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                            Before the
                Federal Communications Commission
                      Washington, D.C. 20554
                                 
OPTEL, INC.                     )       
                                )
v.                              )       CSR  4858-P
                                )
AMERICAN CABLESYSTEMS OF        )
CALIFORNIA, INC., D/B/A         )
CONTINENTAL CABLEVISION, INC.   )
                                )
Joint Stipulation of Dismissal  )
                                 
                             ORDER

     Adopted:  March 4, 1997            Released:  March 6, 1997

By the Chief, Cable Services Bureau:

     1.   OpTel, Inc. ("OpTel") filed a Complaint against American Cablesystems of
California, Inc., d/b/a Continental Cablevision, Inc. ("Continental"), alleging that Continental had
denied OpTel access to Prime Ticket Networks, L.P. ("Prime Ticket") programming services
pursuant to an exclusivity agreement that was not grandfathered pursuant to 47 U.S.C.  548(h) and
47 C.F.R.  76.1002(e).  In the alternative, OpTel claimed that Continental unreasonably refused to
sell programming to OpTel in violation of 47 U.S.C.  548(c)(2)(B).  Continental filed an Answer
and OpTel filed a Reply.

     2.   Optel and Continental, through their attorneys, have filed a request for dismissal,
fashioned as a Joint Stipulation of Dismissal ("Joint Stipulation"), in which they request that we
dismiss OpTel's Complaint with prejudice and without costs.  According to the parties, on January
31, 1997, Continental waived its exclusive right to Prime Ticket's programming with respect to all
other multichannel video programming distributors, including, but not limited to, OpTel.

     3.   The Commission encourages resolution of program access disputes through
negotiations between the parties in an effort to avoid time-consuming, complex adjudication.  Such
a policy favoring private settlement and alternative dispute resolution conserves Commission
resources and is thus in the public interest.

     4.   We thus find that it is in the public interest to terminate this proceeding pursuant to
the Joint Stipulation submitted by the parties.

     5.   Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED that the Complaint of OpTel, Inc. against American
Cablesystems of California, Inc., d/b/a Continental Cablevision, Inc., IS DISMISSED WITH
PREJUDICE.  This action is taken by the Chief, Cable Services Bureau, pursuant to authority
delegated by Section 0.321 of the Commission's rules.   

                              FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION



                              Meredith J. Jones
                              Chief, Cable Services Bureau