CABLE SHIFTS TO TIME WARNER TAKEOVER OF ADELPHIA, COMCAST.

Byline: JULIA M. SCOTT Staff Writer

Time Warner assumed control of Adelphia and Comcast in the San Fernando Valley this week, but changes to service packages, channel lineup and bills will be rolled out over the next few months.

``First we want to get everything integrated. Then we'll start offering changes,'' Time Warner spokesman Deane Leavenworth said. ``But we don't want to offer changes off the bat. We want to offer stability.''

The deal gave Time Warner some 4.8 million Adelphia and Comcast customers nationwide, including 350,000 in Los Angeles and Orange counties. Time Warner and Comcast purchased Adelphia jointly for $12.5 billion plus a 16 percent stake in Time Warner. Then they swapped systems in some markets to create ``better clustered systems,'' Leavenworth said.

Angelenos will get much better service with Time Warner and will still have a choice between DirecTV and Satellite TV, according to District 3 Councilman Dennis Zine.

``If you want to have cable TV, you still have a choice,'' Zine said. ``I see this as a positive, especially for folks in my district.''

Former Adelphia customers will be able to keep their service plans for the time being, he said.

``The rates will not be affected by this transaction,'' Leavenworth said. However, eventually ``everything will be consistent.''

In the fall, former Adelphia and Comcast customers will be able to sign up for Time Warner services such as digital phone service, digital cable, and Road Runner high speed Internet connection, priced at $44.95 each, Leavenworth said. Discounts are available for those who sign up for multiple services.

Some changes to channel lineups are coming down the pike. Analog channels won't budge, but digital channel lineups will be grouped by content, creating clusters of children's shows or cooking programs, Leavenworth said.

Monthly bills will eventually say Time Warner instead of Adelphia or Comcast, but the format will be ``comparable,'' Leavenworth said. Bills will still list any extra charges for pay-per view shows or movies, taxes and fees.

For those who pay their bills through an online service, Time Warner will take care of all the details, Leavenworth said.

Time Warner is adding new channels, including SiTV, an English-language channel geared toward Latinos.

Time Warner is also expected to reinstate the NFL Network on former Adelphia systems after the FCC said it was cut off without the required 30-day notice.

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Source: Time Warner

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