Optimum Communications

What Optimum Communications does

Optimum Communications (NYSE: OPTU), rebranded from Altice USA on November 7, 2025, is a U.S. cable broadband and telecommunications operator headquartered in Bethpage, NY, serving approximately 4.4 million customers across 21 states. The company operates a hybrid fiber-coax network with 3.1 million fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) locations passed and markets 100% Fiber Internet with symmetrical speeds up to 8 Gig. Its consumer product set spans broadband, video, mobile (with lines surpassing 700,000 in June 2026), and voice, typically delivered as multi-product bundles anchored by the Optimum retail brand. Underlying technology on the broadband side includes Harmonic's vCMTS and cOS Broadband Platform deployed across the Optimum Fiber footprint.

Revenue is generated primarily through monthly recurring residential subscriptions to broadband, video, mobile, and voice services, supplemented by enterprise services delivered through Lightpath, a 50.01%-owned fiber infrastructure subsidiary based in New York. Optimum also owns and operates hyperlocal regional media properties, including News 12 in the New York metro, which function as both a content asset and a customer-acquisition channel. The company employs more than 10,000 people and is controlled by Patrick Drahi through Next Alt S.à r.l. The enterprise business model increasingly leans on Lightpath's hyperscale and AI-infrastructure contract wins (cumulative $362M in AI-driven awards) to offset consumer broadband subscriber declines (broadband subscribers stood at 3.81M in the period reported). The broader operating context is defined by a heavy debt load of approximately $25.5-26.7B, a FY2025 net loss of $1.87B, an approximate 4% YoY revenue decline (to roughly $8.59B from $8.95B in FY2024), and a 2026 restructuring program that included the creation of the CSC Investments II unrestricted subsidiary, a $1.1B JPMorgan term loan at 9%, a $2B term loan facility, a $500M capital raise, a $300M tender offer, and an antitrust lawsuit against a creditor group comprising Apollo, Ares, BlackRock, and Oaktree.

Name

Optimum Communications

Legal name

Optimum Communications, Inc.

Website

https://alticeusa.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Optimum Communications (NYSE: OPTU) is a U.S. cable broadband and telecom operator serving roughly 4.4 million customers across 21 states, offering fiber broadband, video, mobile, and voice bundles, with its Lightpath enterprise fiber unit increasingly focused on hyperscale and AI-driven contracts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Telecommunications and Broadband Services

NAICS

Wired Telecommunications Carriers (517111), Wired and Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite) (51711), Wired and Wireless Telecommunications (except Satellite) (5171)

SIC

Telephone Communications (No Radiotelephone) (4813), Cable & Other Pay Television Services (4841), Communications Services, Nec (4899)

akta.pro primary industry

Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) Operators (HDAIACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fiber-to-the-Premises (FTTP/FTTH) Broadband Providers (HDAIABAC), Business/Enterprise Fixed Connectivity Providers (SME/Enterprise Broadband) (HDAIABAI), Dedicated Internet Access (DIA) & Business Broadband (HDAIAFAD), Multi-Site Enterprise Connectivity Bundles (Hybrid WAN/MPLS+Internet) (HDAIAFAL)

Keywords

• Broadband internet services
• Fiber to the home
• Cable television services
• Mobile telecommunications
• Enterprise fiber connectivity

Headquarters

HQ city

Bethpage

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Broadband Services: Primary revenue stream from residential and business internet connectivity services. Q1 2026 broadband revenue declined 5.5% year-over-year. FTTH network passes 3.1 million homes and businesses.
2. Video Services: Residential pay-TV services experiencing ongoing subscriber losses due to cord-cutting. Q1 2026 video revenue declined 9.5% year-over-year.
3. Mobile Services: Mobile voice and data services showing strong growth with 35% increase in Q1 2026 revenue to $49.5 million, adding 52,000 new lines. Mobile lines surpassed 700,000 milestone in June 2026.
4. Telephony Services: Residential and business voice services. Q1 2026 telephony revenue declined 12.1% year-over-year.
5. Advertising (Optimum Media): Advanced advertising and analytics solutions delivering multiscreen campaigns for advertisers through Optimum Media brand.
6. Enterprise Fiber Connectivity (Lightpath): Lightpath provides all-fiber infrastructure connectivity services to enterprise and hyperscale customers. Lightpath revenue grew 35% on AI-driven infrastructure demand, with $362 million in AI-driven contract awards.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Optimum Communications provides residential and business connectivity services delivered over a hybrid fiber-coaxial network that is being expanded to a 100% Fiber-to-the-Home architecture offering symmetrical speeds up to 8 Gig. Its core offering bundles Internet, TV, Phone, and Mobile services for approximately 4.4 million customers across 21 states, while its Lightpath subsidiary supplies all-fiber enterprise connectivity to hyperscale and AI infrastructure customers.

Product overview

Optimum Communications operates as a unified connectivity platform offering consumer and enterprise services through its core Optimum brand portfolio. The consumer offering centers on Optimum Internet, TV, Phone, and Mobile services, complemented by Optimum Fiber—a next-generation 100% fiber network delivering speeds up to 8 Gig. The portfolio extends to News 12 for local news content and Optimum Media for advertising solutions. The company's Lightpath subsidiary provides enterprise-grade fiber connectivity services. The services work together as an integrated connectivity ecosystem serving residential and business customers across 21 states.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Optimum Fiber: 100% Fiber Internet network delivering symmetrical speeds up to 8 Gig with 99.9% reliability
• News 12
• Optimum Media
• Lightpath
• LightCube Data Centers

Products and services

• Optimum (Internet, TV, Phone, Mobile) Core consumer brand providing bundled connectivity services including high-speed Internet, television programming, phone, and mobile lines to approximately 4.4 million customers across 21 states.
• Optimum Fiber 100% Fiber Internet network delivering symmetrical speeds up to 8 Gig with 99.9% reliability, available to millions of addresses and expanding continuously, including FTTH passing 3.1 million homes and businesses.
• Lightpath All-fiber infrastructure connectivity provider (50.01% owned subsidiary) serving enterprise and hyperscale customers, including AI infrastructure customers. Captured $362M in AI-driven contract awards (a 240% year-over-year increase) and posted 35% revenue growth on AI demand.
• LightCube Data Centers Colocation and interconnection services offered by Lightpath, the enterprise fiber arm, supporting data center and hyperscale customer deployments.
• News 12 Local news programming service providing hyper-local news coverage that keeps viewers informed about matters relevant to their communities across the Optimum footprint.
• Optimum Media Advanced advertising and analytics solutions delivering multiscreen campaigns for advertisers, leveraging the company's owned subscriber base and content distribution.

Quantifiable outcome

• Achieved first quarter of year-over-year adjusted EBITDA growth in 16 quarters during Q4 2025, with 7.7% growth to $902.2 million
• +4 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• White & CaseminorOthers · 30 January 2026White & Case was engaged as financial transaction counsel following Kirkland & Ellis's withdrawal from representing Optimum. Partner Tom Lauria leads the assignment.
• Ropes & GrayminorOthers · 25 November 2025Ropes & Gray provided legal advisory services to Optimum Communications in connection with a $2 billion term loan facility finalization.
• Lightpath (Subsidiary)coreOthersLightpath is an all-fiber infrastructure connectivity provider and 50.01% owned subsidiary of Optimum Communications, headquartered in New York. Lightpath provides enterprise connectivity services and has grown 35% on AI-driven infrastructure demand with $362 million in AI-driven contract awards.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/optimumoffers
• Facebookfacebook.com/Optimum
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/optimum
• Instagraminstagram.com/optimum
• TikToktiktok.com/@optimum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Optimum Communications