The head of an internet service company that helps customers sign up for internet services has said he will not be able to sell his own services on his own website or through the company’s online marketplace.
Michael J. Cohen, who serves as president of the CenturyLink unit of Time Warner Cable, said that the company would be unable to sell its own products and services on its website because the company was under investigation by the Federal Communications Commission.
That’s a direct contradiction of what Time Warner has previously said it would not allow, and it’s the latest in a series of statements from the company that have been criticized by some Republicans and other groups for failing to protect customers from Internet providers that they say are engaging in deceptive practices.
Cohen said he has not received a cease-and-desist letter from the FCC, but that he was concerned that Time Warner was not taking adequate steps to protect his company from the allegations made by federal investigators.
Cohens statement, released Monday, also said the company has not taken any action to ensure that customers will be able get their data on the internet.
Time Warner Cable said in a statement that Cohen’s statement was “wrong.”
“We take this allegation seriously and are conducting an internal investigation,” the company said.
“It is unfortunate that a company that represents customers, including consumers across the country, would resort to false claims to defend their business practices.”
Trump and FCC chair Ajit Pai said in September that the agency was investigating the alleged violations of the Communications Act by Time Warner, and that the investigation was ongoing.
The FCC is expected to release its report this week, which will focus on whether Time Warner violated the law or the terms of its contract with the FCC.
Cohes company, CenturyLink, has been at the center of controversy since it announced in April that it would buy Time Warner for $85 billion, after it had been accused of manipulating prices for its Internet service.
The deal has sparked intense criticism from consumer advocates, who have argued that Time
