Charter, 2 Firms Join to Sell Phone Services

Charter Communications Inc., the fourth-largest U.S. cable television operator, will sell phone services with Level 3 Communications Inc. and Sprint Corp. to keep customers from switching to satellite TV competitors.

Sprint and Level 3 will help transmit calls placed by Charter’s subscribers, St. Louis-based Charter said.

The agreements will help Charter, whose cable systems can reach 12 million homes, expand into phone service more quickly and at a lower cost, the company said. Charter is trying to stem customer departures to satellite TV operators by providing more diverse products.