United Cable Fined $300,000 Over Delays in Construction

The Los Angeles City Council fined United Cable Television $300,000 Tuesday for failing to meet past construction schedules.

When United Cable won the east San Fernando Valley franchise in 1983, it promised to complete the system within two years. But lines were not strung into all of the East Valley until May, said the company’s attorney, Scott Adler.

The fine covers delays between January, 1988, and June, 1989.

Adler blamed the delays on unrealistic deadlines, many of which were set by company itself.

“United has been guilty of one thing, that is being overly optimistic about how fast we could build,” he said.

The council also agreed to a provision, suggested by its Industry and Economic Development Committee, under which money collected from United Cable will go toward improving East Valley cable service.

Council members asked the city Department of Telecommunications to return to the council Oct. 20 with a specific recommendation of how best to use the money.

Susan Herman, general manager of the department, said United Cable has been fined more than $1 million for delays, nearly half of which was waived after the company persuaded council members that they had not understood some of the regulations regarding the stringing of lines on Department of Water and Power poles.

Herman said the company has already paid $236,200.