Today the company is the third-largest cable operator in the nation, after Tele-Communications and Time-Warner.

Continental, which is based in Boston, is the nation's third-largest cable operator with 4.2 million subscribers in 20 states from New Hampshire to California.

Comcast, the nation's third-largest cable operator, acquired control of the Flyers, the 76ers and the teams' current and future arenas last March for $250 million.

Media One, with 5.1 million households, would be the nation's third-largest cable system operator.

U S West agreed to acquire the nation's third-largest cable operator, Continental Cablevision, for $5.3 billion.

But consumer advocates said that by acquiring the nation's third-largest cable operator, U S West had laid bare a labyrinth of interlocking ownership stakes.

In the case of U S West and Continental, for example, the regional Bell is acquiring the nation's third-largest cable operator.

Shaw is the third-largest cable television operator in Canada.

The deal will create the nation's third-largest cable operator - behind Tele-Communications and American Television and Communications -with 2.4 million subscribers.

The move would give Comcast, the nation's third-largest cable operator, 4.8 percent of the combined company.