The end of 1997 and beginning of 1998 has been a very busy -- and exciting -- time for TCI in the Yamhill Co. area. We have made a number of changes, introduced some new services, and worked hard to improve our service. And we expect that the months ahead will be equally exciting!

Before we get too far along, we thought we would take a moment to review a few of the changes we have made, as well as highlight some things you can look forward to:

In January, TCI introduced a revolutionary new service option -- TCI DIGITAL CABLE. With TCI DIGITAL CABLE, TCI customers can receive up to 36 additional video and 10 digital audio channels for just $10.00 more per month.

DIGITAL CABLE offers up to 18 special interest networks, including:

If you subscribe to premium services, DIGITAL CABLE will bring you multiplexes of your favorite services, including:

PLUS, DIGITAL CABLE offers nine channels of pay per view choices.

To receive DIGITAL CABLE, you must have a special digital converter, which rents for $3.30 per month (including universal remote). If you already have a converter box, it would be replaced by this digital converter. Installation of DIGITAL CABLE is just $12.95 for a current TCI customer.

Beginning early in 1998, a complete system upgrade for the Yamhill Co. system is scheduled. This project will take two years to complete and will greatly increase the channel capacity of the system and open the door to new services -- such as high-speed Internet access -- in the future. Some of the often-requested services, not included in the Digital Cable package, will be made available to TCI subscribers, and all subscribers will have an opportunity to weigh in on the channels they would like to see added.

In April, you will see a new look to your monthly statements. TCI is changing billing companies to provide better service and easier to read statements.

As a result of a recent court ruling, earlier this year we were required to modify the calculation methodology of the franchise fee, which appears on your bill each month. The amount identified as "franchise fee" is now calculated as a percentage of your total bill, including the fee itself. As a result, there was a slight increase in the franchise fee on your bill.

We hope this update is helpful to you. All of us at TCI recognize it as a privilege to serve you and your neighbors in the Yamhill Co. area, and we look forward to continuing to work hard to deliver the best service possible. We hope you are as excited as we are about Digital TV and the upgrade improvements ahead!