In a signal that Comcast is moving forward with plans to spin off its Twin Cities business, the company has informed employees at its St. Paul offices that they will transition to a new employer.
Company officials told emplyees yesterday they will become part of Charter Communications or GreatLand Connections, the company created by Comcast and Charter.
Comcast agreed in April to shed almost 5 million subscribers in order to soften concerns that its acquisition of Time Warner Cable would make it too big and powerful. The Federal Communications Commission is weighing whether to approve the merger, which has come under heavy criticism. If the deal is approved, Comcast's Twin Cities business will be spun off.
"Yesterday, we formally said to (employees) that they will be transitioning -- at some point, if the deal is approved -- to GreatLand Connections or Charter," said Mary Beth Schubert, a spokeswoman for Comcast in St. Paul.
GreatLand will be owned two-thirds by Comcast shareholders and a third by Charter.
Comcast has nearly 2,000 employees in the Twin Cities. Schubert said many details are still being worked out, and she doesn't know how many workers will get a new employer, or whether they will work for Charter or the joint company.
