WASHINGTON, D.C. -- MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

Adopted: December 18, 2015 Released: December 18, 2015 By the Chief, Wireline Competition Bureau; Chief, International Bureau; Chief, Media Bureau; and Chief, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau:

I. INTRODUCTION

1. Altice N.V. (Altice) and Cequel Corporation (Cequel) d/b/a Suddenlink Communications (Suddenlink and together with Altice, the Applicants) filed a series of applications pursuant to Sections 214 and 310(d) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended (Act), seeking consent to various assignments and the transfer of control of licenses and authorizations held by Cequel’s wholly-owned subsidiaries to Altice.

2. On June 24, 2015, the Wireline Competition Bureau, International Bureau, Media Bureau, and Wireless Telecommunications Bureau released a Public Notice seeking comment on the proposed transaction. In response to the Public Notice, we received a total of five filings: three comments expressing concern about the transaction, and two replies. On June 29, 2015, the DOJ, with the concurrence of the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. Department of Homeland Security, filed a letter requesting that the Commission defer action on the applications until these agencies completed their review of the transaction for matters related to “national security, law enforcement, and public safety issues.” On December 11, 2015, the DOJ, including the FBI, and with the concurrence of the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. Department of Homeland Security (collectively, the Executive Branch Agencies) submitted a petition advising the Commission that they have no objection to grant of the Applications provided that we condition grant on compliance by Altice and Cequel with the commitments and undertakings set forth in the National Security Agreement between Altice, Cequel, and the DOJ, dated December 11, 2015 (National Security Agreement).

3. We have carefully reviewed the record, including supplemental information filed by the Applicants that we requested. Based on our analysis, we find that the likely public interest benefits outweigh any potential public interest harms. Accordingly, we conclude that the transaction, on balance, serves the public interest, and we consent to the proposed assignments and transfers subject to compliance by Altice and Cequel with the terms of the National Security Agreement.

Altice and Suddenlink Communications