Southwestern Bell Corp is renegotiating the terms of $4,900m investment in cable television operator Cox Enterprises Inc because of the government-mandated rate cuts, which could delay the signing of a final contract for several months: the Baby Bell said it is optimistic the final deal will be closed by year-end; when the companies originally announced the venture in December, they said they expected to finalise the agreement by the end of the first quarter and complete the partnership by the end of the third quarter; when the two first announced their partnership, they said Cox would contribute 21 cable systems and that Southwestern Bell would put up $1,600m in cash.
