New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer urged the...

New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer urged the New York Public Service Commission (PSC) Monday to “take steps” to ensure the proposed Comcast/Time Warner Cable (TWC) merger will expand access to Internet connectivity in New York City’s five boroughs, calling Internet connectivity the “fourth utility of the modern age.” If regulators approve the merger, Comcast would be required to abide by TWC’s franchise agreement with New York City -- but it should have a more detailed plan to address connectivity issues in the city, Stringer said. The PSC should also “engage in appropriate oversight” ensuring Comcast meets its commitments to low-income New York residents, he said. The New York PSC should also “carefully examine” Comcast’s net neutrality commitment as part of its review, Stringer said. New York state law has effectively declared ISPs as common carriers, requiring ISPs to “provide publicly offered conduit services on demand to any similarly situated user on substantially similar terms, subject to the availability of facilities and capacity,” he said. Stringer criticized Comcast for being “willing to sacrifice net neutrality in order to squeeze additional payment out of content providers, such as Netflix” and other content providers. The PSC should examine whether Comcast’s agreement with Netflix is “a sign that the company is eroding this principle in a manner that conflicts with the public interest,” Stringer said (http://bit.ly/1pbXX5p).