or arguments on the Transfer Application which can be viewed on the state’s website[email protected]. All interested persons are encouraged to put their comments in writing and submit them to DCCA-CATV by Friday, September 25, 2014 at 4:30 PM.