Washington, D.C.—The National Black Church Initiative, a faith-based coalition is joining with President Donald Trump to oppose the AT&T/ Time Warner merger.
“As an example of the power structure I’m fighting, AT&T is buying Time Warner and thus CNN, a deal we will not approve in my administration because it’s too much concentration of power in the hands of too few,” Trump said during a speech. Trump told a friend in the last few weeks that he still considers the merger to be a bad deal, said one of the people who asked not to be identified because the conversation was private. Trump’s chief strategist, Steve Bannon, is also opposed to the deal.
These are two of the points illustrating our stance on the merger:
1. The current merger talks between AT&T and Time Warner will cost NBCI 15.7 million members in both rural and urban communities who are connected to either one of this companies an 18 percent increase in their bill and expose them to identity theft. Currently, NBCI members are paying up to 22 percent of their monthly income on phone and internet related services. If this merger gets through without proper oversight and they will have to recover any losses they incur, NBCI members and others will have to cover these hidden costs. In addition, the merger doesn’t speak to the many new products they are planning to roll out that will impact NBCI members. Thus, NBCI members will pay an average of 22-25 percent of their monthly income. The vast majority of NBCI members are on a low income and fixed budget and this will add an undo burden to their current economic state. This merger is going to cost members tens of millions of dollars and this is morally unfair. AT&T will be merging these two big companies, valued at 68 billion dollars, off the backs of the poor.
2. Another strong objection is that members will be paying for mediocre internet services over AT&T’s networks depending on their geographical location. This issue is particularly pressing for members in areas in which AT&T is their only choice for provider. According to Harvard University Law School Professor Susan Crawford, this deal “leaves two-thirds of Americans with at most one choice for high-speed internet access…” and “residents in AT&T areas that don’t have the option of cable (or can’t afford it) will be completely stuck with AT&T’s unmaintained second-class services.” AT&T doesn’t face any real competition currently so consumers in these vulnerable areas will be burdened with unchecked price increases on unexceptional service.
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