Optimum Communications
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.
- Company typePublic
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersBethpage, United States
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
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.
Optimum Communications firmographics
Firmographics- 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
Optimum Communications industry classification
Industry- 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
Where Optimum Communications is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bethpage
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Optimum Communications business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Infrastructure, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- 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.
- Video Services: Residential pay-TV services experiencing ongoing subscriber losses due to cord-cutting. Q1 2026 video revenue declined 9.5% year-over-year.
- 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.
- Telephony Services: Residential and business voice services. Q1 2026 telephony revenue declined 12.1% year-over-year.
- Advertising (Optimum Media): Advanced advertising and analytics solutions delivering multiscreen campaigns for advertisers through Optimum Media brand.
- 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
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Internet and mobile bundled services starting at $60 per month |
| Subscription | Monthly | 1-Gig broadband speed tier |
| Subscription | Monthly | 300-Meg broadband speed tier |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Optimum Communications product offering
Product offeringCore 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
Companies that use Optimum Communications
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Optimum Communications technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Optimum Communications partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- White & CaseminorWhite & Case was engaged as financial transaction counsel following Kirkland & Ellis's withdrawal from representing Optimum. Partner Tom Lauria leads the assignment.
- Ropes & GrayminorRopes & Gray provided legal advisory services to Optimum Communications in connection with a $2 billion term loan facility finalization.
- Lightpath (Subsidiary)coreLightpath 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
Optimum Communications competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Optimum Communications social profiles
Digital presenceOptimum Communications financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Optimum Communications leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Optimum Communications subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries7 records
Optimum Communications funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Optimum Communications M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A2 records
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Optimum Communications
What does Optimum Communications do?
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.
Is Optimum Communications a public or private company?
Optimum Communications is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Optimum Communications founded?
Optimum Communications was founded in 2016. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is Optimum Communications based?
Optimum Communications is headquartered in Bethpage, United States, in the North America region.
How does Optimum Communications make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Broadband Services are the primary driver. The others are video Services, mobile Services, telephony Services, advertising (Optimum Media) and enterprise Fiber Connectivity (Lightpath).
Does Optimum Communications have an API?
No public API is recorded for Optimum Communications.
What industry is Optimum Communications in?
Optimum Communications's product category is Telecommunications and Broadband Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAIACAB, Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) Operators, with a secondary code of HDAIABAC, Fiber-to-the-Premises (FTTP/FTTH) Broadband Providers. Its NAICS code is 517111 and its SIC code is 4813.