John Malone's Liberty Broadband is no longer a direct shareholder in Charter Charter Communications, already the No. 1 cable operator in the U.S., closed its acquisition of Cox Communications, creating a cable giant with operations in 45 states serving roughly 37 million customers. The closing of the deal, valued at $34.5 billion, comes after the California Public Utility Commission (CPUC) last week voted to approve the transaction, which was the final federal and state regulatory approval required. Charter announced the deal to acquire Cox in May 2025.
Within a year, the merged company will change its parent company name to Cox Communications. But it will operate its services as Spectrum (the Charter moniker) across all markets. The company will remain headquartered in Stamford, Conn., while keeping a “significant presence” in the Atlanta area (where Cox was based).
Charter said that, to “welcome its new customers,” the company is offering one free year of mobile service to Cox internet customers who don’t already subscribe to Cox Mobile. In mid-September, Spectrum plans to launch “its entire suite of products to all consumers” in former Cox markets. With the deal, John Malone’s Liberty Broadband ceased to be a direct shareholder in Charter and no longer designates directors for election to the Charter board.
Malone, the “cable cowboy” who has engineered many of the biggest deals in the sector over the years, first invested in Charter in 2013. And Cox employees will soon have access to all the programs and benefits that have made Charter an employer of choice where its 100% U.S.-based employees can build long-term careers.” Alex Taylor, previously chairman and CEO of Cox Enterprises, has been appointed chairman of the newly merged company. Eric Zinterhofer (formerly Charter’s chairman) has been named the lead independent director of the board.
Winfrey will continue in his current role as president and CEO and board member. In addition to Taylor, Cox Enterprises has appointed Dallas Clement and Mark Greatrex to Charter’s 13-member board. Advance/Newhouse, which, like Cox, contributed its operations to Charter’s partnership in 2016, will retain its two board seats held by Steve Miron and Michael Newhouse.
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