Board Urges 2nd Extension for Overdue Cable Service

The city Board of Telecommunications Commissioners Friday recommended that United Cable Television of Los Angeles be granted a second 10-month extension--until July 31, 1987--to complete installation of the long-delayed East San Fernando Valley cable TV system.

The board also recommended that the City Council delay imposing a $159,300 fine on United for failing to meet a June 30 deadline for installing the first 50 miles of the 1,140-mile system.

But board President Charles Firestone told United officials, “This is absolutely the last time we will defer any fines.”

United originally was supposed to finish the system early this December, but last year received a 10-month extension from the council. The council set deadlines for completing segments of the system, with financial sanctions if United failed to meet them.

United President William Cullen told the board Friday that the timetable set by the the council last winter was “unrealistic” and “forced upon” the company.

New Timetable Recommended

Susan Herman, general manager of the Department of Telecommunications, agreed that the schedule is unrealistic. She recommend that the city adopt the new timetable to “let the public know what they can realistically expect.”

Herman also recommended that the city delay imposing any fines. “We’re not interested in enriching the city coffers,” she said. “Our greatest concern is that service be out in the community as soon as possible.”

She said United needs to put as much of its money as possible into completing the system.

Under the revised schedule recommended by the board Friday, United would have to begin service along 270 miles of the system by Dec. 31. If it doesn’t, United will have to pay the city the $159,300 fine, plus $45,600 in penalties. As of early Friday, the company had strung only 12 miles of cable.

The new schedule must be approved by the City Council.

The recommendations of the board and city staff are expected to help United. But Councilman Ernani Bernardi, whose Van Nuys-area district is one of the few in the city without cable television, said Friday, “I’m adamantly opposed to it.”

Bernardi said he will ask that the company be fined immediately. He said that, if the sanctions do not spur the company to build the system faster, he will explore other options, including opening the East Valley to competing cable firms.

Utility Companies Blamed

United officials have said the latest delays were caused by utility companies’ slowness in approving their requests to string cable on utility poles.

Telecommunications Department manager Herman said that problem has been worked out, and that she believes the company is working as hard as it can to complete the system.

During the board meeting at City Hall, United’s president, Cullen, repeated his warning that the company’s ability to complete the system on time hinges on council approval of its request for a 10-year extension of its franchise.

Company officials have said they do not want to continue investing in the $60-million system because the existing franchise, scheduled to expire in 1987, doesn’t allow time for them to make money.

“United already has $8 million invested in this project, and we do not have a business opportunity as we sit here today,” Cullen said. “And that worries us.”

The council is expected to consider the franchise extension in September.