Cable companies United Artists Communications Inc. and...

Cable companies United Artists Communications Inc. and United Cable Television Corp. have agreed on new terms for their often-delayed, billion-dollar merger, sweetening the amount of cash available to United Cable shareholders. Analysts and company officials estimated that the deal, which would create the nation’s third-largest cable company, would be worth $1.6 billion to $1.7 billion. The new company, to be called United Artists Entertainment Co., would have about 2.4 million basic subscribers, placing it behind only Tele-Communications Inc. and American Television & Communications Inc., a Time Inc. unit.