Plans offered by Optimum are extremely competitive in terms of price. In addition, the pricing of their 400 MBPS and 940 MBPS plans is guaranteed for life, subjectto certain T&Cs, mainly the customer remaining in good standing during its currency. As with other providers, the effort is to move customers towards the gig plan by offering rates that work out cheapest on a per unit of download speed basis.
Other add-ons offered like unlimited data andplans without contract lock-ins, make it an enticing option. The only weak link perhaps, being their 400 MBPS plan. Customers with lower bandwidth needs might opt for the 300 MBPS plan while those with higher requirements, either for gaming or supporting multiple devices, might go fo the gig plan.
This guide will provide information on:
Optimum Internet Plans
| Plan Name | Download Speed | Upload Speed | Bandwidth | Connection Type | Regular Price | Sales Prices | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optimum 300 | 300 Mbps | 35 MBPS | Cable | $45/mo. | $45/mo. | for 1-yr. Plus taxes, fees, and other charges. Includes AutoPay and Paperless Billing. | |
| Optimum 400 | 400 Mbps | 40 MBPS | Cable | $64.99/mo. | $64.99/mo. | Plus taxes, fees, and other charges. Price for Life. Customer must remain in good standing and up to date on bill payments to remain on Price For Life. | |
| Optimum 1 Gig | 940 Mbps | 50 MBPS | Cable | $75/mo. | $75/mo. | for Life. Plus taxes, fees and other charges. Includes Auto Pay and Paperless Billing. Price for Life. Customer must remain in good standing and up to date on bill payments to remain on Price For Life. |
Why choose Optimum ?
True to its word on speed There is many a slip betwixt the cup and the lip, they say. In case of internet service providers (ISPs), betwixt the promised speed and delivered speed. In case of Optimum, they deliver the speeds they promise, despite offering fast speeds. In fact, their starting plan offers a download speed of 300 MBPS, much above the standard starting plan of most ISPs. Going up to a gid, among the fastest in the business. Customer Service ramks well in the sector In a sector known for low CSAT scores, Optimum does reasonably well, at least in relative terms. In surveys done by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ASCI) Optimum for 2019-20 comes out at a 65, which might not be great in the larger scheme of things, but is a respectable score in view of the best being only 73. No data caps Even though we may never bust the data caps placed by our ISPs, having a cap itself is a bit of a bother. Why have it if we are not going to cross it? Why take the burden to track it and even worry about the extra charges some ISPs might apply. Optimum follows this philosophy and does away with a cap in all its plans. It does, however, say explicitly in its T&Cs that if it finds the download to be excessive, it reserves the right to place a cap. If you are a regular Joe with a regular family, don’t worry about it. No contract needed Contracts, again, can be limiting. Some ISPs follow the practice of incentivizing contracts with better pricing. But for people making frequent moves, it is limiting. With Optimum, you don’t need any contract. Pair it with the Price for Life offer on some of its plans, and you have a winning combination. Extended reach with hotspots They may be limited in terms of geographical coverage, but Optimum is able to extend broadband access for its customers but offering them free wi-fi hotspots in over 2 million locations.Pros
- Optimum offers pricing that is very competitive. In addition, there is a Price for Life guarantee on its lowest and highest speed plans.
- Very fast entry plan at 300 MBPS download speed.
- Plans do not require contractiual commitments.
- There are no sata caps in any of the plans.
Cons
- The area covered is limited. People who move could face problems in migrating to a service when they move though other internet services under the parent might be of some help.
- They offer only three packages to choose from. Hence, limited set of options for customers.
Optimum Internet Coverage
Optimum has a limited footprint, being available only in Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania at this point. It is estimated that the Optimum cable internet service is available to about 12 million with its fober service being available to under 2 million people. It is the fourth largest cable probvvider in the US.
Of course, its parent Altico also owns Suddenlink which covers several parts of the US.
Optimum extends its range by offering free wi-fi hoptspots, more than 2 million of them, including in transit stations of NJ.
Frequently Asked Questions
Altice, or Altice USA to be more specific, is the owner of Optimum. Optimum became a part of thye Altice family when Altice acquired Cablevision in 2016. Altice USA is a media and communications giant. Aprt from Optimum, it also has Suddenlink, Cheddar, and Altice Mobile under its umbrella.
Optimum would loveto have you continue the service. To enable you to do so, we even offer loyalty discounts. However, you must note that the move is to a place that is served by the Optimum network, which, at this point, is limited to the tri-state area Connecticut, New York and New Jersey. If yes, you will fiund detailed guidance for movers on our website. Please follow them or contact us for support.
The basic minimum is a modem, that receives the internet at the location, and a router, that sends the signal further from that point by issuingthe Wi-Fi signal. Optimum also offers the integrated wireless gateway that combines the modem and router within one piece of equipment. If the area where you wish to use the Wi-Fi is large, or there are nooks and crannies that need to be covered, you can also add on the wi-fi extenders.
Pricing:
- Standard DOCSIS modem and a smart router: $10 per month
- Wireless gateway: $10 per month
- Wi-Fi extender (each): $3 per month
- Additional modems: $49.95 one-time fee each
You also have the option of gettingyour own equipment if the math works better that way for you. However, please ensure they are compatible with the Optimum service.
Both options are available. You can do a self-installation with the help of our detailed ‘starter’ pack, or you could get an Optimum technician do the installation, for a fee.
Installation fees are:
- Standard installation (starting around $100)
- Premium installation (starting around $150)
Whichever option you choose, you will need the following equipment:
- Internet modem (either your own or leased from Optimum)
- Router
- You can also get a “smart” router directly from Optimum if you lease their modem. A smart router sets up a secure home network, and you can access your settings from anywhere through Optimum’s website.
- Cable port and wire
- Internet-enabled computer or similar device
- Fiber gateway device, if your area is fiber-connected
There are various factors that have a bearing on the speed you experience. Prominent among them are:
Distance from router could impact speed, especially ofthere are obstructions like walls in the way.
The device itself could have a configuration that is not built for the high speeds on the Optimum network.
Many devices accessing the network at the same time can have an impact on speed.
For cable networks, the speed could also reduce if more number of users start accessing the internet during a certain period of time.
While Wi-Fi is convenient, it is not as fast as a ired connection. For heavy-duty applications like gaming, a wired connection is recommended.
The website you are trying to access could also be experiencing unusually high traffic and struggling to respond.
You need to look at your WiFi device and check the list of available networks. If you can see the name name “optimumwifi” in the list, you are in an Optimum Wi-Fi hotspot. This name is also called the SSID.
About Optimum
Optimum was founded in 1973 under CableVision and became a prt of Altice USA when it acquired Cablevision for $17.7 billion in June 2016. With the acquisition of Suddenlink, Altice USA is the fourth largest cable operator in the US.
Altice USA (NYSE: ATUS) is one of the largest broadband communications and video services providers in the United States, delivering broadband, pay television, telephony services, proprietary content and advertising services to approximately 4.9 million Residential and Business customers across 21 states through its Optimum and Suddenlink brands.
The Altice group includes:
Suddenlink – Delivers internet services for homes in the south, midwest and western parts of the United States. providing high-speed Internet, digital TV. and voice services plus advanced home security.
Altice Mobile – A network of networks that delivers advanced LTE coverage by combining Altice’s Fiber and mobile infrastructures with two of the top networks in the United States.
Altice Business – Offers data, Internet, voice, managed services and pay TV products to hundreds of thousands of small, medium and large-sized businesses across the country.
a4 Advertising – Altice Advanced Advertising & Analytics, is a data and advertising business that delivers multiscreen campaigns for small businesses, local, regional, national, political, and multicultural advertisers and their agencies.
Cheddar – A digital-first news network providing quick updates on trending stories in tech, innovation, business, politics, media, entertainment and culture in a fresh, fast-paced format.
News 12 Networks – Leader in hyper-local content, providing news, weather, traffic and sports exclusively to cable subscribers in the New York/New Jersey/Connecticut tri-state area.
i24 NEWS – The only 24/7 international news and current affairs channel broadcasting from the heart of the Middle East.
Headquarters:
One Court Square West Long Island City, NY 11101 USA
Operational center is located at Cablevision’s former headquarters in Bethpage, New York.
