ComCast fires at critics over a $45 billion merger with Time Warner Cable.
ComCast is set to takeover TimeWarner Cable for a deal worth $45 billion.
Several companies, including Netflix, Discovery and Dish are opposing the deal, however, and the world's largest broadcasting and Cable Company is not looking for a pathetic defeat.
ComCast argued that the companies do not actually care about the welfare of the industry and its consumers; rather they just value their own interests.
Specifically, ComCast stated that Netflix is against the deal to push ComCast to put out a favourable offer on carrying its video stream packets, while Discovery reportedly demands higher fees to carry its channels.
Programmers are worried that the merger will make Comcast have the bargaining chip to set and dictate prices.
ComCast released a no-holds barred statement regarding the issue.
"The significance of this extortion lies in not just the sheer audacity of some of the demands, but also the fact that each of the entities making the 'ask' has all but conceded that if its individual business interests are met, then it has no concern whatsoever about the state of the industry, supposed market power going forward, or harm to consumers, competitors, or new entrants," according to the thick documents filed to the FCC on Tues.
Netflix predicts that the largest cable company and Internet service provider in the United States will make services such as high-speed performance become costlier.
However, Comcast argued that the deal remains to be a merger of two cable companies that are not competing with each other.
The merger is reported to grow both ComCast and Time Warner's broadband market to up to 35 percent and would be a significant player in 16 of the 20 largest cities in the United States.
Comcast executive attested to the aggressive approach ComCast showed on its critics, but firmly stated that "enough was enough."
"The increases that these companies are looking for in exchange for not opposing the deal are exorbitant," the executive said.
"Programmers don't expect to get called out on this stuff, but the industry is reaching a breaking point, and we needed to stand up for ourselves."
