Issaquah, Tci Agree On New Cable-TV Franchise Pact

ISSAQUAH

The City Council last night approved a new agreement between TCI Cablevision of Washington Inc. and the city, allowing for a resolution to the dispute with the cable company over the current franchise.

In a unanimous vote, the council adopted an ordinance granting a seven-year franchise that would require TCI to give Issaquah an upgraded system within a year of the agreement's start.

The council extended the current franchise, which would have expired today, through June 30, so TCI can formally accept it. But that is "pretty much a formality," TCI spokesman Steve Kipp said.

"We're happy . . . and ready to roll," he said.

The new fiber-optic system will give Issaquah cable subscribers access to at least 78 analog channels, about 45 digital ones and "@ Home" Internet service, a high-speed Internet connector.

If the upgrades are late, TCI would have to pay the city 50 cents per subscriber for every day past the deadline. The city has roughly 3,700 subscribers. If they are more than three months late, the city can collect $1 million from the Denver-based cable-television giant.

And if TCI is more than six months late with the upgrades, Issaquah could terminate the franchise.

Under the agreement, TCI will also provide fiber connections to 12 public buildings, which the city will be able to broadcast from, Mayor Ava Frisinger said. Currently, it can only broadcast from City Hall South.

Frisinger was on the team that has been negotiating with TCI since April 6, when the council declared that TCI had breached the current franchise by not offering Issaquah upgrades it had provided other areas of King County. The council said it would terminate the agreement with TCI unless the cable company could demonstrate it would improve service to the city.

TCI had claimed the part of the franchise requiring the upgrades was pre-empted by federal law and said it was prepared to sue Issaquah if it terminated the franchise.

With the new agreement, TCI will provide upgrades, and "we've got all kinds of guarantees that TCI is going to perform what they say they will," said Stew Cogan, a member of the city Cable Commission.

The company will still be required to offer improvements it gives to other areas of King County within a year of providing them in those areas; but the provision "is more clearly worded now," Cogan said.