- 2024 Revenue: $8.95 billion (down 3.1% year-over-year)
- Customers: Approximately 4.6 million residential and business customers
- Market Cap: Approximately $1 billion (January 2026)
- Service Area: 21 U.S. states
- Employees: Approximately 10,900
Altice USA ranks as the fourth-largest cable provider in the United States. The company delivers broadband internet, video, mobile, and telephone services to customers across 21 states through its Optimum brand.
Headquartered in New York City, Altice USA operates from One Court Square in Long Island City. The company serves the New York metropolitan area along with markets in the Midwest and Southern states. Patrick Drahi, a French-Moroccan-Israeli-Portuguese businessman, founded the parent company Altice in 2001 and controls Altice USA.
Altice USA History
Altice USA Co-founders
Altice USA Competitors
Altice USA competes with major cable and telecommunications providers in the broadband and video services market. The company faces competition from traditional cable operators and newer fixed wireless providers. Similar to how Time Warner Cable evolved before its acquisition, Altice USA navigates a rapidly changing telecommunications landscape.
| Company | Headquarters | Primary Services |
|---|---|---|
| Comcast (Xfinity) | Philadelphia, PA | Cable TV, Internet, Mobile |
| Charter (Spectrum) | Stamford, CT | Cable TV, Internet, Mobile |
| Cox Communications | Atlanta, GA | Cable TV, Internet, Phone |
| Verizon Fios | New York, NY | Fiber TV, Internet, Phone |
| AT&T | Dallas, TX | Fiber, Internet, Mobile |
| T-Mobile | Bellevue, WA | Mobile, Fixed Wireless |
| Mediacom | New York, NY | Cable TV, Internet, Phone |
| Frontier Communications | Dallas, TX | Fiber, Internet, Phone |
| WideOpenWest | Englewood, CO | Cable TV, Internet, Phone |
| Cable One | Phoenix, AZ | Internet, Cable TV, Phone |
Altice USA Revenue
Altice USA generated $8.95 billion in total revenue for fiscal year 2024. Revenue declined 3.1% compared to 2023 due to video subscriber losses and competitive pressures from fiber overbuilders and fixed wireless providers.
The residential segment drives most of the company’s revenue. Broadband services remain the core business as video subscribers continue to decline industry-wide.
Altice USA Acquisitions
Altice USA grew primarily through acquisitions that established its presence in the U.S. cable market. The company follows the acquisition strategy of its parent company Altice, which built a global telecommunications empire through strategic purchases. Media conglomerates like Time Warner similarly expanded through acquisitions before consolidation reshaped the industry.
The Suddenlink acquisition in December 2015 marked Altice’s entry into the U.S. market. Altice NV paid $9.1 billion for Suddenlink, the seventh-largest cable operator in the country at the time. Suddenlink served customers primarily in smaller markets across Texas, West Virginia, Arizona, Louisiana, and other states.
In June 2016, Altice completed its $17.7 billion acquisition of Cablevision Systems Corporation. Cablevision was the dominant cable provider in the New York metropolitan area, operating under the Optimum brand. The deal combined Suddenlink and Cablevision to form Altice USA, creating the fourth-largest cable operator in the country with more than 4.6 million customers.
Altice USA continued acquiring smaller operators to expand its footprint. In 2019, the company purchased Cheddar, a digital news network, for $200 million. The company later sold Cheddar to Archetype in 2023. In 2020, Altice acquired Service Electric Broadband Cable in New Jersey for approximately $150 million.
The 2021 acquisition of Morris Broadband for $310 million strengthened Altice USA’s position in North Carolina. Morris Broadband was later integrated into the Optimum brand. These acquisitions expanded the company’s fiber and broadband capabilities in regional markets.
Altice USA Marketcap
Altice USA’s market capitalization stands at approximately $1 billion as of January 2026. The company’s valuation declined significantly from its 2017 IPO levels due to debt concerns, subscriber losses, and industry headwinds.
FAQs
Who owns Altice USA?
Patrick Drahi, a French-Moroccan-Israeli-Portuguese billionaire, controls Altice USA through his holding company. Drahi founded Altice in 2001 and maintains controlling interest in both Altice USA and Altice Europe.
What brands does Altice USA operate?
Altice USA operates under the Optimum brand for residential services. The company also operates Lightpath for enterprise fiber services, News 12 for local news, and i24NEWS for international news coverage.
When did Altice USA go public?
Altice USA went public on the New York Stock Exchange in June 2017. The company raised $2.2 billion in its initial public offering under the ticker symbol ATUS.
How many customers does Altice USA serve?
Altice USA serves approximately 4.6 million residential and business customers across 21 U.S. states. The company operates primarily in the New York metropolitan area and select Midwestern and Southern markets.
What happened to Suddenlink?
Altice NV acquired Suddenlink Communications in December 2015 for $9.1 billion. In 2022, Altice USA rebranded all Suddenlink systems under the Optimum name, retiring the Suddenlink brand.