The

future of cable television service in Fayette

County is now in the hands of communications

giant AT&T.

The

County Commission last week unanimously approved

transfer of the county's franchise agreement from

MediaOne to AT&T, acknowledging the recently

announced merger of the two firms.

"I'm

very confident that AT&T is about doing

something about our problems down here,"

said Commissioner Greg Dunn after a presentation

County

officials in recent years have been less than

satisfied with MediaOne's handling of local

complaints about frequent and prolonged service

interruptions.

But

with the merger, AT&T hopes to improve

things, said Sylvia Anderson, vice president for

law and government affairs for AT&T.

In

response to complaints, MediaOne officials have

assured county leaders that they are working

toward replacement of Fayette's antiquated cable

system with state-of-the-art technology.

AT&T

has promised to complete the upgrade by next

November, one month earlier than MediaOne had

promised it.

"I

understand that there have been problems with the

services that have been provided by MediaOne to

your constituents," said Anderson, adding,

"I have reviewed each and every

complaint."

Once

the upgrade is finished, she said, "You will

find service will improve, picture quality will

improve and complaints... will go down."

But

she warned that during the construction process,

problems may get worse before they get better.

That's

fine, said Commissioner Linda Wells, but she

challenged the company to make sure people are

notified when service will be interrupted.

The

company will use door hangers and newsletters to

get the word out, said MediaOne vice president

Dennis Lopatch, and is willing to use other means

as well. "We're very open to ideas about

it," he said.

In

the near term, customers won't notice any

difference following the transfer to AT&T,

said assistant county manager Chris Cofty. In

some areas where cable mergers have occurred, he

said, the purchased company has not even changed

its name.

"At

some point I imagine MediaOne will acquire the

AT&T name," he said, "but I would

be surprised if it's before the upgrade in

service is completed."

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