Verizon-Charter the Next Big Carrier-Cable Merger?

**Editor’s Note: Please click here for a recap of the biggest channel-impacting mergers in November-December 2016.**

Verizon reportedly is looking at ways to merge with Charter Communications, potentially continuing the trend of multibillion-dollar telecom-cable consolidation.

The carrier is exploring a combination with the cable company, according to a Wall Street Journal report, citing people familiar with the matter.

Verizon declined comment, while Charter couldn’t be reached.

According to the report, Lowell McAdam, Verizon’s CEO, made a preliminary approach to officials close to Charter, and the company is working with advisers to study a potential transaction.{ad}

A merger would combine Verizon’s more than 114 million wireless subscribers with Charter’s cable network, which provides television to 17 million customers and broadband connections to 21 million.

Last summer, Charter completed its $71 billion acquisition of Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks, creating a cable powerhouse with almost as many subscribers as Comcast, the nation’s largest cableco.

Verizon expects its acquisition of XO Communications to close this quarter and its sale of data centers to Equinix to close in the second quarter. Regarding its pending acquisition of Yahoo, Verizon said it continues to work with the search giant to assess the impact of data breaches.